Ghana: Azonto Dance – Don’t Sleep

Ghana: Azonto Dance – Don’t Sleep

Erybody’s doin’ it! Around these parts anyway. If you haven’t witnessed some azonto moves, then chale u need fo go ghana party sef:

Yep, earworm of a track, Sarkodie feat. E.L., U Go Kill Me, you can download it here.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=559MTqNtzyI

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The Story of Adomaa & VI Music

The Story of Adomaa & VI Music

When Adomaa's Baafira x Adonai mashup video came out last February, it was clear she was part of a creative collective with a clear vision. As more top notch videos and songs came out, we couldn't help but investigate into it, here's their story. Thanks to Hanif for...

Akwaaba Sound System feat. Villy – “Sawale”

Akwaaba Sound System feat. Villy – “Sawale”

Another video from Akwaaba Sound System's performance at the Republic bar in Accra, this time with Ghana's foremost Nigerian afrobeat transplant Villy, doing a powerful rendition of the classic Sawale. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8PwEEjd4jEY   Une autre vidéo...

Art Melody: Clandestino Festival Photos

Art Melody: Clandestino Festival Photos

Apparently Art Melody's performance at Clandestino Festival in Göteborg was epic! Great shots by David Márquez. Check here for Melo's other dates. Apparement la performance d Art...

Ghana: Azonto Dance – Don’t Sleep

Erybody’s doin’ it! Around these parts anyway. If you haven’t witnessed some azonto moves, then chale u need fo go ghana party sef:

Yep, earworm of a track, Sarkodie feat. E.L., U Go Kill Me, you can <a href=”http://www.bigxgh.com/ghana-music-brand-new-sarkodie-you-go-kill-me-feat-e-l-opanka-yaa-pono-more-from-tema/”>download it here</a>.

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The Story of Adomaa & VI Music

The Story of Adomaa & VI Music

When Adomaa's Baafira x Adonai mashup video came out last February, it was clear she was part of a creative collective with a clear vision. As more top notch videos and songs came out, we couldn't help but investigate into it, here's their story. Thanks to Hanif for...

Akwaaba Sound System feat. Villy – “Sawale”

Akwaaba Sound System feat. Villy – “Sawale”

Another video from Akwaaba Sound System's performance at the Republic bar in Accra, this time with Ghana's foremost Nigerian afrobeat transplant Villy, doing a powerful rendition of the classic Sawale. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8PwEEjd4jEY   Une autre vidéo...

Art Melody: Clandestino Festival Photos

Art Melody: Clandestino Festival Photos

Apparently Art Melody's performance at Clandestino Festival in Göteborg was epic! Great shots by David Márquez. Check here for Melo's other dates. Apparement la performance d Art...

Cabo Snoop Update: Dançéé, Ghana, Puto Cossa

Cabo Snoop Update: Dançéé, Ghana, Puto Cossa

What can we say… Cabo Snoop’s stuff is catchy. And now he flirts with Congolese and Ivorian styles, bam! Another fun video by Hochifu. More Angolan goodness while we’re at it:

And last but certainly not least… Cabo Snoop in Ghana:

 

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The Story of Adomaa & VI Music

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When Adomaa's Baafira x Adonai mashup video came out last February, it was clear she was part of a creative collective with a clear vision. As more top notch videos and songs came out, we couldn't help but investigate into it, here's their story. Thanks to Hanif for...

Akwaaba Sound System feat. Villy – “Sawale”

Akwaaba Sound System feat. Villy – “Sawale”

Another video from Akwaaba Sound System's performance at the Republic bar in Accra, this time with Ghana's foremost Nigerian afrobeat transplant Villy, doing a powerful rendition of the classic Sawale. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8PwEEjd4jEY   Une autre vidéo...

Art Melody: Clandestino Festival Photos

Art Melody: Clandestino Festival Photos

Apparently Art Melody's performance at Clandestino Festival in Göteborg was epic! Great shots by David Márquez. Check here for Melo's other dates. Apparement la performance d Art...

