Tag: Ghana
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Fokn Bois and Social Commentary?
Ghanaian music group, Fokn Bois, comprising of Emmanuel Owusu- Bonsu who is better known as Wanlov the Kubolor and M3nsa also known as Bondie Mensa Ansah are an unusual match to say the least. This vivacious duo is known for putting out rather controversial songs and their hit Gimmie Pinch did not disappoint. While both…
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M.anifest and Kwesi Arthur Give Us All the “Feels”
With the feel good song “Feels”, M.anifest continues to show why he is one of the predominant rappers on the hip hop scene in Ghana. He brings lyricism and punchlines to a catchy tune that’s backed by percussion that makes you wanna bob your head and/or dance along. He is joined by Kwesi Arthur on…
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Palm Wine no Whisky
Ghana is known for being a pioneer of African Independence. Kwame Nkrumah lead a crusade to reclaim Africa for Africans and invited the whole Diaspora to seek refuge inside the West African land. During the 1960s and 1970s, many African Americans moved to Ghana and reclaimed their African roots, so Ghana over the years…
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The Diaspora as depicted in Wanlov the Kubolor’s “Smallest Time”
Emmanuel Owusu-Bonsu, also known as Wanlov the Kubolor, was born into a Ghanaian-Romanian family in Ghana. After years of living in Ghana, he moved to the United States to study Computer Science and Business Administration at the University of Mary Hardin Baylor. Two years later, in 2002, he dropped out in order to become fully…
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Hewale and Revolution
Ghanaian artist: C-Real Senegalese artist: Didier Awadi Instantly I could detect differences between these two artist. C-Real has the ” harder ” sound though he is trying to spread a positive message just like Awadi. C-Real’s song title, “Hewale”, in the link that I have attached translates to strength. “Hewale” is about being strong and…
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Ghana & Senegal: Letters to the People
There are many types of hip hop songs: some sample old songs, some create their own back track, some tell a story and some send a message. In many African countries, the voice that hip hop artists have due to their popularity has been used to speak to it’s community of listeners (typically the youth) to…
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M.anifest – “Cupid’s Crooked Bow”
Immediately, M.anifest’s “Cupid’s Crooked Bow” begins with a smooth, African drum beat, fused with South African artist Nomisupasta’s unique voice – a kind of tone that is completely original but also, to me, sounds like a mix of Adele and Erykah Badu’s voices (especially when Nomisupasta sings in English). M.anifest raps in English, creating a…
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143 M3nsa
Boundaries are meant to be pushed. Boundaries are usually created out of false norms and restrictive rules. Hip Hop oftentimes finds itself stuck in a box that set the boundaries as grimy, hardcore, sexual content, when Hip Hop can be so much more. Hip Hop is a genre borne from rebels who set out to…
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The Link Was Never Broken: African Connections Prevail
Although I already covered music by Ghanaian-American hip hop artist, Blitz the Ambassador, I had to revisit his work—his solo work. From taking another look, I have come to see that Blitz is a visionary. The genius of his work can be attributed to his ability to develop well- thought out concepts that are both…
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M.anifest
Rita Ray of the BBC has dubbed him “Ghana’s rapper supreme”; City Pages has described him as an artist with “an incredible gift” (the run off groove) who possesses “the kind of assured, joyful, ruminative voice that made Mos Def into Hollywood’s favorite conscious-rap star” (City Pages). He has also been described as “a rapper…