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HABTE SELASSIE ሀብት ሥላሲ is an upcoming recording reggae artist; SINGER/songwriter, musician, One the best BASS players (major instrument) you may ever find today, a Guitarist and drummer with a touch in music production, a mesmerizing On-Stage Performer, soccer player, radio and at some point, Television presenter.
Habte may be also credited as an influential element in establishing and assembling Ethiopia's 1st "All English FM radio Station and introducing modern FM broadcasting in Ethiopia. Having ventured in the musical world from an early age, creating his own one string Bass instrument at barely the age of 7 years.
First live performance on stage was as early as the age 13 years, gradually gaining experience playing bass and singing. Many were mesmerized witnessing a teen that age, back in the day, playing bass and singing at the same time.
The music business has not been much of the driving force in career in the passed, but should be an inevitable part of the rest of Habte's life now.
Having met with Bob Marley's mother in the early Youth days on a TV set as a raggamuffin artist back in the day, Cedella Marley Booker motioned Habte towards roots conscious reggae and convinced him that the dancehall ragga was soon going to be over shadowed again by conscious roots reggae music, encouraging Habte to take seriously on the message of Rastafari and directing Habte, then going by stage name; "Coco Banton", to even drop the "hardcore stage name "Coco Banton" for her rather preferred calmer of his "given-English" names "John Miles", which she preferred using to call Habte as is evident in the song collaboration "EXODUS" where she introduces Habte to the reggae world with a Bob Marley tributary song.
The song runs on two riddim versions. The first version was cut on a Habte produced instrumental riddim, which also beds the song "Cleaning it Up". The second version is on a Morgan Heritage reproduced version riddim of Bob Marley's "Forever Loving Jah riddim".
Habte is one of the first artists from the raggamuffin genre of reggae to have started riding on roots reggae riddims towards conscious reggae music along the time the likes of Buju Banton, Capleton, Beenie Man and many of that time's "turned Rasta" ragga artists who also inclined to the roots reggae sound in the transition of time.
Along the way, Habte has performed with or opened for or featured on stage with like Of Red Rat, Goofy, Buju Banton, Starkey Banton, and a trailer load of other artists although it was a "host Radio/ TV presenter appearance in most cases of the concert tours.
Much as Habte may be little known, compared to other older reggae artists today, Habte has been in and around on a lower profile and may as well be one of "THE UNKNOWN CHILD/YOUNG VETERANS" in music let alone reggae music.
Having grown up in a very conservative family that did not believe much or anyway at all in taking music for a career may be the reason and explanation as to why Habte has not been on his rightful shine today in the music industry.
However, Like many veterans may make a come back, Habte Selassie energetically versatile is making a come back on the "reggae-train".
Humbly taking to the fore front, Habte Believes, Everything has its own time.
Born and partly raised in Entebbe. As an African with so much Cultural influence from some of the growing up places, Africa, America and the UK at different periods of the LIFE journey, there is quite something coming up to the face of the musical world. Habte would say, "I can't wait to show what is going on in my mind artistically. I have grown through observing many pioneers, Bob Marley, Michael Jackson, Janet Jackson, New Edition, Bobby Brown, BoyIIMen, Jodeci, R.Kelly, Boney M, Kool and The Gang from way back in time, Marvin Gaye, Steel Pulse, Musical Youth plus many more influences." Habte may have something coming that God has only kept for the last days which advent we are living today.
With a touch in music production, picked through New England's Art Institute of Arts at Massachusetts Communications College in Boston, The versatility is exciting in combination of demonstration and stage performance.
May the rest speak through the works in the hours of the rising sun.
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