BIG BROTHER AFRICA IS BACK!...HITS SCREENS SEP 7

Are you ready for the drama, loads of laughter and tears?

Big Brother Africa will never disappoint! Get ready to be dazzled when Africa’s biggest reality series hits the screens on 7 September 2014!

It’s Big Brother Time and since the first season, the reality series has attracted some funny, dramatic, weird and wonderful characters that have kept viewers glued to the screens 24/7.

Some housemates who have been part of this huge show have had their talents realized and have gone on to grace TV screens; newspapers and have their profiles trending on every social media site, blog and website.

Season 9 is no different; in fact, housemates and viewers alike will be pleasantly surprised at how Biggie intends to rise to this one.

And in true Big Brother fashion, fans of the show and potential housemates will have to wait and see how he will turn dreams of some deserving and eager youngsters into reality and transform them into household names.

Entry is open to the same 14 countries with the only exception being Angola which will be replaced by newcomers Rwanda.

As a result of the change, participating countries this year are: Botswana, Ethiopia, Ghana, Kenya, Malawi, Namibia, Nigeria, Sierra Leone, Rwanda, South Africa, Tanzania, Uganda, Zambia and Zimbabwe.

Entries are only open to persons over the age of 21, who are citizens of one of the participating countries and must have a valid passport. Producers are looking for persons who are entertaining and passionate about the Big Brother experience; and they have to be fluent in English.

Big Brother Africa is produced by Endemol SA.

Audition dates will be finalized in June and more information on BIG BROTHER AFRICA 9 will be made available over the next month, so stay tuned to DStv, follow the action on Twitter and Facebook and keep checking the website; www.africamagic.tv/bigbrother.

SPEAKING PIDGIN ENGLISH IS NOT EASY-YVONNE OKORO

Popular Ghanaian actress Yvonne Okoro has described her role in an upcoming Nigerian movie she is currently filming as hilarious and very difficult at the same time.

The beautiful actress, who is known for her award-winning performances, is well remembered for her hilarious roles in ‘Why Marry’ and ‘The Game’.

She also wowed with her performance in the movie scene last year with her first produced movie titled ‘Contract’, which won several awards at the last AMVCA.

Yvonne is presently busy in Nigeria, where she has been shooting movies this year, aside working on her Desamour produced TV programme, ‘Dinning With’.

She was this week on a location in Owerri for her first waitress role. She is playing an armed robber who disguises herself as a waitress to extract information from a detective.

The role demands that Yvonne speaks Pidgin English extensively. Before going on set, she took some time to get acquainted with the language.
“It is very funny. I suffered with the accent but I got it later,” she said yesterday.

It is her first time taking up a Pidgin English role, having been tagged as one of Ghana’s few actresses who speak impeccable English language.

EVANGELIST DIANA ASAMOAH ACCUSED OF COPYRIGHT INFRINGEMENT

One of Ghana’s sensational gospel musicians, evangelist Diana Asamoah might be heading to court soon for copyright infringement.

A gospel music producer, one Uncle Fiifi, known in the music scene as Abepe Show has accused Diana Asamoah who is credited with award-winning songs like ‘M’abo Wo Din’, ‘Akoko Abon’, ‘Woda Mu Fua’, ‘Pentecost’, among others, for stealing one of his songs titled ‘Anopa Hemaa’ recorded in 1990 which is on Diana’s current album.

We gathered that when Diana Asamoah and her producer, Anane Frimpong of Frimprince Music Production were contacted by the owner of the song, Abepe Show, they indicated that they have nothing to give Abepe Show as compensation.

According to them, before the release of the song, they contacted the Church of Pentecost music committee chaired by Apostle Abraham Lincoln and they were given the green light to use the song which belongs to the church.

According to Anane Frimpong, “We were proven beyond reasonable doubt that the song belongs to the Church of Pentecost so if Abepe Show has something to say about the song, he should rather contact the Church of Pentecost which gave us the right to use the song.”

BULLDOG GRANTED BAIL, LAWYER CONFIRMS

Nana Asiama Hanson (Bulldog), manager of dancehall artiste Shatta Wale who is standing trial for allegedly murdering Fennec Okyere, a music producer has been granted bail Tuesday.

Bulldog, who is also the CEO of Bull Haus Entertainment, was picked up by police on May 15 in Kokomlemle, a suburb of Accra, as a prime suspect in the murder of Fennec Okyere who was murdered at his residence on March 13 by unknown assailants. The deceased was the manager of hiplife artiste, Kwaw Kesse.

ASP Joseph Benefoh Darkwa, the Public Relations Officer of the Police CID, had told Joy News Bulldog had sent threatening messages to Fennec prior to his death.

Bulldog made his first appearance in court on Monday, May 19 and was remanded into police custody to appear in court on June 2.

