John Q: Riddims & Beatz

      
         Upcoming singer/songwriter and talented producer John Quansah, with the showbiz name John Q is one to watch. I would even dare go as far to use the words ‘unique’ and ‘timeless’ to describe this reggae artiste. His delivery and voice has a vintage essence, but his words reflect what’s happening today. John Q is an acclaimed rhythm master in the making of reggae, hip-hop and dancehall beats.

        He has in the past written songs and produced other artists such as Mellow Wayne, Jah Tempo, Lady S, and Tilly Beng just to mention a few. With the future looking ever so bright, John Quansah managed to squeeze some time out of his busy schedule and settle down for an interview with yours’ truly – reflecting on his childhood academic dream, his album “Reggae Storm” and his classical training at Rev. John Teye Memorial School of Music.


First of all, I want to express my gratitude for granting me the opportunity to interview you. Can you tell us about your background and family?

I was born and raised in Accra, Ghana. My mum was a school teacher and a pastor in Ghana and New York. My father trained as a civil engineer and a medical doctor in the United Kingdom. My mum was from Accra from the Ga tribe and Dad was a Fanti from Central Region (Cape Coast and Saltpond). I currently live with my only child/son as a single parent.

Tell us a little about your musical history and how you fell into the roles of producer/songwriter and studio/touring musician.


I had the interest in playing musical instruments as a kid (at 5 years old), and my mum enrolled me at Rev. John Teye School in Ghana which was the greatest elementary music and math boarding school. Most students at John Teye spent several hours a day playing the keyboard at the time I attended the school. I would play with friends and we would try to compose our own simple beats on the keyboard. That was where my love for music began. We were also taught to write poetry at an early age at the school. Writing poetry was actually the beginning of my music carrier. Music has always been my source of consolation in difficult times and in my everyday life. Music is my second source of motivation in life of course God being first. The difficulties and painful experiences in life drove me to begin writing music and learning to play the guitar seven years ago. I then wrote four songs on the first Mellow Wayne Reggae album titled "Truth & Love". I had my first studio experience working with Jah Mike. I was also blessed with two guitar teachers who have moved on to the next world. My mother was a strong source of motivation because she did not tolerate average performance in the family as such I am driven to persevere. I spent my first five years writing music for various artistes and running the business aspect of their music carriers.


You count Bob Marley, Burning Spear, Jacob Miller, Percy Sledge and The Commodores among your biggest influences. Of all the records Bob Marley released, which one do you consider the most essential? ... Tell us your favorite, and feel free to share why you love it so much! ... Obviously Legend does not count:).


My favorite Bob Marley's Album is "Survival". It definitely instilled consciousness in me as a young African man. It gave me more education than any teacher I encountered in my academic journey. I am also heavily thrilled by his album "Catch A Fire". I got my motivation from Bob Marley as a high school student. I am thankful to him for teaching me to be a musician and most importantly a Godly man of consciousness. Bob Marley's Song "One Drop" was always my favorite song in the world. I then embraced his other song "Africa Unite". He is still talking to us till today. It is ironic I am saying this on Ghana's Independence Day. Quoting The Honorable Dr. Kwame Nkrumah, “The Independence of Ghana in meaningless until the entire African continent is free”. It is a shame that many African politicians are still sell outs, greedy and corrupt power drunken idiots and children of Africa still suffering at home and abroad. If Africa had united as Bob Marley, Kwame Nkrumah and Haile Selassie had envisioned it, we will not be in the mess we are in today. Most of our people be it the educated and non-educated are so mentally enslaved. The album "Survival" definitely has been a healing medication for the mental slavery and lost identity that is widely spread in our population


Your debut album ‘Reggae Storm’ was released in July 2010 to rave reviews. I’m feeling the track and music video for ‘Born Alone, Die Alone’. Any message behind that track?

Actually, the album I produced "Reggae Storm" was released in 2008. It had my first single I sang "Born Alone Die Alone". I was inspired to write that song out of four sad situations. My 2 closest friends (my music teachers), my mother and closest auntie all passed away in less than a two year period. I felt empty inside and the whole world was crumbling around me. I had asked my son to come live with me as he had requested earlier and somehow his mother got him to write me a painful letter basically asking me to leave him alone just after my mother had died. I had also been victimized by the cold legal system at that time and I realized that I had to start loving myself first before I could be concerned with anyone else because I basically had no one and I still had the zeal to keep on moving so I had to advise myself and the advice was that " Born Alone Die Alone" you need to love yourself before anyone. I also wrote that song as a tribute to the late Jacob Miller who is also one of the musicians who inspired me to sing. I actually adopted his style of singing at a point of the song when I emphasize on "your your your self self". The real message behind the track is that "If you love anyone more than yourself it could break your heart and make you cry" "you were born alone and you will die alone" as such you owe it to yourself to make yourself happy. In your hands lies your destiny. The message is plain and blatant. On the night I was going to voice this track at E2 Recording Studios in Brooklyn. I was on my way to pick up my trumpeter Akrofi Francis by Fordham road and then to proceed to Brooklyn. I had stopped for the red light on a rainy night, and a lady hit me from behind. I realized that the Devil was doing everything to discourage me and I was determined to sing my first track that night. I still proceeded to the studio to record the song before going to the hospital. I realized what that first single meant to me. It feels good to know that people love that song. I am glad you love it too and thanks for the compliment. I also released my new album title "Jamaica To Ghana" and my mixed music DVD titled "African & Caribbean Unity" are available in every African movie shop or markets in most states and also available at http://www.johnqrecords.com/.

Have the personal experiences inspired you musically?

My personal experiences in life are what motivate me to write good music. Everything I write is real in our everyday lives.

Do you write your own music and what goes into the songwriting process? Do you write specifically for artists or write in general?

Yes. I always write my own music. My song writing usually lays emphasis on a subject and most of the emphasizing is done on the hook of the song. I do both. I write in general and I also write specifically for artistes. I also write some songs from hearing a beat.

As I scanned your biography, I noticed that in addition to being a classically trained pianist, you are also a drummer and a guitarist. Which instrument was your first love, the keys or the drums?

Actually my instrument is the guitar. I play rhythm guitar and understand the rudiments and theory of the guitar. I just have a little feel for drums and could hold a rhythm but not really a drummer. The guitar is really my instrument.

How are the people outside Ghana appreciating your music?

People outside of Ghana actually appreciate my music more than my fellow Ghanaians do. I am more of a reggae musician and as such I have more following in the Caribbean (mostly Jamaica), United States (especially New York), Europe and Japan. I am well supported by many Ghanaians in New York though and my deepest appreciation and gratitude to them.

How are you finding being an artiste as well as the business man?

Being an artist and a business man is very difficult and tasking but I am glad I can do that because most artistes cannot do it so they usually fade away if they don’t get a good record deal. In my case I don’t need a record deal to be successful in music or to stay in the game because I know how to make my own money. Most musicians have gone out of business because they cannot run a business. They need to be spoon-fed. I don’t. The world is changing and in whatever you do you have to be business-minded. It’s a challenge having to worry about finances, writing, composing and performing at the same time. Sometimes it affects my productivity but the positive outweighs the negative. Being business-minded toughens an individual. It also gives me the freedom to do what I want as a musician. I write and produce what I want to because I own the record label. It can be stressful being afraid that things might fall apart but I have faith in the Lord.

