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Okyeame Kwame grateful to fans

Nii Atakora — Wed, 03 Dec 2008 13:16:03 +0000

Okyeame Kwame, known in private life as Kwame Nsia Apau, who was crowned the music artiste of the year at the just ended Joy FM Night With The Stars has said he’s grateful to all his fans who have supported him in his musical career. Watch Video: Woso (Remix) by Okyeame Kwame feat. Richie

The event which was the seventh this year had music artistes like Samini, Praye, Tinny and many others contending for the prestigious title but the Rap Doctor came tops as he received the highest number of text messages from fans.

For his prize Okyeame Kwame would receive a year’s full subscription from MTN, the title sponsor of the event. This means he will make and receive phone calls freely for one year. Aside that he receives hampers from MTN and acts as the Joy FM music ambassador until his successor is elected.

In a chat with Beatwaves Okyeame Kwame described that moment of his life as ecstatic and totally unexpected. “I am lost for words and very happy; if not for anything, for the prestige that comes with this award.”

He further expressed his appreciation to his fans who spent their hard-earned cash to vote for him to emerge winner. “I say a big thank you to my fans; without them I am nobody and I love them all.”

A cross-section of the fans who spoke to Beatwaves later were of the view that Okyeame Kwame deserved to be the winner. Other Artiste like Tinny and Czar congratulated him and urged him on as well.

Blakk Rasta to sue NDC

Nii Atakora — Wed, 03 Dec 2008 12:23:27 +0000

Blakk Rasta, a reggae musician cum radio presenter who uses most of his airtime to criticise people especially politicians, has declared his intention to drag the main opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) to court for using his song on the party’s political platform without his approval. Watch Video: Barack Obama by Blakk Rasta feat Nii Lante (Crunk version)

“I went to court and the papers are being processed. My lawyer thinks we have a good case. I am seeking to put some sense into those who are using my song by force. I have said it several times on radio that nobody should use the song at any political rally but that is not adhered to,” he said in an exclusive interview with Beatwaves over the weekend in Tamale.

According to Blakk Rasta, the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Convention People’s Party (CPP) and the NDC approached him on different occasions with big offers to use the song he did for Barack Obama, the newly elected American president, on their platforms but he refused.

However, he said, the NDC ignored him and went ahead to use the song on its political platform with the explanation that the song was public property. This, Blakk Rasta who is known in private life as Abubakar Ahmed, observed was a sign of disrespect to him as a musician. “If you are dealing with somebody’s music you show some respect. Much as the song is meant for the public, if the song is used in a pornographic movie I will not be happy with it. This is because that was not the reason why I made the song.So if the NDC is doing its political thing and they said they wanted to use my song and I said no, they don’t have to go ahead to use it by force. That did not show any respect.” The Obama album, he disclosed, “sold more than any music ever produced in Ghana. I am saying this again; it has sold more than any music in Ghana. It is the first ever African song to be played on CNN.”

Blakk Rasta cleared the air on the argument that he was displaying double standards with his support for politicians.

He supported Obama, an international politician but chastised his colleague musicians who also support local politicians. “It is a shame to say Blakk Rasta supports a politician. I don’t do that. I did not support any politician. I did not join the Obama thing because he was a politician or a democrat. I did it because of the skin colour; you can say I am racist. Marcus Garvey said race first and that makes sense to me. You don’t see tilapia eating with whales.”

For the past 200 years or more, he said, the black race had been relegated to the background in the USA when it was blacks who built the White House, hence the need to support a black man for the US presidency.

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Abrantie, Ambolley @ MOGO Concert

Nii Atakora — Wed, 03 Dec 2008 11:00:04 +0000

An impressive line-up of seasoned highlife musicians will on Friday night perform live at the Citi FM MOGO concert scheduled to take place at the National Theatre in Accra.

MOGO which stands for Music of Ghanaian Origin is in its fourth year and is one of the flagship programmes organised by Citi FM.

On stage Friday will be the evergreen Gyedu Blay Ambolley, Abrantie Amakye Dede, the Ramblers International Band, AB Crentsil, Lee Dodou and the only female artiste for the night, Asabea Cropper, who would all rock the audience with great tunes that made hits in the 80s and 90s.

All the musicians, who are to perform eight of their favourite hit songs each, have promised to put up their best shows ever.

The event which comes off two days before the December 7 general elections is meant to make highlife music lovers relax and enjoy good music and to prepare their minds for peaceful elections.

That night music lovers would have the opportunity to interact with all the musicians as well as have the chance to enjoy good live band music.

