SARKODIE, SAMINI, WANLOV AND OTHERS REACT TO KWAW KESE'S ARREST

Mad Time Entertainent rapper Kwaw Kese is in the firm gribs of the law for smoking a substance the police believe is cannabis.
People under the spotlight including Sarkodie, Wanlov and Samini have voiced out their stand on Twitter and Facebook.

Here is what we have gathered thus far;

"They Can't Stop the Weed of Wisdom. Kwaw Kese ‪#‎JahNoSleep‪#‎Nolongtalk" # - Iwan

"I've not heard the NDC and NPP on the arrest of Kwaw Kese oooo. Please who do we blame on this occasion? Nana Prempeh Okogyeabour Leslie Kwaku Aboagye Abraham Ferguson any suggestions? Lol" – A Plus

"Free kwaw kese kos Chris brown didn't get arrested for the same act....GOD IS SIMPLY THE REASON !!!!!!!" – Ephraim

"D3 ‪#‎Natty de 1roll le tink collect so, wo b3 carry na ak) oo!! ‪#‎OhAzaay‪#‎GhanaPolice ‪#‎FreeKwawKese" - Kofi Kinaata

"Evryone makes mistake plz free the man insane.. GM" – ChoirMasta of Praye Fame

"My heart dey boil #FreeKwawKese" – @YaaPono

"#FreeKwawKese" - @GHCoptic

"I'm still screaming Free my brother #KWAWKESEthere's countless of men dressed in black with a hat and a AK47 who smoke WEED #FreeKwawKese" -@iamDeeMoneey

EARLIER
"So this kwawkese news is true??? Smh!!! Wow!! Hmmm" - @sarkodie

"Marijuana is illegal worldwide coz a white american said it makes white girls sleep with black men #FollowFollow#FreeKwawKese" - @wanlov

"#FreeKwawkese"- @samini_dagaati

"Kwaw Kesse is equally a star like Chris Brown
Am not condoning his actions but am saying if Chris Brown could get away with smoking weed at the stadium in the presence of Ghana police and still got the same police to actually escort him to his aircraft then why are they bothering Kwaw Kesse???

Is it not under this same narcotic laws that a fellow woman managed 5 million dollars worth of cocaine without her even been questioned??

(I won't be surprised if she was also escorted by police or a higher force )
Pls leave Kwaw Kesse Alone ...or some people got some anti law permits that some of us dont respect urselves n leave Kwaw Kesse alone!!!!
# free Kwaw Kesse" – Afia Swarzenegger

"Our prayers goes out to Kwaw Kesse and his family. #SMBH" – BullDog

"Not even a dealer... A mere user and u ridicule him like a murderer mean while High ranking crimes affecting ppls livelihood are happening unchecked.‪#‎yourowngocome" - Da Hammer of The Last Two

"I support the "free KwAw kesse movemen!!" – Barima Sydney

 "I support the "free KwAw kesse movemen!!" – All Ghanaian Dj's with Bismark Jay Ans (Dj Ans)

2015 GHANA DJ AWARDS CATEGORIES ANNOUNCED

Merqury Republic, producers of the annual Ghana DJ Awards, have announced the award categories for the 2015 Ghana DJ Awards at a short and colorful media briefing held at the forecourt of Aphrodisiac Night club in Accra last Saturday.

In this edition, the producers exclusively announced the introduction of a brand new award category known as ‘Pub DJ of the year award’, a category set to recognize numerous disk jockies, entertaining millions of Ghanaians at pubs across the country.

Mr. Fred Kyei Mensah, member of the Ghana DJ Awards planning committee, in his address, encouraged all Ghanaian DJs, as well as non Ghanaian DJs who promote Ghana music, to participate in and support the awards program which has a prime remit to award, highlight, recognize and to promote Ghanaian DJs on international platforms.

The 3rd edition of the Ghana DJ Awards which seek to celebrate and award hardworking Ghanaian DJs who have helped in numerous ways to promote Ghanaian music is running on the theme ‘Amplified’. The theme explains how exciting the third annual Ghana DJ awards experience which has already kicked off with a campus tour and a club tour will be.

At the media briefing, it was announced that in line with it ‘Amplified’ theme, the 2015 Ghana DJ awards which promises to be the most exciting yet will hold at the Accra International Conference Center on Saturday 21st of February 2015 with thrilling performances by Africa’s biggest DJs and top music artistes.

Here is a full list of the 2015 Ghana DJ Awards categories:

DJ Discovery Of The Year

Best Event DJ Of The Year

Artiste DJ Of The Year

Scratch DJ Of The Year

Best Mobile DJ Of The Year

Mixtape Of The Year

Best Video Jockey Of The Year

Best Club MC Of The Year

Best Night Club DJ Of The Year

Best Female Radio DJ Of The Year

Best Male Radio DJ Of The Year

Best Female DJ Of The Year

Best Pub DJ Award Of The Year

Reggae/Dancehall DJ Of The Year

Best Hip Life DJ Of The Year

Best High Life DJ Of The Year

Gospel DJ Of The Year

Best Campus DJ Of The Year

Best International Ghanaian DJ

Best International Non Ghanaian DJ

Best DJ Of The Year

Life Time Achievement Award

'MILK INTAKE DOESN’T MAKE YOUR SKIN LIGHTER' – AMA K. ABREBRESE

Ghanaian actress, Ama K. Abebrese, has condemned gospel musician, Ama Boahema for lying about how she attained her new skin complexion.