Have you found it difficult building up working relationships when looking for someone who looks out for your best interests?

Yes. I have had some difficulties sometimes trying to work with some people who sometimes are looking out for your best interest because as different individuals we have different views.

Are you signed to a record label? Have you been approached by one?

No. I am not signed to a record label. I have no reason to do that. I can finance my own record label. One of my artistes has been approached by one for a gospel deal. We are at very early stage of the negotiation. I don’t know what my future plans will be because some offers are sometimes too good to turn down. However, I hope to make my record label bigger and will not have to worry about working for someone.

How would you describe your sound to people that haven’t heard your music before?

My sound is usually cultural classic reggae like songs of Inner Circles and other great reggae bands like steel pulse. I don’t restrict myself to reggae. I also do some Jamaican Dance hall, Hip life dancehall, reggae Jazz and also produce Caribbean and African gospel.


You double up as a songwriter and producer. Which role do you prefer and why? What specific things do you look for in an artist before you’ll work with them?

Songwriting is my favorite thing. I love the art of putting words together and making them rhyme. I love the art of breaking things down in a simple form and being informative to the people. As a musician, I am an observer, a teacher and a counselor. My training in writing poetry at an early age gives me the strength to write good music. The main qualities I look for in an artiste is someone who can be aggressive, radical, conscious and a strongly motivated individual with the thirst to succeed.

You have with a number of reggae artistes, performing and recording with them. How has it been to work with some big names like Mellow Wayne, Jah Tempo, Lady S and Tilly Beng?

Working with Jamaican artistes has been my best experience in my music carrier. Most of them started singing from the day they were born. There is something unique about Jamaica and reggae music. That little Island produces so much talent every year and you talking about internationally recognized talents. No wander it is the home of Rastafari. Music is a spiritual thing that is what many fools don’t know. We have stability in the camp. Like one journalist referred to John Q Records as a movement not just a record label and indeed it is a movement to initiate African & Caribbean Unity. I have worked with Mellow Wayne for 7 years, Jah tempo for 7 years as well and Lady S also for 7 years and 2 years with Tilly Beng. We are very united and try to squash any misunderstanding as quickly as possible. All artistes in the group are great performers and have their own following.

Are there any new artists out there that you’re interested in working with?

At the moment I am working on a Ghanaian gospel album for Evelyn Kwakye. I am not really looking for artistes at the moment because I have a lot of songs that I am promoting and have to finish up an album for 4 more of my artistes. I am not in the position to take on another artist unless the artist has something extra ordinarily well. We can never say "never". I am opened to the idea of doing some more work with a few more Ghanaian artistes like Samini , Wutah, Sarkodie and of course Bright of Buk Bak again.

What does it feel like to perform in front of a crowd who feel and really respond to your music?

When performing to people that feel and appreciate what one is singing is a great feeling that cannot be described. It gives me an adrenaline rush and also gives me the power to control the emotions of the crowd/audience.

What has been the greatest moment of your music career?

The greatest moment of my music career was when I did a show in the North Bronx with the Unity Reggae Band. It was a charity concert which featured reggae artistes from the Bronx and Brooklyn. I was scheduled to perform last and got nervous when I saw how well the artistes who performed prior to me did. I got so nervous I started panicking and decided to be calm. Also I was the only non-Jamaican artist performing that night. When I was called to the stage some people in the audience were surprised I was also there to perform. I took the mic and sang out the introduction for the song "sweat" by inner circles. As I screamed ": I"ve been watching you all la la la la along long li long long long" I heard people banging on the walls and tables. I was told to pull up and rewind the tune each time I started singing the tune. By the time the tune was done I was sweating and the entire room was sweating. Lady S walked up to me and said " John Q. If you can come and rock a reggae night concert for Jamaicans, they appreciate your work then you have a future in reggae music because Jamaica is the homeland of reggae music". I felt good as a musician and was proud I represented Africa that night.


What would your advice be to an aspiring songwriter who wants to showcase his material to the music biz, how should he/she proceed?

An aspiring song writer or musician who wants to show case their music should have it at the back of the minds that the quality of the product must be good. It is better to focus on one single. Make sure that single is strong and also start creating a buzz with that single prior to approaching a record label or any type of investor. It’s more about quality not quantity.


Which advice would you give aspiring songwriters in terms of songwriting itself?

My advice to song writers about song writing itself is that the music must come from the heart. Don’t write a song because it is the popular subject at stake. Write the song that lingers on your mind all the time.


You’ve had a lot of studio experience through the years. What advice would you give to bands to best prepare them for the recording process?

My advice to bands for better preparation for recording is rehearsal, rehearsal, rehearsal.


If you could dramatically change some aspect of the music industry, what would you do?

I would like to change the fact that violent and degrading music is more glorified. I would promote and reward music with spiritual, motivational and informative ingredients more than the stupid superficial and shallow music that tend to be more patronized due to the spiritual and moral decay in society.

Where do you see yourself in five years?

I see myself as a well established record label with record shops in New York City, Accra and London. I am on a mission to establishing something progressive in Ghana and Jamaica (would not like to disclose the details of that).

So what’s set for 2011?

The agenda for 2011 is promoting the new album and music DVD I released. I am going to Ghana for the first time in 20 yrs. Will be performing and promoting in Europe, Africa, Asia, United States and Jamaica of course. 2011 is all about a lot of travelling. I will be going to Jamaica soon with the Unity Band. I am looking forward to that. Also I will be dropping the first Ghanaian gospel album by Evelyn Kwakye. In short, 2011 is the year of travelling to spread the word. Thanks to the Lord Almighty.


       Well, as you would expect, more people recognize you for your work. But I think, more so, there is a certain validation that I have in their eyes now. The only expectation is to keep making GOOD music!

For more information on John Q, follow him on Twitter (@ReggaeStorm) or visit his official website: http://www.johnqrecords.com/.



The Afrikan Child © Copyright 2011. All Rights reserved. No part of these pages, either text or image may be duplicated without the author's permission. Also, reproduction, modification, storage in a retrieval system or retransmission, in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical or otherwise is strictly prohibited without prior written permission. General inquiries should be directed to our Web feedback box, accessible from this link or from the footer at the bottom of most pages on our site.

Famed Producer Coptic Talks Beats, Life & Future Plans.

What attracts you to some of today’s hip-hop music?  Is it the lyrics, the beats or the melody? Maybe, it is all of the above-mentioned facets of this genre of music. More often than not, we listen to hip-hop music without pausing for a moment to know who the creative minds are behind some of these catchy melodies and beats that churn these underground tracks into some of the most requested radio songs or club bangers. Most of today’s chart-topping songs especially those in the hip-hop vein have been created by a select group of hitherto unknown individuals who toil behind racks of music consoles (boards) to create many of today’s party anthems. Of course, there have been a few prominent producers such as Rick Rubin, Marley Marl and DJ Premier who have occasionally ventured out of the stuffy studios into the limelight.

