Desailly, Samini, Blakk Rasta for OrphanAid Weekend

A gathering of selected journalist among other dignitaries at the residence of the French Ambassador in Accra marked the launch of this year’s OrphanAid Weekend. The event held last Thursday November 19th was hosted by the French Ambassador who called on all persons to show compassion and tolerance towards disadvantaged children during his brief yet inspirational speech.

The night witnessed other invitees from the French Embassy in Accra and a number of musicians. The event started on a quite note with soft music playing in the background creating a perfect atmosphere. There were few template speeches from event organizers as well as sponsors, all of whom highlighted the plight of orphans in recent times of global economic challenges.

Patrons on the night were enlightened on the new philosophy supposed to shape the future of orphans through a video presentation. This was in alignment with global resolution to replace orphan homes with host families. Orphans are supposed to grow up as members of families rather than in orphanages if they are expected to become better people in society.

This paradigm becomes very relevant and undoubtedly imperative in the wake of the recent shocking revelations from the Osu Children’s Home sage. Under this scheme, an appreciable amount is given monthly to families that are willing and ready to take in an orphan. Notwithstanding, only families with children and in the position to provide shelter are eligible to take in an orphan but after thorough checks.

OrphanAid Weekend is a series of events aimed at creating awareness of the problems faced by vulnerable children in Ghana to be staged during the first weekend of December. It commences with the OrphanAid Accra Mall Takeover at the Accra Mall on the Friday. Musician cum presenter, Blakk Rasta headlines a concert to feature other artists including Samini, Fifi Sela and King Ayisoba at Alliance Francaise on Saturday.

The final event is on the Sunday dubbed OrphanAid Sportsday and to be held at the ultra modern Lizzy Sports Complex located at East Legon. World cup winner and former French international soccer star Marcel Desailly will host the children to football, races, swimming, bouncy castle and other games.

On his part, Blakk Rasta was full of praise for the French Ambassador for his association with the event before and lauded sponsors for investing in what he called a blessed venture. He further appealed to Ghanaians to come out and support the project. He assured of a perfect show come December 4th, 2010.

4X4 SIGNS FOR AIRTEL AMBASSADORS

The sensational Ghanaian music crew and 4syte video music award winning group 4X4 has revealed their partnership with leading mobile communications giant and new owners of Zain, Bharti Airtel. Though refusing to disclose details of the deal due to a supposed policy of confidentiality, the Hiplife group becomes the networks first and official ambassadors in Ghana. This came to light at the African Regent hotel during a press conference to announce the release of ONE8’s first single.

Ghanaians have become known for their gross disregard and lack of adherence to time over the years, a phenomenon now considered as a bad joke. This isn’t getting funny anymore rather eaten deep into the cultural fiber of the nation. Hence, it is time event organizers in Ghana are told off and not allowed to hold their audience captives. This can’t be accepted in recent times when patrons are considered a major element for a successful event.

This was the exact situation at the Tuesday press conference when event organizers and officers of Airtel had to persuade some journalists who couldn’t endure the seemingly endless delay of the event. When it had to commence, it was without the music group which was supposed to chronicle their experience as the Ghanaian representatives on the ONE8 project. It took another hour for the group to show up only to render a rather pointless excuse.

Supported by Airtel, Rockstar 4000 and Sony Music Worldwide, ONE8 is a revolutionary project with a pan-African and global vision aimed at connecting millions of people through the universal language of music. The ONE8 group comprises of eight African artists across the continent and a global superstar. “Hands across the world” is the group’s first single featuring R‘n’B legend R. Kelly. It was recorded in Chicago with an extraordinary video after weeks of studio work.

Unfortunately for the Ghanaian group, they couldn’t secure entry visas to join R Kelly and the other African artists in Chicago. However, they were flown to Kenya where they connected with the group and contributed to the project via video conferencing. There, they also had video plus photo shots that were inserted into the final cut which is currently receiving rotations from the internet to other multimedia platforms around the world.

Responding to questions, the group expressed their excitement joining the ONE8 project and partnering with the Airtel for brand enhancement. According to them, getting the nod ahead of other great talents in the nation presents them with the challenge of doing more for themselves as well as Airtel. Rudy Kwakye, a representative of Rockstar 4000 was full of praises for 4X4, emphasizing on the enormous benefits the group stands to gain with their association with the ONE8 group.

Airtel promises to donate a percentage of all revenues from the “Hands across the world” to the Himankrom Methodist Junior Secondary School

HERE COMES PEYO AND CYMFONY GH!!!!

What I immediately and easily remembered after the hearing the word CYMFONY GH was the prestigious Grammy Awards ceremony held a few nights ago in the renowned American city of Los Angeles. There, the much imperative British group, the London Symphony Orchestra was awarded the best opera recording for Benjamin Britten’s Billy Budd. This doesn’t only vindicate their vital positioning in music circles but also perk up their projection.