Cabo Snoop Update: Dançéé, Ghana, Puto Cossa

What can we say… Cabo Snoop’s stuff is catchy. And now he flirts with Congolese and Ivorian styles, bam! Another fun video by Hochifu. More Angolan goodness while we’re at it:

And last but certainly not least… Cabo Snoop in Ghana:

 

RELATED

The Story of Adomaa & VI Music

The Story of Adomaa & VI Music

When Adomaa's Baafira x Adonai mashup video came out last February, it was clear she was part of a creative collective with a clear vision. As more top notch videos and songs came out, we couldn't help but investigate into it, here's their story. Thanks to Hanif for...

Akwaaba Sound System feat. Villy – “Sawale”

Akwaaba Sound System feat. Villy – “Sawale”

Another video from Akwaaba Sound System's performance at the Republic bar in Accra, this time with Ghana's foremost Nigerian afrobeat transplant Villy, doing a powerful rendition of the classic Sawale. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8PwEEjd4jEY   Une autre vidéo...

Art Melody: Clandestino Festival Photos

Art Melody: Clandestino Festival Photos

Apparently Art Melody's performance at Clandestino Festival in Göteborg was epic! Great shots by David Márquez. Check here for Melo's other dates. Apparement la performance d Art...

Good Morning – Yaa Pono feat. Efya

Good Morning – Yaa Pono feat. Efya

 

Very nice work by King Luu! Pidgen Music makes the magic happen… extra-ordinary rapper Yaa Pono teams up with Ghanaian soulstress Efya for this beautiful video. Shot in Nima.

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The Story of Adomaa & VI Music

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When Adomaa's Baafira x Adonai mashup video came out last February, it was clear she was part of a creative collective with a clear vision. As more top notch videos and songs came out, we couldn't help but investigate into it, here's their story. Thanks to Hanif for...

Akwaaba Sound System feat. Villy – “Sawale”

Akwaaba Sound System feat. Villy – “Sawale”

Another video from Akwaaba Sound System's performance at the Republic bar in Accra, this time with Ghana's foremost Nigerian afrobeat transplant Villy, doing a powerful rendition of the classic Sawale. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8PwEEjd4jEY   Une autre vidéo...

Art Melody: Clandestino Festival Photos

Art Melody: Clandestino Festival Photos

Apparently Art Melody's performance at Clandestino Festival in Göteborg was epic! Great shots by David Márquez. Check here for Melo's other dates. Apparement la performance d Art...

Good Morning – Yaa Pono feat. Efya

Very nice work by King Luu! Pidgen Music makes the magic happen… extra-ordinary rapper Yaa Pono teams up with Ghanaian soulstress Efya for this beautiful video. Shot in Nima.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=25thStzEPSc

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The Story of Adomaa & VI Music

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When Adomaa's Baafira x Adonai mashup video came out last February, it was clear she was part of a creative collective with a clear vision. As more top notch videos and songs came out, we couldn't help but investigate into it, here's their story. Thanks to Hanif for...

Akwaaba Sound System feat. Villy – “Sawale”

Akwaaba Sound System feat. Villy – “Sawale”

Another video from Akwaaba Sound System's performance at the Republic bar in Accra, this time with Ghana's foremost Nigerian afrobeat transplant Villy, doing a powerful rendition of the classic Sawale. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8PwEEjd4jEY   Une autre vidéo...

Art Melody: Clandestino Festival Photos

Art Melody: Clandestino Festival Photos

Apparently Art Melody's performance at Clandestino Festival in Göteborg was epic! Great shots by David Márquez. Check here for Melo's other dates. Apparement la performance d Art...

Where My Money Dey?!

Where My Money Dey?!