            One of the many faceless beat makers and producers who shuns the glare of publicity but whose handprints can be found on many chart-topping tracks is Eric Kwabena “Coptic” Matlock. This Ghanaian born New York-based beat genius and producer is one of the most sought-after in this hyper-competitive genre of music. His body of work reads like the who’s who of the hip-hop industry. Coptic experienced his first breakout hit producing Puff Daddy's "I Need a Girl" (Part 1) featuring Usher and Loon which peaked at # 2 on Billboard Hot 100,  and most recently a featured producer on "B.I.G Duets: The Final Chapter" with his track "Wake Up" featuring Korn. I learned about Coptic whilst interviewing another Ghanaian artiste David Mensah, whose debut album “Food is Love” had a couple tracks produced by Coptic. A fortnight ago, I made Coptic’s acquaintance and asked for an interview, which he quickly granted. The 40 minute on-air interview which resulted covered an array of subjects from his early life as a DJ, his time at the Bad Boy Records Label and his current project, the Black Star Line album-Close To My Roots. Here is a partial transcript of the interview.

Q: We’re welcoming Eric Coptic Matlock, a prominent producer and beat maker in hip-hop circles, as well as CEO of his own Brooklyn Bridge Entertainment and African Rebel Music Label. Coptic, can you tell us a little about your background?

 ECM: I‘m a young man from Ghana, West Africa. I was born in Awukugua in the Akwapim Mountains in the Eastern Region. I grew up in Accra and always had a love for music from an early age. I moved to the US when I was 13 and was attracted to hip-hop music. I started producing records, which in time led to projects for Puff Daddy and Biggie Smalls. So in a nut shell that is who I am.


Q: How did you get into producing music and what was your first breakout opportunity?
ECM: Well, I earlier stated I always had a love of music. My mother always told me that as a child I would occasionally arrange and beat on my grandmother’s pots. At the age of ten, I joined a local band when living in Newtown, a suburb of Accra where I played the base drum and some percussion instruments. When I moved to the States, I deejayed for a while and started getting involved in hip-hop music. So I realized I could do it and sought out seasoned individuals such as Amos Sackey who mentored me and taught me how to produce a track. I was also fortunate to meet and become friends with True Master (with Wu-Tang Clan) who gave me a few tips and spent 3 years learning the rudimentary aspects of music production. About a year later David Best, a boyhood friend of mine introduced me to one his friends, Harvey Pierre (then an A&R for Biggie Smalls).He loved what I had to offer and encouraged me to improve my craft. Harvey later introduced me to Derrick “D-Dot” Angeletti, an A&R and producer on Puffy’s Mo Money, No Problems and Benjamins. He would in turn introduce me to Jermaine Dupri and D-Mob. He will later play my track for the big stars whenever they come down to the label’s office or studio. So that’s how I got into the music business, and therefore consider myself pretty lucky. My big break came with Jermaine Dupri’s “All that’s Gotta go” (featuring Da Brat). It is worth noting that I have sold more tracks than have been released. In this business, sometimes your production work is purchased but might be shelved for any number of reasons. So that’s how it all got started.

Q: Recently, you embarked on a project to pair rappers/singers from both sides of the Atlantic (African and American), The Black Star Line Album. Could provide us with some insight on this undertaking?
 ECM: The Black Star Line project is focused on African rappers/singers blended with American artistes. The goal is to bring these artistes to the attention of the American public, and the African audience to see their own in a different light. It has artistes from Ghana, Egypt, Morocco, Tanzania, Ethiopia, Senegal, South Africa and Zimbabwe. Until these artistes become part of mainstream in American, they will not be well compensated for their work. Based on the success of this album, I am planning on scheduling a tour for a few of the artistes to some African countries. There will be no personal financial gain to be made from this album because all monies raised will go towards purchasing instruments for kids in Africa. All the artistes featured, including the Americans donated their time and effort towards this album. So your support is really needed.


Q: In your business dealings you have signed a long-term publishing agreement covering both your existing catalog of works as well as future songs. This is an aspect of the music business that generates the artiste a substantial amount of money. The music of Ghanaian and some African artistes are played on stations and used by the Telecom companies without any royalties being paid for the use of their materials.  In your view, do you think this aspect of the music business is not given particular attention by Ghanaian and African musicians and what can be done to address this anomaly?
 ECM: Definitely, worldwide except from most parts of Africa I receive royalty payments for my works. The copyright laws are adhered to in the rest of the world. For some reason in Ghana and some parts of Africa, the laws are not enforced which is to the detriment of the music industry as a whole. The works of artistes that is used in a commercial sense (i.e. video games, commercials and on major T.V networks) have to be paid for because this keeps the musicians and the producers going. I know artistes that have hit records and are not properly compensated. The only way African artistes are making money is by working out endorsement deals with the Telecom companies and doing shows. This situation in effect short changes the artistes because it keeps money out of their pockets and leaves them with a small budget for the next project. In Ghana, there is supposed to be an organization(COSGA) that is tasked with collecting these funds from the media and Telecom companies, unfortunately there is an element of political interference in play here. The support system in Africa for these musicians has to change!

Q: You recently debuted two promotional tracks off the soon-to-be released Black Star Line Project featuring Kwaw Kesse(Ghana) and Eddie Atlas(Uganda). How has the promotional material been  received by audiences?
 ECM: It has been very well received. The reactions have been overwhelmingly positive. I feel like the people that actually downloaded the two free tracks loved it. I've heard very few people criticize it; it's had the best reviews in the press that I've ever had with any other record. I feel that music lovers would buy the full-length album when eventually released and would really enjoy it.

Q: Is there an artist you want to work with that you have not yet had the opportunity to work with?
ECM: I would definitely love to work with Hugh Masekela, Alpha Blondy and Jay Z. These are guys I really admire and will look forward to working with them in the future.

Q: What projects are you currently working on?
ECM: I am currently the A&R for Black Rob’s new LP to be released early next year on DuckDown records. I am also in the process to producing Tek from Smif-n-Wessun’s next solo album which will be released sometime next year.

Q: What are your long-term career goals?
ECM: I have plans to retire to Ghana in 7-10 years. My goals will be to set up a major studio in Ghana to record from and to teach aspiring producers how to produce and record quality records. I am also interested in exploring other entertainment-based businesses in Ghana.

Q: How can prospective artistes/rappers contact you for production support?
ECM: I can be reached on FaceBook by looking up Coptic Sounds. Alternatively, I can be contacted too on the website www.TheBlackStarLine.com where they register/join it. With that website they can submit their videos and tracks, where I can listen to their work and critique it. If their work is very good, who knows they can end up on an album!

     Well, Coptic, thank you very much for granting us this interview. Thanks for your time and patience and we wish you continued success with the commendable work. Well, guys, there you have it: our first interview with Brooklyn Bridge Entertainment and African Rebel Musik label’s CEO, Eric Coptic Matlock.

