Ramli Sarip

Born in Singapore on October 15, 1952, Ramli Sarip is a singer, songwriter, musician, and producer. Nicknamed ‘Papa Rock’ and ‘Malaysia’s rock raja’, he is acknowledged as one of the pioneers of the Singaporean rock scene that began in the early 1960s. He co-founded the band Sweet Charity in 1967 and became the band’s lead vocalist. His raspy voice made him one of the most popular rockers in Singapore. The group built up a huge fanbase by playing heavy rock similar to Deep Purple. Sweet Charity released six albums and a compilation between 1979 and 1986 with Ramli Sarip on lead vocals. In 1985, he released his self-titled debut album before announcing his departure from Sweet Charity the following year. While Sweet Charity was classified as a heavy metal band, Ramli Sarip’s solo career was more commercial and he continued to release hit albums like Bukan Kerana Nama (1986), Istilah (1988), Rentak Hidup (1991), Syair Timur (1997), Kalam Kesturi (2002), and Sadaqa (2012). Each of his releases has sold tens of thousands of copies and he has received many awards and honors throughout his career. However, in the early 1990s, Radio Televisyen Malaysia imposed a seven-year ban on him due to his insistence on keeping his hair long, which was frowned upon by the network at the time. In 2019, Ramli Sarip’s ‘unique’ rendition of Singapore’s national anthem was so heavily criticized by the public and government that he stepped out of the limelight and took a break from making music.

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