Rehashing the most recent Lungu Lungu column over at Fader:

If you spend a few days in Ghana, you’ll hear mostly upbeat dance music. On the radio, at bars or in clubs. It might lead you to believe that all popular music in Ghana is music to dance to. At least I thought so. But a couple of weeks ago I had a realization. Not one induced by the many churches sprouting on every corner here. This realization was purely musical—I went to a big show, featuring a dozen or so artists, many of the usual top dogs, but also, some rappers. Nothing that unusual so far, except the hundreds of kids around me went CRAZY when the rappers got on stage, rapping along to every single hook and verse. Hip hop is massive in Ghana, but it’s still very much underground. Kids may know the words to the songs, but the songs still don’t play on the radio.

So how do you get people to know your song without being played on the radio in Ghana? I’m not here to write a full analysis, so let’s just say there is a lot of MP3 swapping over bluetooth phones, and there are a LOT of ciphers and battles among high school students.

Hip hop in English started in Ghana around 1990, until the mid 1990s when Reggie Rockstone started rapping in twi. Fast forward again to Wanlov and Lil Shaker, who pioneered Ghanaian pidgin rap in the mid 2000s. What I find exciting about pidgin rap is that it can be understood by a broad English speaking audience, but it retains a distinctly Ghanaian feel. Best of both worlds.

Enter Kay-Ara. He only graduated from high school two years ago, but he’s been rhyming as far as he can remember. First listening to his older brother’s Nas or Tupac tapes. then switching over to Reggie Rockstone and other twi rappers. Finally, inspired by pidgin rappers, he began laying down verses daily. Now he performs along with Wanlov and Shaker them. Tomorrow, he heads to Koforidua for a show with Yaa Pono and Wanlov. You won’t hear Yaa Pono on the radio much, but his freestyle videos have been going around a lot.

Kay-Ara f. Lil Shaker and Yaa Pono, “Me Dough” by The FADER

“Me Dough” is the first single off of Kay-Ara’s upcoming debut album. The chorus goes me ko gye me dough, or I’m going to get my money in twi. Kay-Ara tells me: “When I heard the beat, with the Ambolley highlife sample and the big bassline, I thought, Ok, people will dance to this.” Then he adds, “so let’s add a message that everyone can relate to and remember.” Kay says the song is not just about money but about respect, as much about collecting your money as it is collecting your dues. Kay-Ara also recently dropped a mixtape, featuring mostly original tracks. Download it here.

What do you think? If you like this stuff, I’m thinking of putting together a compilation of pidgin rap, and some pidgin rap EPs and full lengths after that. Got beats? Holler at me!

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The Story of Adomaa & VI Music

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When Adomaa's Baafira x Adonai mashup video came out last February, it was clear she was part of a creative collective with a clear vision. As more top notch videos and songs came out, we couldn't help but investigate into it, here's their story. Thanks to Hanif for...

Akwaaba Sound System feat. Villy – “Sawale”

Akwaaba Sound System feat. Villy – “Sawale”

Another video from Akwaaba Sound System's performance at the Republic bar in Accra, this time with Ghana's foremost Nigerian afrobeat transplant Villy, doing a powerful rendition of the classic Sawale. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8PwEEjd4jEY   Une autre vidéo...

Art Melody: Clandestino Festival Photos

Art Melody: Clandestino Festival Photos

Apparently Art Melody's performance at Clandestino Festival in Göteborg was epic! Great shots by David Márquez. Check here for Melo's other dates. Apparement la performance d Art...

Where My Money Dey?!

Rehashing the most recent Lungu Lungu column over at Fader:

If you spend a few days in Ghana, you’ll hear mostly upbeat dance music. On the radio, at bars or in clubs. It might lead you to believe that all popular music in Ghana is music to dance to. At least I thought so. But a couple of weeks ago I had a realization. Not one induced by the many churches sprouting on every corner here. This realization was purely musical—I went to a big show, featuring a dozen or so artists, many of the usual top dogs, but also, some rappers. Nothing that unusual so far, except the hundreds of kids around me went CRAZY when the rappers got on stage, rapping along to every single hook and verse. Hip hop is massive in Ghana, but it’s still very much underground. Kids may know the words to the songs, but the songs still don’t play on the radio.