The Afrikan Child © Copyright 2010. All Rights reserved. No part of these pages, either text or image may be duplicated without the author's permission. Also, reproduction, modification, storage in a retrieval system or retransmission, in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical or otherwise is strictly prohibited without prior written permission. General inquiries should be directed to our Web feedback box, accessible from this link or from the footer at the bottom of most pages on our site.

The David Mensah Interview

Make mention of British Soul & R&B, and any astute music aficionado’s mind quickly darts back to the era of The Real Thing, Hot Chocolate, Five Star ,and more recently,the music of Loose Ends, Mica Paris, Ephraim Lewis, Craig David and Omar just to mention a few. However, one will be remiss if no mention is made of the other marginally unknown British artistes who toil laboriously to break into the highly competitive US market, but without whose otherwise multi-faceted approach to the R&B music, the world will never have a deeper appreciation of the diversity of R&B from the UK, undeniably the second largest market for this genre of music. This brings me to David Mensah, a budding R&B singer who is quickly coming to the public’s attention with a unique sound reminiscent of the likes of Luther Vandross and Donnie Hathaway.

            Born in Hackney, North London and raised in Wales by British and Ghanaian parents, David benefits from a configuration of cultures and musical traditions that have come to define his musical DNA. His early exposure to reggae, lover’s rock and America R&B will inform his music to this day, as he offers up a mix leaning strongly toward urban pop and jazz soul music.  He is also heavily influenced by other R&B heavyweights such as Mary J. Blige, Faith Evans and Maxwell. David will get his early vocal training quite interestingly from his older sister and much later, professionally from Patrick Jean-Paul-Dean. As a member of the vocal harmony group, Dark Roses he would hone his craft, leading to critical reviews of his powerful vocal abilities and eventually securing the group a deal with Universal Music on the success of their underground hit "I like the girls". Perhaps, what’s endearing about David is the personal quality in his voice, and his charismatic persona that have helped propel him to a much wider audience.

            Being a member of Dark Roses offered David the opportunity to share the stage with some of the biggest names in music such as Alexander O'Neal and Jimmy Cliff, at prominent events such as the Commonwealth Games, The Hackney Volcano Festival, Burgess Park and The Regent Street Festival just to mention a few. More recently, he has performed alongside Omar Lye -Fook, Lemar Obika and Effie at the Jazz Café and The Klute Lounge.

            In 2006, after several months of spinning their “creative wheels” and lack of musical opportunities, the group disbanded leaving David to pursue a solo career. After a two year break from music, David returned to the recording studios to work on his debut album.  For his debut album, “Food Is Love” released in 2008 on the Universal Music records label, he will work the crème de la crème of some of today’s music producers. The album features the creative touches of well-regarded producer Wayne Brown who’s worked with such stars as Jonathan Butler, Ruby Turner, EWF, Lulu and Billy Ocean. The album will also be given additional star production work on tracks such as “Day Dreaming” and “Independent Woman” by no less an individual than Eric Kwabena “Coptic” Matlock, the famed producer who has worked on albums featuring  Puffy, Jermaine Dupri,  KRS-One, Black Rob, Mase,  Carl Thomas, and Ice Cube. The title track of this debut album was David’s contribution to a compilation CD that commemorated the abolition of the slave trade. The album is soulful, sensual, sublime, a mix of retro grooves and hip-hop beats, songs that address the everyday aspects of love, sex and social issues.  The CD has received massive airplay across Europe, America and Africa, soon cementing the public’ instant attraction to this new and refreshing face of British R&B music. 

            A tireless performer and prolific songwriter, David will follow up on the success of his debut album with singles such as Ghetto (track never released) and Straddle Me, which will be released sometime in January 2011. The single “Straddle Me” is currently on rotation on Virgin Media and several stations across the world. The buzz surrounding this single has so far garnered over 4000 vue hits on You Tube and over 750 vues on Virgin Media. It affords David another opportunity to showcase his vocal talents and a return to a genre of music he was once dabbled in.

            On October, 16 2010, David Mensah granted yours truly an on-air interview about his music, his passions and future plans among others. The following are excerpts of that interview.

 Q.A: What’s a day in your life like when you’re not on stage?

David Mensah: Normally, because I am quite hands on with everything, I tend to do a lot of the admin and the business side of music. My day starts off with that kind of stuff, getting back on emails and pushing my music out there. On a good day, I will be in the rehearsal studio for quite a while with some great musicians and try to write to as much as possible in between things.

Q.A: On your debut album, you worked with noted music producers Eric “Coptic” Matlock, Wayne Brown and Jimmy Anthony. Do mind telling the listeners how you met P-Diddy producer Coptic and if possible, share with us how was it like working with him?

David Mensah: Hmm! It was really relaxed I will say working with him. I was introduced to him through a mutual friend. Coptic is very much in touch with his Ghanaian roots, and he loved the fact that I was also Ghanaian and working hard to make my dreams come true. So he took to me immediately and worked with me on my debut album, which was a huge thing for me. He co-wrote Close to my Roots with Memphis Bleek, who featured on Jay-Z's debut album.

Q.A: What image do you think your music conveys?

David Mensah: You know what (hmm). That’s a hard one. I simply want different people to identify with the music. Different songs convey different emotions. I try to make music that people can relate to, and I hope people can relate to in different ways. Hopefully, it means something personal to them.

Q.A: Do you write your own songs?

David Mensah: Yes. I tend to write mostly on my own, at the piano. The lyrics and music are almost always written in tandem. I’ve also had the good fortune of co-writing with some really great people.

Q.A: What are your music career goals?

David Mensah: My music goals are to make my music even better with the next album, to grow as an artiste and a human being, my fan base to grow and tour a lot because I love to sing live.

Q.A: When all is said and done, what do you want the lasting impact of your career to be? What do you want people to look back and say about you?

David Mensah: Bringing it back here to the UK, I will want young people to hear my music and see that I have managed do what I’ve done and be inspired by it. I was lucky growing in the heydays of black music in this country, there was the music of Soul II Soul, Junior Giscombe and Billy Ocean; people I looked up to. It will be nice to similarly inspire other people like that. Some of my music is quite slow and sexy, so if any babies have to be attributed to listening to the album, I don’t mind (laughing).

            Readers, it was a pleasure talking to and interviewing David Mensah. I came away from this experience with such respect for an individual who is marking his time for the big moment. In an industry dominated by individuals with inflated egos, it is indeed comforting to find a bloke so real and down-to-earth. He actually communicates regularly with his teaming fans!! What an entertainer, he is a master in his own right, an amazing artiste and a fine gentleman. If you want grown and sexy music with an occasional trip down memory lane, then make it a point to check out his music or visit a concert event, next time he’s in town. Another undisputed triumph for one of the key young artistes of our time!!

        My special thanks go to Margaret, David’s publicist who facilitated this interview and for her boundless reservoir of patience.

 

The Afrikan Child © Copyright 2010. All Rights reserved. No part of these pages, either text or image may be duplicated without the author's permission. Also, reproduction, modification, storage in a retrieval system or retransmission, in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical or otherwise is strictly prohibited without prior written permission. General inquiries should be directed to our Web feedback box, accessible from this link or from the footer at the bottom of most pages on our site.

