Talents shine @ Bless the Mic- arts and music festival

When Emcees Africa came to town last week to look for a freestyle rapper to represent Ghana in South Africa later this year, many folks who were at the contest went wild against the final choice. Others also thought it was a poor showing by talents who came out to exhibit their on-the-spot skills in stringing rhyming words.

Contrary, there was an exciting show of class last Saturday when Alliance Francais hosted Bless the Mic-Arts and Music festival at their open air theatre to a lively audience of spoken word and music lovers. The event brought together unsigned artistes and performers in attempt to support local talent as well as revive the arts. Interestingly, almost all the artistes who represented at the show performed together with a live band with ease.

“We organised this event this event to give a platform to emerging and established artists to share their talents, hone their skills, and network with industry professionals” said PY Addo-B Annan, co-emcee and main organiser of the event.

Bless the Mic featured performers of spoken word, acoustic music, sax collaboration, traditional music, reggae, hip-hop and hip-life rap. The rap and reggae performers delivered smoothly with the support of the well-known 4-man live band, Sound factory, which without a fault played classic tunes with jazz effects that swept over the audience to also sing along.

The night started off with a six-minute spoken word out-pour by Yasmin with her lamentations of a Diasporan longing to see the Motherland. The Black American and Afro centric student, who is currently studying in Ghana, was accompanied with a faint live sax tune in the background under dim lights for a perfect mood and feel.

Also on the night’s bill was Motombo, another astounding and exciting spoken word artist to listen to, whose popularity seemed to be soaring among poetry enthusiasts after featuring in 20-minute NT1 Poetry series that was aired on TV Africa during the latter part of the previous year.

When it was his turn to perform, he took the audience through a captivating ode to the hip-life music genre that recognised founder, Reggie Rockstone, Nananom, Nana King, Obrafour and a host of other artistes who have contributed to the genre.

“This was my mission to a Chief’s palace to find hip-life because they said hip-life was dead”, he said.

Motombo has also performed as a guest artist on the famous music reality show tagged Mentor, on TV3.

The petite freestyle rapper and first runner up of Emcees Africa, Props, gave a good account of himself to a rapturous audience. PY Addo B Annan, CEO of MI Prime Entertainment, openly asserted Props should have won the Emcees Africa-Ghana contest, before introducing the young rapper to patrons at Alliance Francais.

PY says “only if you were at the Tantra Night club last week, everybody knew he was the one who should have won.”

Reggae and dancehall were also fully appreciated when the talented and budding reggae sensation, Stone boy collaborated with Patan, the Jamaican-speaking and eccentric rastafar-i ragga artist aided by the sound factory live band. The duo entertained everyone to their exceptional music flow amid wild stage antics and dance moves.

Traditional music was not left out of the package as opportunity was given to Gunna Music, formerly Hewale Soundz, an 8-member cultural troupe to also shine with their unique indigenous music and choreography.

some performers who also showed class at the event were, Trig-matic, rapper and YFM “Campus Level” host, Kweku T/D-Black teaming up to perform a live rendition of “move”, their latest release and D.K Osei, another distinctive Ghanaian spoken word act based in the UK.

Others also include fast and witty rapper Kochoko, acoustic poets Ras Bomba/Rhyme Soni, The Matcho Rapper, Dre, RonnyO, Skillionz, and the underground hip-hop character Illa.

Bless the Mic was started 4years ago by MI Prime Entertainment and it takes place every Thursday night at the Baze Lounge and Bar in Osu Re-Accra.

images @ Bless the Mic

Culture Caravan

Touring 8cities across the southern belt of Ghana, the CULTURE CARAVAN,sponsored by theFrench Embassy and Vodafone, stopped atJAMES TOWN-MANTSE AGBONAA inACCRA last sunday 3rd May,2009 after performances at Takoradi, Elmina and Kasoa.

The caravan features Hiplife legend Reggie Rockstone, Kwaw Kesse, King Ayisoba and pidgin rapper Wanlov Koborlor. Others also onthe tour are the traditional master drummerOkyerema Yaw Kontor and Joy Fm's DJ Black.

The Culture Caravan is a novelty which adopts traditional/hiphiplife music and acting on stage with popular songs. It's therefore not surprising that the producer this exciting event, Panji Anoff describes as a "revival of the concert party format".

   

From thursday 8th May, the Culture Caravan will be at Koforidua Jackson Park, saturday 9th-Nkawkaw Ofori Park, sunday 10th May-Obuasi Black Park.

