Dar es Salaam.
Veteran dance musician Ramadhan Masanja aka Banza Stone, 42 (pictured) was yesterday afternoon pronounced dead at his family home in Sinza Dar es Salaam after a long illness.
After several false alarms about his death, the news was confirmed by his elder brother, Mr Jabir Masanja, who said the singer had been admitted to Mwananyamala Referral Hospital in Dar es Salaam.
The real cause of his death was not clear at the time we went to press, but in an earlier interview, Banza, who had been restricted to his bed, complained of a severe headache.
The ailment rendered the singer unable to walk or even feed himself properly without support.
News of the singer’s demise hit the social media at about 2.00pm with his legion of fans sending condolence messages to his family.
Radio DJ Fetty and presenter Anna Peter wrote on their Twitter accounts: RIP Banza Stone.
More condolence messages were from Mwana FA, Izo Bizzo and many others who expressed the loss of Banza Stone who many considered as dance music icon.
The singer whose career took off in the early 1990s was famed for hits such as ‘Mtu Pesa’, ‘Angurumapo Simba’,’Mtaji wa Maskini’ and ‘Elimu ya Mjinga’.
In a career that spanned over 20 years, Banza Stone ventured into music at an early age just after he had completed his elementary education in 1987 despite his parents’ disapproval .
But his real debut into music was in 1990 after his earlier attempts to do hip hop proved futile.
Though many know him for his efforts that catapulted him to fame while at TOT Plus, before he made a career move to The African Stars ‘Twnga Pepeta and later Extra Bongo, he had worked with smaller bands before.
His struggles to make it took him to bands such as The Heart Strings, Twiga Band, Achigo Band as a drummer and Afri-Swez.
