In the 1990s, house and techno got a lot of airplay in Accra – people called it asokpor. Twenty years later electronic music has become very discreet in Ghana, but its influence has subtly permeated the DNA of Accra’s producers. Jowaa is taking asokpor back center stage, this time fueled by Accra’s rich rhythmic tradition. Think of it as Detroit meets kpanlogo. Or better yet, stop thinking, just dance hard – jo waa in Accra’s Ga language.
The project is the collaboration of two dance music fiends, Ghanaian producer and DJ Gafacci and Akwaaba label boss and DJ BBrave. The two brewed their sound for a couple of years before unleashing a slew of free downloads in 2017. The sound got noticed and immediately integrated the growing network of African electronic music events, with sets at Nyege Nyege Festival in Uganda, Africa Bass Culture in Burkina Faso, Alchemist in Kenya, Ubris in Ivory Coast, and of course at home in Ghana at Chale Wote, Asa Baako and Meet Me There festivals.
Asokpor 1.0 is the first in a series of EPs which aim to propel audiences onto the dance floor, from Accra’s coastal communities to clubs across the world. As the EP’s closing track suggests, jo keke – just dance!
Susuka By Kofi Kinaata is a song which encourages us about life, the song simply means no matter situations we find ourselves in, we must stop complaining because someone’s life challenges are much worse than ours.
Building mansions, your mates are getting married [)y3 true ]
Its true
Wo mate bi w’ab)dam, ekor bi w’ewu
A mate of yours its mad,one is also dead
M’ewiarber yi a being buried [)no nso 3r ]
This afternoon he is being buried
Nyimpa di s3s3bi k)hw3 37
Go to 37 and see what is going on
Sesie obi hy3 mortuary ah
Someone is at the mortuary ah
3de kaa 4geti kotow sa na iyi mpo nka onnyi d3 obia b3ti susuka
If you owe someone forget it
Nkwa di obi b3 ka, osen sika
good life is said to be better than riches
Nti 3w) ha, saw na ay3 lucky
If you are alive, dance for you are lucky
iihi.hihihihi hihihi….)tse d3n mpo a susuka
Whatever it is dont say much
Oh oh oh oh oh oh oh oh oh…)tse d3n mpo a susuka
Whatever it is dont say much
Eh obi nya w’ay3 ati
Eh someone wants to be like you heard
Obi ne di so sen wo di yi mpo
Someone’s problem is bigger than yours
Obi nya w’ay3 oh
Someone wants to be like you
Obi ne di so sen wo di yi mpo
Someone’s problem is bigger than yours
Obi nya w’ay3 oh
Someone wants to be like you
Obi ne di so sen wo di yi mpo
Someone’s problem is bigger than yours
Hw3, Obi nya w’ay3 oh
See, Someone wants to be like you oh
Eh Obi ne di so sen wo di yi
Eh someone’s
Ah Obi nya w’ay3 ati
Ah someone wants to be like you
Obi ne dze so sen wo di yi mpo.
Someone’s own its bigger than yours
Hw3, Obi nya w’ay3 oh
See, Someone wants to be like you oh
Eh Obi ne di so sen wo di yi
Eh someone’s
Ah Obi nya w’ay3 ati
Ah someone wants to be like you
Obi ne dze so sen wo di yi mpo.
Someone’s own its bigger than yours
Lala Shishi – explain the song, in Ga.
Every week, we shed some light on the meaning of current hits in and out of Ghana: many bangers have an underlying message or social commentary, carried out using sophisticated and ever evolving wordplay – an aspect that is vastly lost in translation. The music videos don’t always unlock the true meaning or intricacies of hit songs, and lyrics alone are not always enough to understand the numerous double entendre and wordplays, so… here we go!
DJ Juls is the man behind a lot of great stuff in Ghana... from Kay-Ara's Me Dough to this great version of BRKN LNGWJZ (this version is also DOPE), this versatile beatmaker is making a serious name for himself. In this mix he highlights the best of the FOKN Bois...