 

Jay Ghartey : "Presentin' tommorow's GH music today"

    What do you get when you blend highlife music with American R&B, hip-hop and urban pop?  You get Jay Ghartey! One may then ask “Who is Jay Ghartey”?  

Jay Ghartey is a Ghanaian–American singer/songwriter and producer. He was born in the US but spent his formative years in Ghana.  Jay hails from an artistically and musically gifted family. His paternal grandfather was a playwright and poet, and his grandmother, Sabina Hope was a chorister/actress. The latter was instrumental in Jay’s development as a singer and stirred his passion for music and performing.

In the early 1990’s, Jay and two of his friends, Kwaku T and Abeiku, along with his brothers Tufu and Moses formed the rap group Chief G and the Tribe. This rap act along with KKD’s posse and Reggie Rockstone were the earliest exponents of rap music in Ghana. This early taste of stardom was temporarily curtailed when Jay moved back to US to complete his high school education and  later attend Boston University.

In 2009, Jay made the trip back to Ghana to re-launch his career and the overwhelming success of his debut singles “My Lady” and “Me Do Wo made him an instant recognizable musician. The full length album titled “Shining Gold” has 14 tracks and was released in April 2010. The music is festive, vibrant, original and fresh. Each composition is a celebration of encountering new places and people, experience travels and the daily life of this exceptionally humble individual.

Jay Ghartey's signature sound is a kind of multi-layered sonic collage, assembled from scraps of diverse musical elements. Jay’s music is, in short, made up of a little bit of everything. Thus it's no surprise at all that his musical influences have been wide-ranging. In fact, he counts among his many influences  Bob Marley, Sade and Tupac Shakur just to mention a few.

Whilst he acknowledges the huge strides made in the Ghanaian music in the time he spent away from the industry, Jay bemoans the lack of live band music, which has taken a backseat to artistes rapping over beats.  He pleads with his fellow musicians not to acquiescence their rich musical heritage for a more western one and urges them to stay true their musical traditions.  His views are also shared by the respected Ghanaian musicologist, Professor John Collins who notes that “no one abroad wants to hear the African variety of World Music without African dance rhythms”.

During our interview, Jay disclosed that hiplife artiste Sarkodie had worked with him on a remix of the hit single “My Lady”, which will be released during the Christmas festivities in December this year. Jay Ghartey is currently domiciled in New York City, where he writes, arranges and produces music with his brother and business partner Joe.

The following are key excerpts from a radio interview, conducted with Jay Ghartey on 9/18/2010.

Here's my question for you, what was the pivotal moment when you decided that you were going to sing and not rap?
As you already know, I was always singing. I always just felt liked melody, for some reason, brought out the emotion more. This is how I view it. It is just like when you go to church and the choir sings the same words that the preacher preaches, you understand what I'm saying. Unless the preacher has that raspy voice or a voice that just projects out, where he has to yell it out at you for you to really get it. Whereas the choir could sing it in a soft melody and you'd really start crying because you understand it from that immediate connection. Melody has a certain way that projects back to you. It triggers certain nerves in your body and certain instincts that normally wouldn't be triggered by a normal voice. With me, personally, it always started with the message and it's going to end with the message, so I want to make it feel and project back properly to where you can understand it and it translate well to the audience.

The video for the new single “So Wild” was recently completed and is on rotation on TV stations in Ghana. What has been the reception or feedback to the video thus far?

The reception has been great. It is a high energy video with up-tempo dance beats. The video features some scenes filmed at the Arts Centre with drummers and traditional dances. I like to juxtapose the traditional with the more contemporary aspects of our culture. I have had feedback from a lot of folks who have commended me for showcasing the rich elements of Ghanaian culture in this video and sharing it with the rest of world. The video is also currently on rotation on MTV Base and Channel O!

You have described your style of music as “urban pop life”, which is urban music mixed with R&B and a sprinkling of African percussions and highlife guitar. Do you mind expounding on that and what is so different about your music?

The reason why I call it “urban pop life” is because it’s urban music in a sense of the beats, the hip-hop and R&B. I mean in the whole world hip-hop and R&B is big right now, and I’m also part of that. At same time I like highlife and reggae music. I grew up to it when I was in Ghana, so I stress very strong melody; and have a lot of guitars and african percussion in the music.

And so, what is different about my music is that I am bringing out African music in a pop sense but keeping it broad, so a lot of people will want to hear the melody and style. It took a really long time be able to do that because when you try to make a mix of styles, you have to be careful what you lose when you change it too much. People really find my music universal, and so mixing the African percussion, bringing the African guitar and bass lines in makes it unique, but at the same time it has a mass appeal. 

Jay, I learned from reliable sources while preparing for this interview that you and your brother Joe, were involved in some charity work.  Could you tell us the name of the Foundation and what you plan on accomplishing”?

The name of the foundation is GH Brothers Youth Foundation (My brother Joe Ghartey & I). We’ve always wanted to do something like this, and we did not want wait until years have gone by. The album is coming out now, we wanted to give something back while we are still working. So we decided to do it. The first center we have will be in Nima, in the heart of Accra as you know. We went to see the chief of Nima who gave his blessings for the Foundation. A site has been found and we’re renovating it as we speak, so hopefully by the end of the year it will be running. We have a full-time teacher who will be teaching at-risk kids and a music program. It is going to be a very challenging foundation because we will want to get the dropouts back into the education system. We are going to get a lot of people involved with it, whether in Ghana or in the US, so you’re going to hear a lot about (edited).

          Jay’s music has the universality and appeal that transcends his own personality. Just as the Black Stars put Ghana on the soccer map, so will Jay Ghartey through his music. Jay Ghartey is certainly taking music from his native Ghana to the next level!  Many thanks go to Joe Ghartey for making this interview possible. Stay tuned!

Here is a link to the full radio interview.

The Afrikan Child © Copyright 2010. All Rights reserved. No part of these pages, either text or image may be duplicated without the author's permission. Also, reproduction, modification, storage in a retrieval system or retransmission, in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical or otherwise is strictly prohibited without prior written permission. General inquiries should be directed to our Web feedback box, accessible from this link or from the footer at the bottom of most pages on our site.

Interview with Eli Jacobs-Fantauzzi & Hashim Haruna of HomeGrown - Hip Life in Ghana Documentary

   HomeGrown HipLife in Ghana is a feature-length documentary that trains its’ lens on a music genre in Ghana called HipLife, a fusion of contemporary American hip-hop and Highlife, the traditional pop music of West Africa. The documentary directed by budding filmmaker Eli Jacobs-Fantauzzi (Clenched Fist Productions) and produced by Hashim Haruna (Boggie Down Nima Productions) chronicles over a period of ten years, the lives of a group of young musicians (VIP) from the Nima ghetto in Accra, to their first international tour. VIP’s members (Vision in Progress) are unique, coming from a diverse set of religious affiliations, ethnic groups, and language backgrounds. Its’ members include Emmanuel “Promzy” Ababio, Abdul Hamid “Lazzy” Ibrahim, and Joseph Nana “Prodigal” Ofori. This documentary features other hiplife acts such as Reggie Rockstone (considered the God Father of HipLife), alongside his sidekick DJ Rab, Tinny, TicTac, Panji, DJ Black and Obrafour.