The prosecution asked permission to remand the suspect to enable the police continue with their investigations. According to the prosecution, his detention would go a long way to assist the police's investigations due to the sensitive nature of the case.

But lawyer for Bulldog, Gary Nimako objected to calls for his client to be remanded in police custody. He had argued that the charges leveled against his client – conspiracy to commit murder and committing murder – cannot hold because the prosecution has not been able to link his client to Fennec’s murder.

Lawyer for Bulldog confirmed to Myjoyonline.com that his client has been granted bail: "He (Bulldog) has been granted bail."

Myjoyonline.com has gathered that, lawyers for Bulldog took the matter to the Human Rights Court after the District Magistrate Court refused to grant him bail on May 19.

The Human Rights Court granted him bail Tuesday on the basis that the facts as the police presented and upon which they were holding Bulldog are "speculative" and do not link him to the charges that have been preferred against him.

On that basis, the court ruled that, Bulldog deserves his freedom and should not have been held even for a day.

The police ought to have granted him police enquiry bail, the court added.

MY LATEST ALBUM IS READY- AMANDZEBA

The much-awaited latest musical album of the celebrated highlife musician, Amandzeba Nat Brew, is ready and will be released soon for public consumption.

Amandzeba, who is one of the greatest highlife musicians in Ghana today with international recognition, told BEATWAVES that “I am currently putting finishing touchings to my latest album which has well educated and interesting songs.”

His music style is influenced by the Ga sounds of kpanlogo, the West African Francophone styles, Nigerian juju music, highlife and reggae. He sings in Fante, Twi, Ga, Hausa and many other languages.

Some of the stakeholders who had the opportunity to listen to some of the songs on the album have described Amandzeba as one of the few talented highlife music icons whose talent goes beyond the borders of Ghana and Africa.

They claimed that Amandzeba’s songs on his yet-to-be released album were motivating, soul-touching and the rhythms and beats in all the songs could easily compete with those on the international music market.

Known for his unique delivery, Amandzeba Nat Brew always leaves an impression with the kind of words he uses in his all his songs. All his songs carry very touching messages which focus on changing the attitudes and lifestyles of the people.

A source close to the highlife icon told BEATWAVES yesterday, “We could make the world stand up and notice Africa in a different light, culturally” adding that Amandzeba’s lyrics “are very educative and he has groomed himself into a complete entertainer.”

He said most of the songs on the album have mid-tempos with good traditional highlife beats. The instrumentation and the backing vocalists make the songs on the album exceptional.

According to him, the album which is yet to be played on all the local radio stations throughout the country has the potential of becoming a big hit on the music market.

Having sung for several years, Amandzeba has the voice that appeals to every living soul. His music is basically a combination of traditional gospel rhythms and other danceable gospel tunes.

I CAN’T ENDORSE GANJA – LIL WIN

Kwadwo Nkansa, aka Lil Win, debatably the funniest Ghanaian actor, has debunked reports making the rounds that he was promoting the use of marijuana during his performance at the ‘Ghana Meets Naija’ concert over the weekend, stating emphatically that the reports “are misleading” and do not reflect the true message of the act he put up.

“It is true I said people should grind weed and mix it if you listened to me, I also said people go mad when they smoke wee. I said it can make you hit town and start walking around like a mad person. But I was cut short right in the middle of my act. The whole act was to preach against the use of weed and drugs in general but midway; I was cut short and made to leave the stage when I had not concluded the comedy act; and now people say I was endorsing weed. It is not fair,” Lil Win explained.

He called on his fans and Ghanaians in general to disregard the negative reports making the rounds about him and rather judge him by his reputation over the years.

“I don’t, smoke weed and I don’t deal in drugs so why would anyone believe or even think I would go on such a big stage to promote the use of drugs? I can’t disrespect MTN or my fans or the organizers of the show. I feel sorry and sad my comedy act was cut short so my message did not come out but I was not promoting weed,” Lil Win bemoaned.

The movie star and comedian explained further, “What I had in the plastic bag was not weed but rather talcum powder, pepper and leaves. I mentioned weed because I wanted to explain to the audience the dangers of using drugs. There is no way I would stand on such a big platform to promote drug abuse. I am a good ambassador of a reputable company and not a promoter of narcotic drug.

During the ‘Ghana Meets Naija’ concert, Lil Win and hip life artiste Guru put up a mega performance that electrified the auditorium. The former, known for his special dance moves proved he’s worth once again and got everyone applauding him and calling for more of such shows.

It was after the music show that lil Win decided to pull, a surprise comedy act which did not catch up well with the organizers and the sponsors of the programme as he was cut short by the DJ midway into the act.

CAMERA FLASHES MAKE PEOPLE THINK I BLEACH—YVONNE NELSON

Top Ghanaian actress, Yvonne Nelson is one make-believe star that is not without one controversy or the other. Recall that some months ago, she was in a rumoured affair with Nigerian singer and debut winner of MTN Project Fame West Africa, Iyanya Mbuk.

