As Ethiopia experienced political turmoil and the country Engulfed in civil war Zeleke traveled as a refugee in the early 80s with his brother and friends to the United States to pursue his music and college education. In the US, they created one of the most successful music partnerships with Ziggy Marley and the melody makers; whose father bob Marley had a deep affinity for Ethiopia as well as Africa.
Zeleke and his band dallol were signed to Bob Marley’s tuff gong records and released few singles in Jamaica and the hit album land of the genesis distributed worldwide. Produced by Mrs. Rita Marley and Dallol band.
The band joined the melody makers and produced two global hit albums, conscious party, and one bright day, touring the world many times and winning two Grammy awards, and selling millions for both albums. Beginning with Dallol’s land of the genesis and the album’s Conscious party and One bright day produced with Ziggy Marley, Zeleke has seen the world connect to a blend of African and Ethiopian rhythm with Jamaican reggae. Introducing a global world beat sound that has enormous universal appeal.
His latest album project called “Ayzon” was produced wholy in Ethiopia that includes the hit single “Agerae ” which was released in 2015, and has continued releasing singles, smile Ethiopia 2019, and “Selam selam” in 2020. Andenet 2021.
For the last 22 years, Zeleke has traveled back to Ethiopia where his message of unity and tolerance has made him a Household name in eastern Africa. Together with his longtime friend Ziggy Marley and his brother Addis Gessese, they have organized a charity organization called one love Africa, building thirty (30) primary (Elementary) schools for underprivileged African children in rural parts of Ethiopia. Recently he has documented the success of these schools, to which some of the first rounds of students have graduated from college and have been employed by government offices, and Private Sector Company, and some have started their own business. While in Chicago, Zeleke established deeper roots there and became a founder of the wildly successful. The wild hare reggae club.
Zeleke and his band along with the musician relationship he has established all over the world his sound millions have experienced. He was the CEO of the company for over 25 years and the company grew from an initial investment of $50,000 Dollars in the mid-’80s to acquiring the building in 1991 for $250,000 Re-architecting the building in 1994, again in 1998, and in 2006, the value of the building continued to grow while the club became a destination in Chicago and the USA creating a building value of over $4,000,000(four million) Dollars, in 2010.
As the world experienced an economic downtown, Zeleke made an important decision in 2011 that would be life changing. He sold his shares in the Chicago based wild hare to return to his homeland Ethiopia where he is reconstructing his personal property into a luxury apartment building partnering with Ato Girma Gelaw, CEO of Bamakon Engineering co. the residential property is located in the center of Addis Ababa on the bole road.
Zac entertainment Production Company organized concert by Zeleke starting on June 6th, 2017.at the Ghion hotel compound featuring his good friend Damain Marley and a lineup of local bands that atracted 10,000 people on a Tuesday night breaking the record for a weekday concert during a state of emergency. He also performed an Ethiopian New Year concert at Meskel square in sept11, 2019 with multiple bands that attracted 50,000 people.
After the 2015 national election when the political unrest erupted across the nation Zeleke joined few academicians and intellectuals to initiate a dialogue forum between the ruling EPRDF party and all the opposition parties.
The purpose of the dialogue was to create a platform for all the political players in the country and abroad to resolve their differences through dialogue and get to the next national election to have a truly democratic and free election for the public to decide who should run the government with a non-violent and civilized reform to the existing platform without the center collapsing.
Zeleke is working on establishing a destination entertainment & business center in Addis Ababa, that will include a convention center, a night club, a cultural restaurant and an art training center for the youth to elevate the entertainment industry to a global standard.
His passion is an area of philanthropic endeavor education and environment. He joined AADA to shape experience and be a bridge to the global Diaspora to invest and participate in the development of the Nation.