So how do you get people to know your song without being played on the radio in Ghana? I’m not here to write a full analysis, so let’s just say there is a lot of MP3 swapping over bluetooth phones, and there are a LOT of ciphers and battles among high school students.

Hip hop in English started in Ghana around 1990, until the mid 1990s when Reggie Rockstone started rapping in twi. Fast forward again to Wanlov and Lil Shaker, who pioneered Ghanaian pidgin rap in the mid 2000s. What I find exciting about pidgin rap is that it can be understood by a broad English speaking audience, but it retains a distinctly Ghanaian feel. Best of both worlds.

Enter Kay-Ara. He only graduated from high school two years ago, but he’s been rhyming as far as he can remember. First listening to his older brother’s Nas or Tupac tapes. then switching over to Reggie Rockstone and other twi rappers. Finally, inspired by pidgin rappers, he began laying down verses daily. Now he performs along with Wanlov and Shaker them. Tomorrow, he heads to Koforidua for a show with Yaa Pono and Wanlov. You won’t hear Yaa Pono on the radio much, but his freestyle videos have been going around a lot.

Kay-Ara f. Lil Shaker and Yaa Pono, “Me Dough” by The FADER

“Me Dough” is the first single off of Kay-Ara’s upcoming debut album. The chorus goes me ko gye me dough, or I’m going to get my money in twi. Kay-Ara tells me: “When I heard the beat, with the Ambolley highlife sample and the big bassline, I thought, Ok, people will dance to this.” Then he adds, “so let’s add a message that everyone can relate to and remember.” Kay says the song is not just about money but about respect, as much about collecting your money as it is collecting your dues. Kay-Ara also recently dropped a mixtape, featuring mostly original tracks. Download it here.

What do you think? If you like this stuff, I’m thinking of putting together a compilation of pidgin rap, and some pidgin rap EPs and full lengths after that. Got beats? Holler at me!

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The Story of Adomaa & VI Music

The Story of Adomaa & VI Music

When Adomaa's Baafira x Adonai mashup video came out last February, it was clear she was part of a creative collective with a clear vision. As more top notch videos and songs came out, we couldn't help but investigate into it, here's their story. Thanks to Hanif for...

Akwaaba Sound System feat. Villy – “Sawale”

Akwaaba Sound System feat. Villy – “Sawale”

Another video from Akwaaba Sound System's performance at the Republic bar in Accra, this time with Ghana's foremost Nigerian afrobeat transplant Villy, doing a powerful rendition of the classic Sawale. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8PwEEjd4jEY   Une autre vidéo...

Art Melody: Clandestino Festival Photos

Art Melody: Clandestino Festival Photos

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BigxGH.com: Friday Faves

BigxGH.com: Friday Faves

More Ghana pop to prepare for more hazardous dance moves at drinking bars across the world… this week we picked three unknown newcomers. Well, unknown to us. The highlife guitar is long-gone, the production is percussive and minimal: this is GH 2011. So here are our top picks from bigxgh.com‘s massive weekly promotional selection. In other words if you like these tracks, you can find dozens and dozens more like it from them. With the artists’ consent, this is how promo works in Ghana! Dig in:

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The Story of Adomaa & VI Music

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When Adomaa's Baafira x Adonai mashup video came out last February, it was clear she was part of a creative collective with a clear vision. As more top notch videos and songs came out, we couldn't help but investigate into it, here's their story. Thanks to Hanif for...

Akwaaba Sound System feat. Villy – “Sawale”

Akwaaba Sound System feat. Villy – “Sawale”

Another video from Akwaaba Sound System's performance at the Republic bar in Accra, this time with Ghana's foremost Nigerian afrobeat transplant Villy, doing a powerful rendition of the classic Sawale. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8PwEEjd4jEY   Une autre vidéo...

Art Melody: Clandestino Festival Photos

Art Melody: Clandestino Festival Photos

Apparently Art Melody's performance at Clandestino Festival in Göteborg was epic! Great shots by David Márquez. Check here for Melo's other dates. Apparement la performance d Art...

