Nasio was the youngest of seven children born to a Carib Indian mother and father of African descent, in the village of Carte-Bois, Dominica. The family lived in a one room wooden country house without running water or electricity. Before heading off to school, Nasio and his brothers and sisters walked miles to the Gwiyo River to fetch fresh water for the household.
When he was eight years old, Nasio began singing in the Bagatelle school and the village Catholic church. Nasio had a habit of making instruments out of everything he could find. "My Dad, Atto, made my very first instrument, a piece of board with fishing lines for strings; it meant everything to me." According to the village residents, Nasio was often the highlight of the annual school talent shows, and "a blessing to listen to".
Nasio’s musical inspiration comes from Rastafari but on the earthly plane, reggae greats such as Culture’s Joseph Hill, Burning Spear, Jacob Miller and of course Bob Marley. He is also influenced by Marvin Gaye, the Beatles, Curtis Mayfield, and Dominican Cadence music, like Chubby and the Midnight Groovers. He is very focused on what his music is saying, the message he wants to portray.
In the mid-1980s, Nasio moved from Dominica to the hustle and bustle of the island of St. Maarten where he recorded his first 12" single Born to Be Free (1986) and EP Babylon is Falling (1990). His first full length CD Reggae Power (1994) was followed by Wolf Catcher (1997) and Revolution (1999). He soon became a sensation by the power of the music and word of mouth alone.
Lovers of reggae music throughout the world know Nasio’s name, his voice and his conscious lyrics. He speaks of revolution, of waking up the sleeping consciousness of oppressed and freedom loving people across the Earth. In his own words, “the music is important; I want my music to be my contribution to the people of the world.” The world of Reggae and indeed the world of music needs a new voice, get ready to be "Living in the Positive" with Nasio Fontaine.
Ithiopia
Nasio Fontaine Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Princes shall come out of Egypt, kings shall rise out of her
And Ithiopia stretch forth her hands unto Jah,
(Rastafari) and Ithiopia stretch forth her hands unto her god
So it was in the beginning, so shall it be in the end
So the first shall be the last and
the last shall be no more, yeah yeah
Gather the remnants of judah from the
lands they've been scattered upon yes
And Ithiopia stretch forth her hands unto Jah,
(Rastafari) and Ithiopia stretch forth her
hands unto her god so I'm telling you loud yeah
God bless Ithiopia, land of my father (rise and take your place) yeah
God bless Ithiopia,
land of my father (oh you mighty race) whoa ooh oh yeah
I see your glory rising Jah bless prophesy fulfilled
Rise up Ithiopia come with your god
and king yes remember root of king david
Come of the branch of Jesse,
gather the remnants of Judah from
the land they've been scattered upon yes
And Ithiopia stretch forth her hands unto Jah,
yeah yeah and Ithiopia stretch forth her
hands unto her god, unto her god oh yeah
Rise up, rise up all black people yes stretch forth your hands unto
jah come with your god and king
stretch forth your hands unto your god
Oh we've been scared for too long (rise up),
oh we've been scattered so long (rise and take your
place) no more will we be racing (rise up, up you mighty race)
Come on rise up (one god one
One aim one,
One love one destiny)
One love
(one god one
One aim one,
One love one destiny)
One love
(one god one
One aim one,
One love one destiny)
Yeah one black god and king
The lyrics of Nasio Fontaine's song "Ithiopia" speak to the prophecy that Princes and Kings will come out of Egypt, and Ethiopia will reach out to Jah - Rastafari, the creator of all, and to its own gods. The song depicts the realization of this prophecy, as Ethiopian descendants come together to reclaim their identity, and rise up from oppression and dispersal. The song reminds the listener of the roots of their identity, and the need to reclaim it regardless of how far they have been scattered.