            Eli Jacobs-Fantauzzi’s work is a testament to his willingness to carry his camera into dangerous areas in order to get the shot. His previous works such as Inventos: Hip Hop Cubano, The Breaks and i of motion us of movement were only preludes to incessant desire to produce high quality documentaries. Eli does for Ghana’s Hiplife what Martha Cooper did for the emerging hip-hop New York scene in the early 1980’s. He filmed these young and talented artistes in their own world playing, exploring, and being creative. The camera also tracks these artistes as they blossom from teenagers to musicians with fans around the world and how they deal with their new-found fame. As a group, VIP easily embodies the greatness and perseverance that reflected a tough, unforgiving and ambitious ghetto life. They met to see "who is who “in rap competitions. Little did they know that one day they would become superstars. The documentary concludes with footage showing V.I.P. on tour in Europe, South Africa (at the 2004 Kora Music Awards ) and the United States, being received by enormous crowds. The viewer is given an intense experience of the excitement surrounding the group’s success and from witnessing the international explosion of HipLife music. This documentary has had screenings in New York, Philadelphia, Los Angeles, and most recently at the Copenhagen International Documentary Film Festival, in Copenhagen, Denmark.

            Below are excerpts of a recent radio interview I had with Eli Jacobs and Hashim Haruna about the documentary, the current state of hiplife and future projects.

How did the two of you get together to make this movie industry and what attracted you to work together?
Eli: I went to study in Ghana for about a year and had a hip-hop show on the local university radio station called Radio Universe. Many of the local acts would occasionally stop by and ask me to play their songs, so that is how I got introduced to the Hip Life movement.
Hashim: Basically, I consider Eli a brother and as owner of Boogie Down Productions we sat down and decided to make it happen.

How did you arrive at the main characters VIP (Vision In Progress) considering there were other reputable acts such as Reggie Rockstone, DJ Rab and Tinny?

Eli: There are many more acts such as TicTac, Obrafour and Buk Bak that were featured in the movie. What happened was that VIP were the ones that brought me to Nima, brought me to (unintelligible) in the late 1990’s and really invited me to their homes ,and I ended up living with them in Nima. So instead of highlighting everybody, I decided to tell the story of how one group from the hood (Nima) made it to the international stage.

Who sponsored this documentary? And how long it took to film it?
Hashim: This movie was independently funded and produced. Eli and I basically funded this film from our own resources. There was no big budget behind this documentary because they did not understand the concept behind this. Believe me, we tried to seek funding but nothing became of it and so we took it upon ourselves to bring this idea to fruition.
Eli: In America, they see the same negative images of Africa over and over again. I feel that if I were to ask for funding for a film about an orphan child from war who does not have a family they would fund it much faster than a film about the youth in Africa having a voice and doing well for themselves.

What were some of the challenges you encountered filming this documentary?
Eli: Yes. Some of the challenges…actually the biggest challenge was the funding. So once we decided to make this happen on our own.(Clenched Fist and Boogie Down Nima Productions pulled resources), and after that it was smooth sailing. We went to Ghana where we spent some time filming, we travelled with VIP to the Kora Awards in Johannesburg, South Africa, to London on tour, and then Boogie Down Nima Productions brought them to the US where we got to film them too. So in terms of the complications, there was not that many. I was really surprised by the number of people that opened their doors and let us in to tell us their story

This documentary has been screened at the Philadelphia, New York festivals and most recently in Copenhagen. What has been the audience reception so far and future plans?

Hashim: Basically, we have a diverse audience. However, a large number of this audience is African-Americans, who are interested in Ghana and Africa. We’ve had a lot of interest in this documentary
Eli: The response has been amazing. I love it when Ghanaians show up to the movie because they leave with a sense of pride. For them, it is easy to relate to this documentary and feel a part of it. For Americans, they see something new, a new image of Africa that they haven’t seen before which I love to show them. The future is getting a lot of people to see it, to give us their opinion, what they would like to see next and really to get the image of hiplife music around the world so that people can hear from the likes of VIP, Reggie Rockstone and the new artistes such as Sarkodie.

              Rod Chavis once said in a paper presentation on “Africa in the Western Media” that images of Africa in the west, many times, are deeply troubling psychologically and emotionally, especially to those claiming her as primordial heritage, lineage, and descendancy. They portray a no there there: no culture, no history, no tradition, and no people, an abyss and negative void. It is my fervent hope that this documentary will help to erase certain long held perceptions of Africa as portrayed in the western media and in some movies. I will urge everyone to either buy the DVD or contact the film maker to arrange a screening due to the film’s uplifting message on Africas’ youth.

I am immensely grateful  to Eli Jacobs-Fantauzzi and Hashim Haruna for their time and all the help provided for this interview. These guys are simply great!!

Here is a link to the full-length interview with Eli Jacobs-Fantauzzi and Hasim Haruna conducted on 8/28/2010. 

For bookings and other media contacts, please email  Eli Jacobs-Fantauzzi  or Hashim Haruna  or by simply visiting the website http://www.hiplifemovie.com/screenings.htm.


The Afrikan Child © Copyright 2010. All Rights reserved. No part of these pages, either text or image may be duplicated without the author's permission. Also, reproduction, modification, storage in a retrieval system or retransmission, in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical or otherwise is strictly prohibited without prior written permission. General inquiries should be directed to our Web feedback box, accessible from this link or from the footer at the bottom of most pages on our site.

KOBY MAXWELL : AN EMERGING INTERNATIONAL ARTIST

To categorize Koby Maxwell as a Ghanaian musician would be doing this energetic stage performer and budding actor a disservice. Based in the Washington DC area, this gifted bass player and lyricist flirts with many musical styles that defy any attempt to box him into one genre. Koby Maxwell has a unique and very cosmopolitan perspective on life that shines through his music and makes a simple categorization of it impossible. Like his former band leader and mentor Kojo Antwi, Koby is forging ahead with a sound and style that extends beyond the boundaries of Ghana and appeals to a much broader audience. His style of music departs from your run-of-the-mill hip life alternative and incorporates other well-known African genres such as Coupé Décalé and Mapouka with a sprinkling of American Pop to create a distinct but refreshing sound to the general music buying public.

Maxwell K. Okwensy, who takes on the stage name Koby Maxwell, first came to my attention one early morning in 2004 while listening to Morning Devotion on Joy FM, one of the very popular radio stations in Ghana. A few years later I would catch sight of him while perusing YouTube videos of Ghanaian musicians, with his hit video “I’m Aware”. Fast forward to July 24th 2010, and at a Kojo Antwi Concert, I will again see him, this time live on stage before a packed hall of teeming fans who were dancing and hollering at his mesmerizing performance. At this concert event, this headliner performed popular tunes such Abiba and I’m Aware. After his set, I could not help but go backstage to make his acquaintance and find out who the real Koby Maxwell is.