Business Development Manager of Citi FM, Nii Armah Dagadu told Beatwaves in a chat that the MOGO concert is a celebration of the different music forms of Ghana. The event is being sponsored by Coca Cola.

UK Rapper Sway signs with Konvict Muzik?

Nii Atakora — Tue, 02 Dec 2008 08:42:15 +0000

Sway, the man who claimed that the USA isn’t giving UK rappers enough space to break through in his song ‘Little Derek’ recently won an award for best hip hop act at the Urban Music Awards in the UK.

After the awards he was interviewed by the ‘hip hop chronicle’, and was asked on a rumour about him being signed to Akon’s label Konvict Muzik.

Apparently, Akon heard of Sway from DJ Semtex’s mixtape called ‘Crunk and Grime’ where he was rapping to one of his beats with Young Jeezy on it. Sway stated that the rumour was true and moved on to telling the story where he and Akon coincidently met up in Ghana, West Africa and linked up with each other for the first time. According to Sway they ended up going to the world cup together in Germany with ‘MTV Base’ host Trevor Nelson and carried on discussing some paper work…

He was then asked about what it was like to hang out with Akon and what he had learned from him, and he said.

“Akon is an incredible person in total… he is a genius, he manages to fit his personal life with his music life, in with his corporate life, in with his pleasure life and he does it all. He parties hard, he plays hard and he works harder than anyone I’ve ever seen in my entire life and I’ve learned a lot from him…”

He also talked about his collaboration with Kardinal Offishall, a very close friend of his and how they already have a track together and are working on a new one. Then he announced a potential collaboration with T-Pain and said it was going to be a crazy look. In a freestyle of DJ Khaled’s ‘Go Hard’, Sway said something like: ‘Akon never falls far from a tree, and Akon’s kind of like a father to me, he’ll give me a beat and say welcome to Konvict Muzik, you are officially a part of the team’.

Ayisoba introduce Samsyn Azila

Nii Atakora — Tue, 02 Dec 2008 08:14:27 +0000

Azila who originate from the Volta region and from a royal family is yet to make a difference in the music industry, his video has been one of the raster style of video with African style of music.

Being the hero of the day at Music, we decided to get near him after a massive performance he put up.,

In an exclusive interview with Flex News paper, he revealed that he have been in the music genre for a very long time, he came to Accra and settle basically to get money to be able to finance his music career, and along the line he met King Ayisoba who really motivated him and added more knowledge to his knowledge.

He then decided to move with him but due to different styles they were both having, he could not drop the album early.

He continue saying his album is not yet out but has decided to start TV promotion and also promotions in Kumasi and Cape Coast but will soon release his album after the election but wants every Ghanaian to vote peaceful during this election.

Flex News paper will also be bringing you any update about this new discovery in the country, the man with a unique style.

K. Twum (Rasta) fulfills his dreams

Nii Atakora — Tue, 02 Dec 2008 08:13:44 +0000

Emmanuel Twum Kwaku popularly known as Rasta was the man who was accused of having a hand in the death of the mega star musician, the late Terry Bonchaka and had to spend 5 days in police cells while recuperating from injuries sustained during the accident.

Shortly after his release, his father also died from a long illness. For a very long time K. Twum has not been since in the music scene, but at the time Flex News paper invited the dynamic new highlife artist, Kofi Tano for an exclusive interview, Rasta happened to be there.

In an interview with Rasta, he stated that he decide to quit his music career for some time because his only hope of hitting the limelight was gone, but have now release that in life you need not to give up

He continued that how the accident occurred he cant tell but was in the same car with Terry, “Terry was driving and I was sitting beside Terry”, he lamented that the late terry was a new driver and lost control of his car before slamming into the tree and there is no way he was going to kill someone he was looking up to, to be able to become who he wants to be come.

“Its very painful but man can nothing to do about it. I need to still give thanks to God”, he continued saying Ghanaians should be beware of the way they handle rumors and also thanked everybody who supported him and God for making him who he is today. And for Terry Bonchaka may his soul rest in perfect peace.

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Sarkodie shines at Joy FM Night With The Stars

Nii Atakora — Sun, 30 Nov 2008 15:16:45 +0000

Don’t get me wrong I’m not saying that Sarkodie outshined all the other stars on the ‘Night With The Stars’ because I wasn’t at the Accra International Conference Centre to witness the show. I watched it on TV…no, in fact I was watching it live on TV until I saw the ticker scrolling “we apologize to our viewers that we have to take this program off air and repackage it for broadcast”. Vintage GTV, huh? Anyway back to Sarkodie.