The lyrics of the song are powerful in their depiction of Ethiopia as the symbol of the strong and successful African nation, with the acknowledgment of King Alpha and Queen Omega as the royal predecessors of Ethiopia. The song mentions the gathering of the remnants of Judah, and the diaspora, which acknowledges the struggles of the Black community, and serves as a rallying cry for the remembrance of the African identity. The song thus becomes an anthem of the reclaiming of identity in the African diaspora and an expression of hope for a strong and united African community.
Line by Line Meaning
Princes shall come out of Egypt, kings shall rise out of her
Great leaders and powerful rulers will emerge from Egypt.
And Ithiopia stretch forth her hands unto Jah,
Ethiopia reaches out to her god with open hands, seeking blessings and guidance.
(Rastafari) and Ithiopia stretch forth her hands unto her god
The Rastafari faith is centered around Ethiopia and its people's devotion to their god.
So it was in the beginning, so shall it be in the end
History repeats itself and what was true in the past will be true again in the future.
So the first shall be the last and the last shall be no more, yeah yeah
The social hierarchy will shift and bring those who were last to the front, while the elite will lose their power.
Remember great king alpha (king of kings) and our queen omega
We should honor and remember the first and last letters of the Greek alphabet, symbolizing the beginning and end of time.
Gather the remnants of judah from the lands they've been scattered upon yes
The people of Judah have been displaced from their homeland and must be reunited.
God bless Ithiopia, land of my father (rise and take your place) yeah
May Ethiopia and its people be blessed, as they are the homeland of the artist's ancestors and deserve recognition for their contributions.
God bless Ithiopia, land of my father (oh you mighty race) whoa ooh oh yeah
Ethiopia and its people are strong, powerful, and worthy of respect and admiration.
I see your glory rising Jah bless prophesy fulfilled
The artist sees Ethiopia's greatness shining for all to see and feels that this is a sign of their future success.
Rise up Ithiopia come with your god and king yes remember root of king david
Ethiopia should stand up and be proud of their heritage, including the lineage of King David in their history.
Come of the branch of Jesse, gather the remnants of Judah from the land they've been scattered upon yes
The artist is calling on Ethiopia to bring together and protect the scattered population of Judah in their territory.
Rise up, rise up all black people yes stretch forth your hands unto jah come with your god and king
All black people around the world should embrace their shared heritage and call on their deity for guidance and support.
stretch forth your hands unto your god
Everyone should reach out to their god and seek guidance and blessings.
Oh we've been scared for too long (rise up), oh we've been scattered so long (rise and take your place)
Black people have been oppressed and displaced for far too long and must rise up and take back their rightful place in society.
no more will we be racing (rise up, up you mighty race)
The oppressed shall no longer be in a constant race towards equality, they will rise up and achieve it.
Come on rise up (one god one, One aim one, One love one destiny)
The oppressed should come together and share a common goal, destiny, and love for their deity.
Yeah one black god and king
The singer emphasizes the importance of having a black god and king that represents the people, their beliefs, and traditions.
Writer(s): FONTAINE IGNATIUS NASIO
Contributed by Charlotte L. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@iyanlink3279
Nasio fontaine, African and native carib bloodline .. true man of the earth.. one of the most underrated reggae artists of all history... big love from Australia
@juliusoziris2018
Grandiose!!!🙏🙏🙏
@yankubafatty8970
Hi nasio fontaine big up yourself you singing like a Bob Marley like a Bob Marley greeting from gambia 🇬🇲🇬🇲🇬🇲🇭🇺
@dionisisiliopoulos3886
NASIO the one and the only for ever .
@albertsylvester2981
When nazio was a little child jah bless him and tell him you go and sing reggae music and be the best
@BHMPictures
Evergreen. Love from Nobekaw, Ghana.
@derickcraft3437
The best reggae artist after Bob Marley truly...!! His voice,style of singing & music
@curtischola413
right choice of words,just beautiful
@nrrbull
Fr
@jcornwall6228
For some reason, he is so underrated. Huge talent.