Hiplife is an ultra-dynamic amalgam of Rap, Hip Hop, Reggae and local musical styles from Ghana. Its creative center is the capital, Accra. Powerful and playful at the same time, this style has become the dominant urban sound in a country where more than 100 different languages and dialects are spoken.
Awesome Tapes From Africa The musicologist, ethnologist, DJ and curator of the Ghana Hiplife evening, Brian Shimkovitz, keeps a blog “Awesome Tapes From Africa”, with which he archives products of West African tape culture and offers background information on political and economic conditions.
Kwaw Kese
With his massive sound and deep, relaxed vocals, Kwaw Kese regularly cleans up at the Ghana Music Awards. His interpretation of Hiplife gathers together all kinds of styles, from Irish Folk to Norwegian Black Metal.
Bradez
The two brothers from the Ghanaian capital Accra have become one of the latest Hiplife sensations, with their original sounds and clever lyrics. They made the breakthrough with their prophetically titled second album “The Breakthru”, which shook up the Ghanaian charts with no fewer than three number one hits.
Sway
This British Hip-Hop icon of Ghanaian extraction adds some extra spice to the line-up for this evening. Sway’s style is not just appreciated by the critics, it wows young people from Brixton to Kaneshie, a suburb of Accra.
Appietus
The extremely creative but also highly competitive Hiplife scene in Accra is agreed on one thing at least: Appietus is a trend-setting and highly respected producer and beat architect whose productive output is legendary.
Though the Madina Police is yet to close the docket on the arrest of Ghanaian rapper Kwaw Kese, the artiste has denied that he was ever arrested. Kwaw Kesse, popularly known as ‘Abodam’, has told Citi FM, an Accra-based private radio station that he was never arrested as reported by the media.
The new twist is rather surprising because apart from the Madina Divisional Police Commander, Paul Aryittey, who confirmed that Abodam was arrested over traffic offences and released on bail, the artiste’s own manager, Fennec Okyere, also confirmed that the artiste was indeed arrested.
It is not yet clear whether Abodam’s denial of the story is a desperate attempt to protect his reputation but he told Citi FM that he was only invited to the police station to settle, peacefully, a disagreement with a city guard who accosted him for parking in a non-parking area.
“I was actually buying something and he said I didn’t park in the right place… I think Ghanaians lack respect and that’s something I feel very bad about.,Some people will see you and hate you for who you are. The city guard saw me and said ‘I’m Kwaw Kese and so what?’” Abodam told the station.
Abodam alleged that the city guard was rude and started banging on his car. He added: “And I was with my daughter and it was her birthday. I was taking her to school and I was with her, her teacher and her friend. People should learn to respect each other.”
Meanwhile, opinions remain divided on why Abodam was released after his arrest and not sent to court, with some even suggesting that his celebrity status might have had a hand in his release.But the Madina District Police Commander, Supt. Joe Owusu-Bempah, has explained that Abodam was cautioned and granted bail because he was remorseful and apologetic. He said Abodam could however be called back to the station to help in investigations.
Stating the facts of the matter, Supt. Joe Owusu-Bempah said Abodam had taken his daughter to school but was asked to go buy some stuffs for her so he drove to the Madina market.On reaching the market, the artiste parked his vehicle right at the main exit of the market and caused a huge vehicular traffic but remained in the car as other motorists tooted their horns, expecting him to leave the exit.
A city guard who was on duty attempted to get Kwaw to move his car but the artiste would not budge.The city guard then knocked on Abodam’s window for him to get down but the artiste, whilst opening the door, hit the city guard with door.
This resulted in a misunderstanding and eyewitnesses said a scuffle ensued.The police were subsequently called in to arrest Abodam but he was later granted bail and released after his statement was taken.