The fast growing hiphop/hiplife artist showed magnificent dexterity throughout his performance and the applause and response he had from the audience was proof enough. Although Sarkodie may not have a hit single yet, he was able to sustain the attention of his audience through the 20 minutes or so of his performance. This is something some other artists with several hits and awards cannot even do. He did it so well that his audience were willing to watch him perform the same songs over beats and without beats. This certainly isn’t an easy feat with Ghanaian audience…remember that not too long ago, the ‘King of the Streets’ was booed off stage. Sorry I had to go back to the Zain 026 Experience; I guess it will take a while for me to shake off the experience. BTW did you know that it is now googleable? Lol.

Anyway Sarkodie was remarkable on the night. I only wish he could rap over the brass band he called on stage. I saw the band alright but I couldn’t hear them. Nonetheless, I enjoyed his oratory…I wish I could call him floetry…without sounding repository. That’s a Jaded Renegade rhyme right there!

Fans thrilled at Joy FM Nite with the Stars

Nii Atakora — Sun, 30 Nov 2008 15:00:22 +0000

Wow! What a night Saturday turned out. The Accra International Conference Centre simply went gaga as patrons of Joy FM Nite with the Stars abandoned their seats for their dancing shoes all night.

They had no choice though, for how else were they to respond to the thrilling hotshots of the ever entertaining Samini, or the gigs of the sensational trio, Praye. It was simply irresistible and worth all the night sweats.

Breathtaking stagecraft, and lofty calls for peace as the nation goes to the polls on December 7, raised the annual event above a mere musical bash.

Five Five, Sarkodie, Kwaw Kesse, R2Bees and Samini, the first five to perform, all had unique and interesting entrées to the stage, just as the rest of the pack of high performers.

The stage opens slowly with a blend of increasingly glowing beautiful lights showing a bedroom setting with an apparent ‘boss’ and his mistress, while a strongly built body guard keeps close watch. Enter Five Five.

They slowly warm the crowd with their songs ‘Number One Fan’, and then mixes of ‘African Gurlz’.

Then enters Sarkodie, and the speedy rapper will not only set the house dancing, but he jibes everyone into side splitting liners that rained spontaneous applause after him as he headed for backstage.

And then Abodam! Kwaw Kesse, true to form, entered in a special way. Saddled in a wheelchair with his hands cuffed behind his seat, lights show Kwaw Kesse struggling to pick a fallen microphone without much success. As a young lad offers a hand, the chained musician grabs the chance to ‘blow’ his songs. And when he is eventually set free from the cuffs, Kwaw Kesse works patrons into a frenzy with a couple of songs, ending with his ‘Odeem’ hit. He signs off with a call for peace in the December polls, explaining that Ghana had been, and would need to remain peaceful.

As the lights return from seeing the ‘mad’ Kesse off, the stage bears what was supposed to be a posh car – two piles of car wheels and shiny alloyed rims. It was another but a new set of ‘madness’ – R2Bees, who performed their favourite ‘I Dey Mad’ and ‘Yawa Girl’.

Next, somewhere within the crowd, a boom of ‘yaga yoo ei!’ heralds MTN Music Icon, Samini - rasta-turbanned and elegantly fashioned after His Imperial Majesty Haille Sellasie. In any competition, Samini would have been ‘too much’ of a match as he rolled one song after another in a seamless chant. In one moment the multi-talented star has his voice sweetly low and charming, and the next minute, he was all hot and vibrant, yet lovely.

Samini stressed the need for peace, reminding all Ghanaians that before NPP, NDC, CPP et al, Ghana was and must be!

Tic Tac played and showed he still has a good following, and homeboy, the ‘Sexy’ Tinny, who entered the stage masked with a handkerchief and minus his trademark hat, rocked the house with a variety of renditions. Asem, Okyeame Kwame and Bradez were equally on top of their game. And as for Praye – it is well they say the sky is not the limit – their entire performance of about five songs was simply fantastic, not least ‘Angelina’. And the crowd appreciated it, upstanding all through and applauding. The group tipped their act with a stage stunt featuring an ‘enormous’ lady with endowed everything – boobs and behinds – which sent the room wild.

Okyeame Kwame was voted Joy FM Star of the Year, worth prizes from Joy 99.7 FM and telecoms giant MTN, event sponsor. (The musician was profusely surprised with his fortune, announced by the ‘ruffian’ Ato Kwamena Dadzie of Joy FM.)