BigxGH.com: Friday Faves

More Ghana pop to prepare for more hazardous dance moves at drinking bars across the world… this week we picked three unknown newcomers. Well, unknown to us. The highlife guitar is long-gone, the production is percussive and minimal: this is GH 2011. So here are our top picks from bigxgh.com‘s massive weekly promotional selection. In other words if you like these tracks, you can find dozens and dozens more like it from them. With the artists’ consent, this is how promo works in Ghana! Dig in:

RELATED

The Story of Adomaa & VI Music

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When Adomaa's Baafira x Adonai mashup video came out last February, it was clear she was part of a creative collective with a clear vision. As more top notch videos and songs came out, we couldn't help but investigate into it, here's their story. Thanks to Hanif for...

Akwaaba Sound System feat. Villy – “Sawale”

Akwaaba Sound System feat. Villy – “Sawale”

Another video from Akwaaba Sound System's performance at the Republic bar in Accra, this time with Ghana's foremost Nigerian afrobeat transplant Villy, doing a powerful rendition of the classic Sawale. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8PwEEjd4jEY   Une autre vidéo...

Art Melody: Clandestino Festival Photos

Art Melody: Clandestino Festival Photos

Apparently Art Melody's performance at Clandestino Festival in Göteborg was epic! Great shots by David Márquez. Check here for Melo's other dates. Apparement la performance d Art...

Schlachthofbronx meet Ruff N Smooth: Soca Mayhem

Schlachthofbronx meet Ruff N Smooth: Soca Mayhem

Well well… our favorite Bavarian duo went berzerk again on some crazy-arse soca madness. Just came out on Mixpak. This time they get a helping hand from the Swagga boys Ruff N Smooth, if you recognize where the vocals are from we’ll send you their album for free!

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The Story of Adomaa & VI Music

The Story of Adomaa & VI Music

When Adomaa's Baafira x Adonai mashup video came out last February, it was clear she was part of a creative collective with a clear vision. As more top notch videos and songs came out, we couldn't help but investigate into it, here's their story. Thanks to Hanif for...

Akwaaba Sound System feat. Villy – “Sawale”

Akwaaba Sound System feat. Villy – “Sawale”

Another video from Akwaaba Sound System's performance at the Republic bar in Accra, this time with Ghana's foremost Nigerian afrobeat transplant Villy, doing a powerful rendition of the classic Sawale. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8PwEEjd4jEY   Une autre vidéo...

Art Melody: Clandestino Festival Photos

Art Melody: Clandestino Festival Photos

Apparently Art Melody's performance at Clandestino Festival in Göteborg was epic! Great shots by David Márquez. Check here for Melo's other dates. Apparement la performance d Art...

Schlachthofbronx meet Ruff N Smooth: Soca Mayhem

Well well… our favorite Bavarian duo went berzerk again on some crazy-arse soca madness. Just came out on Mixpak. This time they get a helping hand from the Swagga boys Ruff N Smooth, if you recognize where the vocals are from we’ll send you their album for free!

RELATED

The Story of Adomaa & VI Music

The Story of Adomaa & VI Music

When Adomaa's Baafira x Adonai mashup video came out last February, it was clear she was part of a creative collective with a clear vision. As more top notch videos and songs came out, we couldn't help but investigate into it, here's their story. Thanks to Hanif for...

Akwaaba Sound System feat. Villy – “Sawale”

Akwaaba Sound System feat. Villy – “Sawale”

Another video from Akwaaba Sound System's performance at the Republic bar in Accra, this time with Ghana's foremost Nigerian afrobeat transplant Villy, doing a powerful rendition of the classic Sawale. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8PwEEjd4jEY   Une autre vidéo...

Art Melody: Clandestino Festival Photos

Art Melody: Clandestino Festival Photos

Apparently Art Melody's performance at Clandestino Festival in Göteborg was epic! Great shots by David Márquez. Check here for Melo's other dates. Apparement la performance d Art...