Ghanaba goes home

In the heat of the elections and just six days to the 2^nd round election, Ghanaba, who also goes by the honorary title “Odomankoma Kyerema” to wit, The Divine Drummer, silently took in his last breath and passed on into the last next world.

Ghanaba was born Kpakpo Akwei 85years ago but later changed his name to Guy Warren in the United States when he started fusing African drum beats with Western jazz which earned him the credit as the originator of Afro-Jazz.

NewsAfrican-Ghana was at his funeral that was organised at the State House and the cremation ceremony at the Osu Cemetary on Saturday 28^th March, 2009 to pay my respect to one of Ghana’s finest musicians and a Pan-Africanist.

People from all shades of persuasions were present, Statesmen, Chiefs and Traditionalists, Buddhists and Hare Krishner followers, entertainers, music researchers and producers, Poets and journalists etc.

Without a doubt, Ghanaba was such a person who significantly identified with the above group of people. Being once a journalist himself, the divine drummer was also a very close friend and father figure to former President of Ghana, J.J Rawlings, who literally stood on at the cremation grounds until he saw the dying embers of his inspirational friend’s pyre. On the following Sunday, the ashes of the jazz great was scattered at his Midie home.

Ghana’s Poetry legend and Secretary-General of the Pan-African Writers Association of Ghana (P.A.W.A), Professor Atukwei Okai recited and dramatized a dirge with intermittent drumming of the “fromtomfrom” drum in praise of Kofi Ghanaba. The dirge, with the title, “An umbilical Totem-Obelisk Concerto for the Divine Drummer” is also dedicated to H.E Maitre Abdoulaye Wade, President of the Republic of Senegal, and the late Setheli Ashong-Katai, a distinguished film director, actor and scriptwriter who also passed away on March 17, 2009.

 

 

Cash Crisis hit Taylor trial!

This is just a new twist to the Charles Taylor story i published on sunday after his Lawyer met journalists in Accra concerning the former president's trial and status at The Hague.

I never expected to find this, but somehow i have, it confirms the fact that the credit crunch is so close to everyone. If anyone thinks he's absolved from the current global crisis, then he better think again because it's very close than one may even suggest. Especially, after GBS(Gateway Broadcasting Service) filed for bankruptcy in the United Kingdom only to take a major toll on the numerous subscribers in Ghana. Now the only thing the subscribers have is "function-less satellite dishs" attached to their roofs. 

I'm a regular reader of the Graphic Business, being a business student,  its a weekly must read for me. On page 8 of todays issue(17th March,2009), i found this headline "Cash crisis hit Taylor trial".

I've therefore decided to cull a section of the publication.

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The prosecutor at the Special Court for Sierra Leone (SCSL), Stephen Rapp told Reuters that lack of court funds due to the global economic downturn may require the release of former Liberian President Charles Taylor.

The SCSL's budget comes entirely from individual donations and it expects a shortfall of almostUS$5million. without sufficient funding, the judges in the case may be forced to release Taylor from custody.

should he be set free, the indictments would stand,leaving open the possibility for further legal action.

The International Criminal Court and African leaders!

On saturday 14th March 2009, the lead defence counsel, Courtenay Griffith Q.C, for the former Liberian leader, Charles Taylor (standing trial at The Hague), organised a press conference in Accra concerning the current status of the trial.

Charles Taylor is standing trial for allegedwar crimes and crimes against humanity for his support to the rebel group, RUF( Revolutionary United Front) in Sierra Leone from 1991-2001.

alot of questions was raised by his defence counsel at the press conference regarding why the ICC is targeting only african leaders, who are not known to have any support from the West. So Jonas Savimbi is free while Al-Bashir is refusing to be dragged, nontheless a note of caution has be given to Robert Mugabe to watch out!

It appears that the workings of the ICC has not gained much publicity in Africa, even though Africans are being arranged to stand trial.

Is there a need for networks of advocacy groups to agitate across Africa to stop the process of the ICC?

Should the African Union set up its own Justice court for Africans who commit such crimes?

But it's deeper than we may think, Huge oil deposits has been found to lying along the Gulf of West Africa.

 Liberia is yet to explore its own, when Charles Taylor was in power he rejected exploitative proposals by HALLIBURTON(a US-based oilfield services corporation with international corporations in over 70 countries) . to explore the oil reserves. He was more comfortable to work with the Chinese, same way the Chinese are major trade partners to Sudan. Any connections with the AL-Bashir case and why China was opposed to his arrest warrant? Have we also forgotten the interests of HALLIBURTON in Iraq?

Mr. Griffith was emphatic, "Charles Taylor will win if he stood for any election in Liberia today".