The programme was also televised live on national television, GTV.

The Joy FM Nite with the Stars is in its eighth year, and while the artiste line-up and patronage have recorded appreciable improvements over the years, organisers may want to have a re-look at time – just as previous seasons the event took off late!

Prof. Collins keeps archives of highlife music

Nii Atakora — Sun, 30 Nov 2008 08:15:41 +0000

Professor John Collins has been very instrumental in keeping an archive of Highlife music. Bokoor African Popular Music Archives Foundation (BAPMAF), has a permanent Highlife Photo Exhibition at his house in Accra.

BAPMAF is a Ghanaian NGO established in 1990 by Professor John Collins, encouraged and assisted by a group of leading Ghanaian popular musicians (King Bruce, E.T. Mensah, Beattie Casely-Hayford, Koo Nimo, Kwaa Mensah and Edinam Ansah) who were concerned with the lack of research and information on local Ghanaian highlife music and the demise of the ‘classical’ styles of this genre. Since then the archives has expanded into other areas of African music, both popular and traditional.

The core of the BAPMAF holdings are John Collin’s own extensive music archive that he began collecting in the late 1960’s - with archival contributions also being made by Mr. ‘Opia’ Y.B Bampoe ( leader of the Jaguar Jokers) E. F. Collins (Philosophy Dept. University of Ghana, Legon), Professor Attana Mensah (Music Dept, Legon), Jimmy Moxon (Ghana’s first Minister of Information), Professor Mawere Opoku (Dance Dept, Legon), Robert Sprigge (History Dept, Legon and ex-member of Red Spots band), Oscarmore Ofori (highlife composer) and veteran guitarist T.O. ‘Jazz’ Ampoumah . Other BAPMAF members/associates/affiliates are Edinam Ansah (Ghana Musicians Union Executive ), Jimmy Beckley (Afro-jazz Combo), Joseph Aduoko (translator), guitarist Anthony ‘Scorpion’ Entsie, multi-instrumentalist Aaron Bebe Sukura, music engineer Panji Anoff, actor Ben Ahorlu Ajokpa and university lecturers Peter Arthur and Dr. Zabana Kongo

BAPMAF is situated at Bokoor House, Mile 8 Accra-Nsawam road, near Taifa Junction.

In February 1996 BAPMAF and the German Goethe Institute in Accra (under its then Director Sabine Hentzch) organised a Highlife Month that included seminars and films on highlife, performances (Ankobra, Grassroots, Mau Mau Musiki and drummer Kofi Ghanaba) - with the central focus being the Golden Years of Highlife Music Photographic Exhibition.

Organizations who were involved or supported the very successful Highlife Month included the Dubois Centre (Ebo Hawkson, Director), the National Theatre (Dr. Komla Amuoko, Director), the Musicians Union of Ghana MUSIGA (Joe Mensah, President), the Univ. of Ghana (Professors Kofi Agovi and Kwesi Yankah), the Ghana Copyright Administration (Betty Mould-Iddrisu, Director), the Ghana National Folklore Boards (Colonel Amuzu, Chairman), the Ghana Concert Party Union (Mr. S.K. Oppong and Mr. Mensah Executives), the Ghana Record Producers Union (Dick Essilfie-Bondzie and Kojo Donkoh Executives) and the African Heritage Library (Kofi Ghanaba, Director). The Padmore Library also supplied some materials from its archives.

After the BAPMAF/Goethe Highlife Month of 1996 the BAPMAF Highlife Photo Exhibition was moved to the premises of Professor John Collins where, as part of the BAPMAF Highlife-Music Institute, it was opened to the general public. The Highlife-Music Institute then hosted many local and foreign visitors and has been televised twice; once for Ghana Broadcasting in 1996 (producer Cynthia Jikpani) and again in 2000 by the London Shai Shai company (producer Martine Stone). It was then closed down temporarily, but after extensive rebuilding and renovation the BAPMAF Highlife-Music Institute was opened again to the public from 2006

In collaboration with the French Embassy the BAPMAF Highlife Photo Exhibition was displayed in Accra as part of the Alliance Francaise ‘Story of Highlife’ event in May/June 2001, from where there are plans for it to travel around Africa. On January 4th 2002 BAPMAF and the Swizz Embassy organized the launch of the Basel Mission/UTC compilation CD (Arion Disques ARN 64564) ‘Ghana Popular Music 1931-57’ at the DuBois Centre in Accra.. From February 8th to March 22nd 2002 BAPMAF organized a series of seven lectures/performances at the National Theatre for the US Embassy Public Affairs Section ‘Black History Month’.