On a weekend inside the ultra modern and multi purpose shopping facility, I touched base with executives from the latest music label in GH. Though being young chaps, they appear very brainy, possessing ideas people thrice their age are yet to envisage. To them, music is yet to be commercially exploited in GH hence the need for a perfect blend of talent, creativity and dedication in order to achieve actualized results.

To many music devotees including myself, Hip Hop as a genre has projected several artists and catapulted them to several heights but not in GH! No one pays for Hip Hop in GH leaving emcees with fame and modest recognition. Acts aligned to relatively unknown music genre have remained underground as the mainstream music scene gets commercial after the day.

In the light of this phenomenon, CYMFONY GH, a Ghanaian based record label company was established with the aim to inspiring and motivating artist aside entertaining the GH music nation and beyond. Comprising of a devoted and result oriented individuals; CYMFONY GH is supposed to get around the complexities surrounding the music fraternity and hurl it to greater heights.

Yoofi Odamtten (alias Peyo) is the founder/CEO of the label and doubles up as the labels leading artist. The young emcee equipped with grand punch lines interlaced with pleasant lyrics revealed the ideas of his group. “CYMFONY GH is a group of young men filled with the passion for music. We have taken time off to learn the rudiments of the trade and the industry so we make the difference. We are here not to add to the numbers but get to the top and put GH on the map”.

With all evidence of confidence and intelligence, Smart Kwasi Yeboah, Executive producer of the record label hinted on the plans of his outfit. “You can’t afford to continually fail at a course for over a decade. GH rap is regarded as Hip Hop which is by all standards right, and i am certain it can be used as a tool to market Ghana more easily when the right structures are put in place. We are coming in with a fresh paradigm”.

Talk of diversity in music and that is what CYMFONY GH prides as one of its goals. From artists to management, there is a fusion of originality and potentials. Emcees signed to the label include K-Spliff, Sel-K, Basha, Spinx da Jinx, Fortune Dane and Juju (rapper cum singer). Magnum is the labels unfailing and imaginative producer under the effective management of Laud Robinson.

“My 2 Verse Symphony” is the labels major mix tape from CYMFONY GH which features artists of the label and other emcees. Currently, it is receiving rotations on radio and making the rounds with many music lovers dancing to it. A must watch video directed by one of GH’s finest is set to hit the screens pretty soon.

SPARE US THE LAFA CRAZE!!!

Have you for a moment paused to ponder over the startling rate at which our society is swiftly becoming “Americanized”? Love it or hate it, this is a reality supposed to persist until the very foundation of globalization is broken. Today, American hip culture finds its head at every corner of the globe- urban fashion is not only seen on the streets of New York but in the corner joints in Seoul, Tehran and Cairo lately.

Ghana is no exception to this phenomenon with the entire nation being consumed by human antics and mannerisms purported to be American or Western. Cable television is now widespread and has proven to be very influential and directly aiding in the “Americanization” campaign. The ever daring Ghanaian youth now wears whatever they see on MTV- from stage costume to winter jackets.

Make no mistake to think we have lots of Americans flooding our streets in recent times. Rather, we have more people interestingly speaking with an American accent, a phenomenon becoming more popular and catching up with almost everybody irrespective of social status and age. This is the LAFA (Locally Acquired Foreign Accent) craze which appears to have come to stay.

Radio personalities, television anchors, musicians and other famous persons are the noted champions. LAFA has become their better companion for whatever reasons best known to them. If for nothing at all, the numerous self-styled celebrities on the streets feel noted speaking with LAFA thinking they sound foreign and different from the regular Ghanaian. Could the desire and respect for anything foreign by most Ghanaians be a factor?

In as much as people should be encouraged to strive for the best and grab the gold in life, we ought not to loose sight of who we are as a people. Being unique and carving a niche shouldn’t amount to identity crises. As Ghanaians and Africans for that matter, we have to be proud and bold to show what we have to the world. We should sell our culture including our language to the rest of the world rather than gratuitously copying.

It was a sorrowful and an embarrassing experience for a famous Accra based LAFA radio personality when questions from an inquisitive American intern on his style of presentation revealed he has no idea of any airline that connects Accra and New York. As if that wasn’t enough humiliation, the American chap went further to advice him to stop faking his accent wondering if no one ever told him how ridiculous he sounded.

That remains the psychology of deception several souls around the nation are caught in. To speak with a foreign accent which often than not is very fake doesn’t make anyone a better person comparatively. Rather, it reveals a persons lack of knowledge and low self esteem. Identity crisis is the worse form of ignorance, a canker intellectuals and the good old book has described as a killer. Can we be spared the LAFA craze?