In my opinion it will be a very bad example for the West to consider after all their vilification of the Mr. Taylor.

Indeed its more than just war crimes and crimes against Humanity, else Jnr.Bush and his "one time" side-kick and protege, Blair, will also be facing facing charges by now.

Is it a matter of giving a dog bad name to hang it? while you, sarcastically, take his bone!

i reproduce here the full text of the press statement:

PRESS STATEMENT: BY COURTENAY GRIFFITHS, Q.C

DEFENCE LEAD COUNSEL FOR CHARLES TAYLOR

ACCRA, GHANA 14^TH MARCH 2009

 I have come to the birthplace of Pan-Africanism in the hope that we can together rekindle that non-negotiable demand that Africans be treated equally on the global stage. Sadly, of the experiences of Charles Taylor and more recently President Al Bashir of Sudan provide a guide, then we must be prepared to re-engage with renewed vigour in that struggle.

 

In both instances the “international community” the code for western interests is promoting the idea that there can be no impunity for those who commit war crimes and crimes against humanity. It is somewhat curious then that no one is calling with equal ferocity for either former President Bush or former British Prime Minister to stand trial for atrocities instigated by them in Iraq. Likewise there is a studied silence from that same “international community” when it comes to the crimes committed so recently by the state of Israel in Gaza. The cruel reality is that impunity only becomes an issue if the perpetrator is a black African who does not enjoy the backing of the West, hence a Jonas Savimbi is safe.

 

This is an opportune time to consider that debate. When Charles Taylor was arrested and dragged in chains to The Hague in Holland to stand trial, he warned, to borrow a phrase, that if they came for him in the morning they would come for others that night. That vision has now come true as the president of Sudan can now testify, and watch out Robert Mugabe!

 

It is time for Africans to take charge of their own destinies. Taylor’s trial has received very little publicity here in Africa, yet it is the continent most affected by the outcome of those proceedings. Why did his trial not take place in Africa? Why has the Africa Union not established its own to deal with issues which affect Africans in Africa? If a corporal in the American Army cannot be tried in the International Criminal Court for war crimes and crimes against humanity, how comes an African president can?

 

One reason that Taylor’s trial and the trials of other Africans were taken to The Hague is because it is easier to destroy the rights of a people when they are kept in the dark. The majority of Africans haven’t got a clue about what is going on n The Hague. It is time for us to shed some light on this misuse of international criminal law. That can only be done if organise to ensure the rights of our African sons and daughters are given proper regard and that international criminal law does not become a 21^st century form of neo-colonialism. This is not just about Charles Taylor but it is a useful place to start. We who defend him need your support.

OPINION: An all-inclusive government

The new administration should not focus on it. It’s a marriage of incompatibility-the Zimbabwe model of power-sharing is even not likely to succeed.

There’s a mounting pressure on the current administration to fulfil its campaign promise of an-all inclusive government. This is one type of a political administration that will accommodate people from the other side of the political divide, or better still bring its political opponents on board within a spectrum of fields to run government machinery.

The supposed move can be described as political naivety. It sounds politically correct to call for an all-inclusive government, for the reason that the administration that extends its hand will not be seen as been vindictive or repulsive of qualified technocrats who are known to be associated or worked with other political entities.

In Zimbabwe, it has taken Mugabe, Tsvangirai and Mutambara a whole year to settle and fully agree on a power-sharing deal. They’ve been back and forth reaching a stalemate on countless occasions. What more can happen when government machinery is set in place with its full compliments? One can only envisage the counter struggles to be waged by the different forces now sharing the same wardrobe as they accommodate each other in the same bedroom.

Not even the “Elders” led by Kofi Annan, were able to make an impact. They were embarrassingly refused visas to enter the country.

The current regime seems to be on track to satisfy this demand in its bid to appease the advocates. The question about whether whoever is coming on board shares in the same political ideology or not, is not been asked. During the last election campaign Dr. Paa Kwesi Ndoum was the loudest on this matter. He has expressed support in principle for this idea because of his involvement in the pro right-winged past regime. Clearly, that did not positively affect his image and his leftist-oriented party. There has even been a back-clash between him and his own comrade who also served in the previous administration.

The supposed precedent for an all-inclusive government exposes the fact politicians would always want to satisfy their individual interests whether it’s (their interests) diametrically opposed to that of political party in power or not.

The focus on forming an all-inclusive is not strategic enough. For the reason that, those to be recruited were rejected at the polls.

What is at stake to be delivered to the masses cannot be given away on a silver platter on this inclusiveness premise of setting the cat among the pigeons. The administration is only courting future troubles. It’s biting more than it can chew.