Even though she earlier denied having any romantic affair with Iyanya, despite pictures showing the two of them together at a beach and the singer mentioning her name repeatedly in one of his hit tracks, ‘Your Waist’, but when the relationship turned sour, she publicly ranted and accused her Nigerian lover of being a cheat. She further disclosed then that she was dumped for another actress, though a Nigerian, who many believe is Tonto Dikeh.

Yvonne has also been accused of bleaching her skin, an allegation she has also denied.

Speaking on this issue last week, the actress maintained that she did not use any bleaching cream on her skin, explaining that camera flashes and filters make pictures she posts on the internet look like she applied a lighting cream on her skin. The actress lamented that she is tired of explaining to people that she did not bleach her skin contrary to what many believe.

Bleaching in Africa is what is frowned at, but it is gradually becoming the norm. Dencia, a Cameroonian singer, was accused of selling a bleaching cream, but she has kicked against this, claiming her product was not made to bleach skins of its users.

In Nollywood, most actresses prefer to appear ‘white’ as that seems to be the criteria for becoming a mega star. Recently, Cynthia Morgan, a female artiste in Nigeria, was criticized for her change of colour, likewise Thelma O’Khaz, an actress in Nigeria, who said her controversial picture as a result of studio works.

GHANA MUSIC REIGNED AT GHANA MEETS NAIJA

The fourth edition of the Ghana Meets Naija concert was held at the Accra International Conference centre with over 10 artistes gracing the stage from Nigeria and Ghana.

Tickets were sold out days before the concert explaining the huge attendance at the auditorium which seats 1600 people, yet teeming fans had to be part of the experience from the aisles due to inadequate seats.

The amalgamation of popular music from the two familial nations with so much rivalry opened by Mz Vee and AK Songstress with a splendid dancehall performance reassuring the industry of a bright future for the music genre especially with the involvement of women.

The stage was illuminating with beautiful designs notably a replica of Ghana’s Independence Arch with the black star on top.

Double, gave a short performance which ushered in DJ Black, the headline DJ for the night as Nii Ayi Tagoe held the fort at the forecourt of the auditorium concurrently.

The MC for the night, actor Chris Attoh, in the midst of beautiful ladies took charge while dispelling a connotation of competition between the two countries emphasizing the objective of the concert which is for the love of music.

Guru took the stage with a rousing applause and sing-along as he introduced Lil Win who was ushered onto the stage by macho men while performing his part of their popular Azonto Boys song. They rocked the night especially Lil Win who couldn’t help it but dance his heart out.

Selebobo from Nigeria opened for the Nigerian acts with his track, Yoyo, getting the crowd off their seats. He finally sang a piece of his new song Selfie which should gain the attention of VVIP.

Wizboyy got the Wizolingo going as the party mood was set. DJ Spin from Nigeria and DJ Solo from Ghana locked horns on the turntables as the crowd got a taste of both nations.

The mood was charged when Edem surprisingly joined the bill and performed his new song Koene after Castro had taken over the stage with his songs from the past to present.

The ‘Limpopo’ man, Kcee took his turn creating a rapport with the audience gaining a positive response. He worked the crowd to a dance marathon including a short dance competition he organised on stage rewarding the winner $200 in between his performance.

Then came the arguably best rapper in Ghana, Sarkodie who literally added heat to the already warm auditorium as the audience got ecstatic. A lady fan jumped onto the stage, as he performed with Castro, just to touch his feet to which he gave her a hug that almost got her collapsed to the ground in emotions. Sarkodie got emotional but wiped his face and the music continued.

The excitement was so intense during Sarkodie’s performance that it got Bola Ray, CEO of organisers, Empire Entertainment, to shower him and his DJ with money during his performance as a display of appreciation.

The concert got to another level of hyper when Sarkodie performed Adonai with Castro. Symbolically, Castro passed a basket around to the audience for offertory as expressed in the song, surprisingly the audience responded to it and dropped money into the basket which was later showered on Sarkodie by a fan.

The final act from Nigeria was Davido who had his song, Aye, sang back-to-back by a seemingly worn-out crowd.

The concert came to an end with the final act, Shatta Wale who was ushered onto the stage with a very formidable security team made up of over a dozen military personnel, private security men in uniforms, personal bodyguards and a huge entourage with four huge dangerous looking guard dogs.

He performed his usual as his fans trooped to the front to take photos at close range. He shouted: “Free Bull Dog” in the middle of his performance and asked the crowd to repeat after him in a show of solidarity to his Manager, Bull Dog, who is in Police custody as a suspect in the murder of Fennec Okyere, another artistes manager killed some weeks ago at his home.

This year’s Ghana meets Naija concert organised by Empire Entertainment would go into the history books as one of the best shows ever organised in Ghana.