Since 2004 BAPMAF has been involved in local work with the Presence music talent-scout association for Ghanaian youth, the Pan African Arts program NGO (highlife photo exhibition at the British Council, Accra 6-8th October), the US Embassy Public Affairs ‘African American Heritage/History Month’ program of February 2005, and organising a workshop on Researching Ghanaian Theatre to be held at the University of Ghana’s Institute of African Studies, Legon, on 27 August, 2005.

Materials at the BAPMAF Highlife Centre include 700 photographs, 600 publications as well as many rare documents, speeches, brochures, posters, record sleeves. And over 800 hours of recorded music; including 700 old highlife songs on shellac 78 rpm records and master-tapes of over one hundred Ghanaian bands recorded by John Collins Bokoor Recording Studio from 1982 . The materials of the photographic exhibition are organised into 15 separate categories - each accompanied by an Information Sheet. These categories are as follows:-

1) Fife and Brass Bands. The emergence of brass band “adaha” highlife music in Cape Coast in the 1880’s. Its spread and offshoots - such as Konkoma highlife.

2) Palmwine music. Early coastal guitar/accordion music. Importance of visiting Liberian Kru seamen. Fanti Osibisaaba. The first Highlife recordings (in1927/8). The Yaa Amponsah and Odonson (Akan “blues”) varieties of highlife.

3) High-class Dance Orchestras. Elite Ghanaian dance orchestras from 1914 to 1940s. Origin of term “Highlife”, i.e. high-class life.

4) Highlife Dance Bands and the impact of World War Two. Postwar appearance of jazzy dance-band highlife in Ghana. Its spread to Nigeria in the 1950s.

5) E.T Mensah ‘The King of Dance Band Highlife’. The life of this pioneer leader of the Tempos band.

6) King Bruce and the Black Beats. The story of another important Highlife dance-band leader
7) The Concert Party. Overview of the concert party profession from circa 1900 to the present.
The Jaguar Jokers Concert Party. The Comedian ‘Opia’ (Y.B. Bampoe) and his Jaguar Jokers group formed in 1954. Photos of them on “trek” (i.e. tour) .

9) Guitar Bands. The transformation of “palmwine” music into guitar-band music after World War Two. The crucial role in this of E.K. Nyame.

10) Fusion music. Emergence of various musical blends created by highlife musicians. The Afro-jazz of Kofi Ghanaba (Guy Warren), the Afro-beat of Nigeria’s Fela Anikulapo-Kuti, Osibisa’s Afro-rock and the current wave of “Burgher” Highlife and Hiplife. 11) The Rise of Women Artists. Explosion of female popular musicians and concert actresses since the 1960s. Important role of local gospel music in feminising popular dance music. 12) Back-To-Roots. Indigenisation and acoustic trends in Highlife. Kpanlogo drumming. Wulomei and the Ga ‘cultural groups’. Koo Nimo’s updated and ‘unplugged’ palmwine music. 13) Ghanaian musicians unions since 1956. The formation of MUSIGA in the 1970’s. 14)Large easy to read at a glance, diagram of the evolutionary tree of highlife and its many offshoots. 15) Jamaican roots reggae and the goombay/gome story.

BAPMAF has a Ghana Voluntary Organisation Certificate no. 402 (16th April 1991) and a Ghana Certificate of Incorporation no 41,108 (20th November 1990). It is a member of the UNESCO Global Alliance for Cultural Diversity. It is undoubtedly true that in his own way, Prof. John Collins has been phenomenal in holding the fort for Ghanaian Highlife music.

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Who makes it to top 4?

Nii Atakora — Fri, 28 Nov 2008 14:49:42 +0000

Things are heating up in the Project Fame West Africa Academy with one more elimination show before the finale. The question for now is, “Who makes it to the top 4 finale on December 7?”

The remaining 5, Nii, Iyanya, Annette, Bisola, and Praise are counting on public votes to move to the final stage of the competition. Sadly one of them will leave this weekend after wonderful performances last week. There’s so little to choose from among the contestants that the judges and faculty members of the academy urged the public to vote wisely based on performances through out the competition.

If I must choose, I would say the competition is for the boys since they have outclassed the girls for the most part of the competition. Annette has been the strongest female student throughout although she’s been sick and weak in the past two weeks. Bisola is more of the ‘clown’, who keeps everyone in the academy happy. But based on performances she is my least favourite.

Well, it’s a good thing I’m not the one to choose. Good luck to all contestants.

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