It's been a few months since the Fader article about Alec Lomami was published, and by now, his green card situation should have been sorted. Well, it hasn't. And rather than choose to go to court to fight his asylum case again, Alec decided to avoid dealing with...
Originally published for Fader magazine. Remain strong and feisty. The meaning of “Dale Fo Yi Kin Dao” hits you as soon as the cold but punchy beat starts. This song is the first release by Waga 3000. It’s average hip hop from Burkina Faso, and it’s very obvious, very...
Lala Shishi :Kofi Kinaata – Susuka
Susuka in twi Means stop complaining.
Susuka By Kofi Kinaata is a song which encourages us about life, the song simply means no matter situations we find ourselves in, we must stop complaining because someone’s life challenges are much worse than ours.
Building mansions, your mates are getting married [)y3 true ]
Its true
Wo mate bi w’ab)dam, ekor bi w’ewu
A mate of yours its mad,one is also dead
M’ewiarber yi a being buried [)no nso 3r ]
This afternoon he is being buried
Nyimpa di s3s3bi k)hw3 37
Go to 37 and see what is going on
Sesie obi hy3 mortuary ah
Someone is at the mortuary ah
3de kaa 4geti kotow sa na iyi mpo nka onnyi d3 obia b3ti susuka
If you owe someone forget it
Nkwa di obi b3 ka, osen sika
good life is said to be better than riches
Nti 3w) ha, saw na ay3 lucky
If you are alive, dance for you are lucky
iihi.hihihihi hihihi….)tse d3n mpo a susuka
Whatever it is dont say much
Oh oh oh oh oh oh oh oh oh…)tse d3n mpo a susuka
Whatever it is dont say much
Eh obi nya w’ay3 ati
Eh someone wants to be like you heard
Obi ne di so sen wo di yi mpo
Someone’s problem is bigger than yours
Obi nya w’ay3 oh
Someone wants to be like you
Obi ne di so sen wo di yi mpo
Someone’s problem is bigger than yours
Obi nya w’ay3 oh
Someone wants to be like you
Obi ne di so sen wo di yi mpo
Someone’s problem is bigger than yours
Hw3, Obi nya w’ay3 oh
See, Someone wants to be like you oh
Eh Obi ne di so sen wo di yi
Eh someone’s
Ah Obi nya w’ay3 ati
Ah someone wants to be like you
Obi ne dze so sen wo di yi mpo.
Someone’s own its bigger than yours
Hw3, Obi nya w’ay3 oh
See, Someone wants to be like you oh
Eh Obi ne di so sen wo di yi
Eh someone’s
Ah Obi nya w’ay3 ati
Ah someone wants to be like you
Obi ne dze so sen wo di yi mpo.
Someone’s own its bigger than yours
Lala Shishi – explain the song, in Ga.
Every week, we shed some light on the meaning of current hits in and out of Ghana: many bangers have an underlying message or social commentary, carried out using sophisticated and ever evolving wordplay – an aspect that is vastly lost in translation. The music videos don’t always unlock the true meaning or intricacies of hit songs, and lyrics alone are not always enough to understand the numerous double entendre and wordplays, so… here we go!
DJ Juls is the man behind a lot of great stuff in Ghana... from Kay-Ara's Me Dough to this great version of BRKN LNGWJZ (this version is also DOPE), this versatile beatmaker is making a serious name for himself. In this mix he highlights the best of the FOKN Bois...
It's been a few months since the Fader article about Alec Lomami was published, and by now, his green card situation should have been sorted. Well, it hasn't. And rather than choose to go to court to fight his asylum case again, Alec decided to avoid dealing with...
Originally published for Fader magazine. Remain strong and feisty. The meaning of “Dale Fo Yi Kin Dao” hits you as soon as the cold but punchy beat starts. This song is the first release by Waga 3000. It’s average hip hop from Burkina Faso, and it’s very obvious, very...