          Koby Maxwell hails from Saltpond in the Central Region of Ghana and the oldest of 6 kids. He arrived in the States 14 years ago with the goal of creating transformational music that maintains the authenticity of African music, but still incorporates the sounds of others. Having cut his teeth with the likes of Amakye Dede (Ghana’s Highlife Music exponent), Ali Baba Foster and Hugh Masekela (Father of African Jazz), Koby Maxwell imbibed all those experiences and channeled them into his music. This distinct style has ushered him to revered music venues and festivals such as the Kennedy Center, Radio City Music Hall and Detroit’s 21st African World Festival just to mention a few. He has also shared the stage with the likes of Salif Keita, Nancy Wilson, Chaka Khan, Dionne Warwick, Sean Paul, Barrington Levy, Sanchez, Ziggy & Stephen Marley and Bunny Wailer.

        His repertoire includes Praise the Lord (2002), Flying with the Lord (2004) and Step to the Top (2008). He is currently promoting the singles Face Book Girl, Do It and I Miss You from an album scheduled to be released in November 2010. He is the first Ghanaian musician to release a four DVD and CD compilation which included the hit song I’m Aware. Koby Maxwell is currently preparing to shoot a music video for the song “Do It” with Chris Deshield, which will also serve as the soundtrack for the movie “PAPARAZZI" EYE IN THE DARK”

            I recently chatted with Koby Maxwell about his forthcoming album and his debut in the movie “PAPARAZZI" EYE IN THE DARK” and his future in the world of music. Below are excerpts of that interview.

How and when did you start singing?
I started singing at the early age of 12 for the Saltpond Victory Gospel band. The band soon realized my God-given talent as a multi-instrumentalist and allowed me the opportunity to play bass guitar too. With time I was contracted to tour with other bands on the weekends. Soon after that, I started singing backup vocals with the Sakra Band of Megastar Records Label in Accra, Ghana in 1992. It is at that juncture my singing career took off.

You have a couple of songs such as Facebook Girl, Do It and Password Recovery on your soon -to-be released album. Will you share with us how you came by these titles and when do you plan on launching the CD?
(Laughing). There are people out there that are going to read too much into these titles. However, there is very little to go by here. I am a singer/ songwriter and I sing my songs to people to help them laugh and feel their folly to help people to escape from the drudgery and discomforts of their daily lives. I like to think of myself as an antenna of society. I notice people, I observe them and I put it into music. This includes the technological changes we are all witnessing and what the downsides of these technologies can be. I do this so that so that we can all cry or laugh at ourselves and feel better for it. With regards to the cd, I am currently finishing work on the mix down and hopefully have it for launch either in November or December of this year.

As any serious musician will tell you, it's tough to make a decent living playing music full-time. Aside music what other thing would you be doing?
Well, music will always be my first love. However, I am into acting too, with my first role in the movie “Paparazzi” Eye in the Dark”. Besides, I am a businessman too.

Could you please tell us a little about the movie” PAPARAZZI" EYE IN THE DARK” and who your co-actors are?
I am not going to give away too much detail here. However, what I can say is that it is a romantic comedy directed by Bayo Akinfemi (Gemini Award Nominee for Human Cargo & The Border). It was shot on locations in the Atlanta area. It features actors such as Van Vicker (Ghana), Syr Law (Tyler Perry, Diary of a Mad Black Woman), J.J Bonney (Nollywood USA), Chet Anekwe (Monique’s Phat Girls) and Tchidi Chikere (Top Nollywood Producer/ Director). It is scheduled to be released on October 16th 2010. I will ask your readers to be looking out for a movie trailer that will be released soon or visit the movie’s website http://www.eyeinthedark.com/

What inspires you and why?
There is so much that inspires me. Love, family, acting and my faith quickly come to mind. Reading the bible and praying inspires me to wake up in the morning. It gives me hope for a good day, if not a good day but a day to improve, a day to learn and love. Love inspires me to face fear, take chances, and live life to the fullest. Family inspires me to want a family of my own when I am ready to start a family. Acting inspires me to be outgoing, different, adventurous, and fulfilling. My faith inspires me to continue to study, experiment with music and live. I challenge myself everyday by waking up and living, living for the better, wanting the best and expecting the best.


Where do you intend to take your music career to in the nearest future?
I believe my career is going all the way to the top. I can tell you what or where I will want to be in the next 4-5 years. However, it is all in God’s hands.

You have talked openly about your faith today and what an important part it played in your life. What part does it play in your work?
I don’t see any conflicts between my faith and my work. I’m a Christian, and proud of it. Just like I am an African and proud of that. As I see it, my job as a musician is to seek truth, put truth to power, afflict the comfortable and comfort the afflicted. That’s my responsibility as a musician. As a person of faith, I was raised to respect people of all faiths. And my faith tradition says it is a search to better understand the truth that God has for me. So I don’t see any conflict between my job and my faith walk, because, you know, we are a people of many different faiths. And so I can still function, do my job, be respectful of all people in all situations and still worship the way that I choose. So yeah, I don’t see any conflict in either one of those things.

When you reflect about your musical career, what are the high and low points that come to mind?
The high points will be my travels: my music afforded me the opportunity to travel around the world and meet different people, with different cultures, and that has been very educational for me to share in people’s cultures, their sorrows and joys. With regards to the low points, I tend not to dwell on them. There are some things that I regret that I would like to change if I can live again. But you know, we don’t go back, we move forward and continue to do our very best each day.

How can fans gain access to your music? Do you have a website with sample songs or a demo CD?
My music can be found online at Amazon.com, ITunes, Reverbnation.com, and at my website www.kobymaxwell.com.

           In my humble opinion, this guy has a bright future ahead of him. His skills as a songwriter and multi-instrumentalist will sustain him with future gigs and produced works. His wholesome image should put him in line for public appearances as well as future acting parts. The one constant in his music is a restless desire to move forward and to experiment with sound in all of its various manifestations. Be on the lookout for more movies projects and music from this guy!!


The Afrikan Child © Copyright 2010. All Rights reserved. No part of these pages, either text or image may be duplicated without the author's permission. Also, reproduction, modification, storage in a retrieval system or retransmission, in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical or otherwise is strictly prohibited without prior written permission. General inquiries should be directed to our Web feedback box, accessible from this link or from the footer at the bottom of most pages on our site.

Lucky Mensah

Alex Mensah otherwise known as Lucky Mensah is a seasoned highlife musician, one who does not get enough credit for his contributions to the development of Ghanaian music. At a time when all directions of Ghanaian music seem to be gearing only towards hiplife, Lucky Mensah is one of the few musicians who has stuck to highlife music over the past 17 years.

This silky smooth alto singer hails from Gomoa Dominase near Winneba in the Central Region of Ghana. Lucky started singing at a tender age of eleven years with the Massacass Gospel Singers of the Christo Asafo church. He intimated that what inspired him to further his god-given talent was a group way back in 1981 known as the Calvary Singers who used to sing in his church. He always went to church purposely to listen to them sing and that motivated him to take his singing to the next level.

Blessed with a multi-octave vocal range and a dynamic stage presence, Lucky Mensah has nine albums to his credit which includes Nsawa Bo(1993), Glory to the Lord(1994),Wope A Hwe(1995), Agooji Baby(2001), Brofre Nie(2002), Aduu Sumo Akwadu (2004), Old School(2005), Bottom of My Heart(2006), and I Miss You(2008).

    In 1993, Lucky Mensah came out with his debut album Nsawa Bo, to rave reviews but disappointing sales. Undeterred by this turn of events, he followed this up the next year by collaborating with Matthew Kwaku, to release a gospel album titled Glory to the Lord. Lucky did release yet another highlife album, Wope A Hwe, in 1995. Like his maiden release, this sophomore CD did not do fare any better on the music scene and was compelled to take a long hiatus away from music. He blames the lackluster performance of the two earlier albums to tepid promotion and the decision of then producer Kwame Ghana Promotions to withhold release of the second album. During the long spell away from music, Lucky filled his time composing and writing for fellow musicians such as Oheneba Kissi (Ampoma) and Charles Eloh.

    Lucky Mensah would finally enjoy commercial success and critical acclaim in 2001 with the release of Agooji Baby. This breakout album had many hit tracks including the very popular Mene Wonni Asem and the title track Agooji Baby. Half of the songs on the 10-track album are songs that are best enjoyed on the dance floor. This renewed interest would propel him to release a string of highly successful albums leading to his song, Aduu Sumo Akwadu being judged The Best Highlife Song of the Year at the 2005 Ghana Music Awards. However, this streak of success would hit a bump when Lucky Mensah composed and performed songs for the platform of then opposition National Democratic Congress Party (NDC) during the 2008 electioneering campaign. His music sales will suffer as a result of his political affiliation with the NDC party. To further compound matters, Lucky Mensah stated that he was not fully reimbursed for his efforts and bumped up against official party hierarchy in attempting to recoup his funds because no contractual agreement was reached for his works. This lyrically gifted musician decided to put the ordeal behind him and has settled in the United States to re-strategize his career.

        The sales of his most recent album I Miss You is doing measurably well, considering it was self-financed. He recently composed and released the song ”Osee Yie” for the Ghanaian National Football team, the Black Stars during their impressive run at the just-ended World Cup competition.During my interview with Lucky Mensah, he decried the issue of Payola, the high level of piracy and actions of some radio presenters/disk jockeys that encumber the music industry. He also questioned the amount of foreign music content on Ghanaian radio stations, especially Nigerian music that has taken precedence over local artistes.

From my point of view, I think this talented dude is certainly one of the best highlife musicians around and his lyrics touch on the everyday aspects of life. Keep your fingers crossed for his future projects.



P.S. Lucky Mensah will be a guest on my weekend show (Saturdays 2pm EST), The Afrikan Express Show on Akwaaba Radio.com on 08/14/2010. Please join me for this interview.

The Afrikan Child © Copyright 2010. All Rights reserved. No part of these pages, either text or image may be duplicated without the author's permission. Also, reproduction, modification, storage in a retrieval system or retransmission, in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical or otherwise is strictly prohibited without prior written permission. General inquiries should be directed to our Web feedback box, accessible from this link or from the footer at the bottom of most pages on our site.

Papa She'ee: The Wonder Boy

Papa She’ee (pronounced ‘she’), a protégé of the late Akwasi Ampofo Agyei arguably represents the future of highlife music in Ghana. This Hyattsville, Maryland based musician has over the past decade and a half churned out music that is both captivating and uplifting. An independent artiste and devout christian, Papa She’ee loves performing live for his teeming fans and works assiduously to deliver quality music. Lyrically, vocally and melodically, Papa She’ee has a voice that is both recognizable and unforgettable. His music has enjoyed considerable airplay throughout Ghana and the rest of Africa.

Papa She’ee has 6 albums to his credit which include Mebo m'amanne sen nie (1994), Deda me (1996), Atadwe (2000), Koyon so (2002), Ate pa (2004) and Akokono Ato Pa Gen (2009). His latest work “Akokono Ato Pa Gen” is a 12 track CD that was recorded in Chicago and has production work by JQ. It features backing vocals from Lady Suzu and Ava Sherry. My personal favorites on this album are “Obeye a Mawoonso”, “Deyie Daye Wo Pe” and “Maame Konadu” ( Papa She’ee’s wife)which pays tribute to her love and encouragement. She’ee has sojourned in the United Kingdom and Germany, where he incidentally worked with Bodo Staiger (the famed German sound engineer/guitarist who has worked with the likes of Amakye Dede, Charles Amoah and George Darko).

Nana Yaw Cudjoe, as he is popularly called, is the first Ghanaian musician to come out with a full length music DVD aptly named Touch the Sky. This work exhibits She’ee’s high quality production work and level of professional craft, which hitherto is missing in the Ghanaian music industry. His music can be found on Itunes and Last.FM. Additionally, Papa She’ee’s cds can be purchased at most African shops and music distribution joints the world over. The “Wonder Boy” has performed to diverse audiences; the largest was at the Independence Square Accra, in March 1998 during US President Bill Clinton’s visit.

In commemoration of Barack Obama's winning the U.S. general election, Papa She’ee hit the studio and recorded a new song called 'Obama –Yes We Can’, just in time for Obama’s inauguration. On July 24th, 2010, yours truly was fortunate to witness an energetic, crowd-pleasing performance by the “Wonder Boy” where he was a supporting act at a Kojo Antwi concert. Papa She'ee performed Koyon so, Ate Pa, Atadwe and Akokono Atopa Gen, the title track from his latest album. And yes, the ladies were going crazy. Wɔnmo nti gyae! Please make it a point to see and support one of Africa’s most exciting stage performers whenever he is on tour in a city near you!

Photo Credit: HighlifeToday.com

P.S. I will be interviewing him for my weekend show on 08/7/2010, The Afrikan Express Show(Saturdays 2pm-4pm EST) on Akwaaba Radio.com. Readers, please mark your calendars and tune in for this interview.




The Afrikan Child © Copyright 2010. All Rights reserved. No part of these pages, either text or image may be duplicated without the author's permission. Also, reproduction, modification, storage in a retrieval system or retransmission, in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical or otherwise is strictly prohibited without prior written permission. General inquiries should be directed to our Web feedback box, accessible from this link or from the footer at the bottom of most pages on our site.

Theo Yaw Boakye

Theo Yaw Boakye is a Ghanaian musician based in Toronto, Canada. He was the lead vocalist of Nakupenda (a group of African musicians), that performed several times at the very first AfroFest in 1989. The group also appeared at the Caribana, toured the UK, the U.S and Africa. They recorded seven albums and have since disbanded. In 1994, he released an album Swinging Safari, and has experienced great popularity in his native Ghana and as well as in Canada. This charismatic percussionist and vocalist was a member of the collaborative African Guitar Summit that won the 2005 Juno Award in Canada.

The Afrikan Child © Copyright 2010. All Rights reserved. No part of these pages, either text or image may be duplicated without the author's permission. Also, reproduction, modification, storage in a retrieval system or retransmission, in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical or otherwise is strictly prohibited without prior written permission. General inquiries should be directed to our Web feedback box, accessible from this link or from the footer at the bottom of most pages on our site.