The ‘Poisoned Bait’ actress who is also running the "Say No to Skin Bleaching" campaign expressed her disgust over Ama Boahema’s claim that the change of her skin colour is due to her excessive intake of milk and the weather in Europe.

“Really?! We’ve all lived in Europe and hello we’ve drunk milk and we’ve drunk milk and didn’t get lighter. Just lies!” she said in an interview on the Morning Star with Kafui Dey and Jackie Ankrah Thursday.

Ama believes the scourge of skin bleaching is not talked about enough. “...It’s usually very clear when people do it. Whether it’s your mother doing it, auntie, most people never want to talk about it or admit it.”

Ama K. Abebrese’s anti-skin bleaching campaign has attracted support from a number of her fellow media and entertainment personalities.

Singer and actress Paulina Oduro, actress Nana Ama McBrown and model Hamamat Montia are all part of the movement aimed at encouraging Ghanaians to love their natural skin tone and resist the temptation of skin bleaching.

The campaign also highlights the risks and dangers of using different chemicals, lotions and pills used to alter the skin complexion.

"People will lie and lie about it, I feel like we also need to get to why we bleach.”

She said although she had come under a lot of criticism since the campaign started, she is encouraged by the knowledge that she will be able to help save the lives of younger people and individuals who do not know the dangers of indulging in the practice.

“I think I should start with the younger ones especially, so we will soon be going to the schools and talking to them.”

STONEBWOY DARES SHATTA WALE

Popular dancehall artiste, Shatta Wale may be biting more than he can chew after setting his eyes on a new target for what some entertainment commentaries refer to as, his favourite past-time – “rival-bashing”.

His new target, Ashaiman-based dancehall sensation, Stonebwoy, has dared the Shatta Movement King to call him (Stonebwoy) by name and unambiguously direct his insinuations of plagiarism against his person and music.

‘Burniton's dare comes days after the ‘Dancehall King’ released a new video in which he attacked Stonebwoy for “stealing” his friend, Rashid Metal’s ‘Baafira’ song.

In Shatta Wale’s words…“Me the Baafira, Baafira make nobody try take the title cos e be Rashi Metal wey I dey hear from am. The boy be my youth, straight from Tankase line so make nobody try like he wan use the Baafira; make we give people chance make den do dema thing. I hear say some Artiste wan claim he bring the Baafira, herh herh if you bring your Baafira come, herh, herh, herh, don’t do that e be wanna language.”

In a response to Shatta’s veiled swipe at him, Stonebwoy said the ‘Dancehall King’ is only trying to remain relevant to his fans by doing what he knows to do best.

“… He would want to stay relevant in the system because we all know that he is one of the Artistes who made it onto the scene hugely by propaganda and then all sort of negative influence. For a guy like him, I don’t blame him, he will continue to be smart to feed that ego so that he keeps relevance,” he said in an interview with Eboo, host of Green lounge Empire FM’s Saturday afternoon entertainment programme.

The “Ghetto Love” hit maker also advised Shatta Wale to be brave enough to address issue head-on.

“… Exactly, he is referring to me but cowardly enough he hasn’t still mentioned my name so why would I take it personal you understand? If you are starting the fight and you want to really refer to somebody and you are brave, yo, you just have to say my guy this is to you.”

“Although indirectly he is referring to me, I’m supposed to be wise because I don’t find my name in there. He is just trying to be smart to create wave to feed the original image he has brought on himself. It is no news to Ghana that Shatta is that kind of Artiste who has some kind of negativity around him,” he noted.

He added that he is now well-known because he made "good music".

"That is why I came on the scene not because I insulted anybody or started beefing, so the masses respect me for the fact that if they want good music and intelligent music, they can always turn to Stonebwoy”.

He, however, said he will not be swayed into releasing a reprisal video.

“I think he has not gotten to that extreme that he requires my reply but if he tries, ah ah ah ah, me and Ashaiman we will not wait for one second”, he threatened.

GHANAIAN MUSICIANS DON’T SUPPORT THEIR OWN - CHASE FOREVER

Chase Forever, born Fianko Bossman, is an award winning recording artiste and songwriter.

He was born in Hackney Town, London, and partly grew up in Ghana. He grew up listening to the likes of Michael Jackson, Luther Vandross, Paul Simon, Milli Vanilli, Usher, Bobby Brown and Boyz2Men, to name a few.

At age ten, Chase had already started writing song verses and performing. He participated in every talent show organised by his school.

Chase spoke with NEWS-ONE’s Francis Addo over the weekend in an interview that touched on industry issues, his Unappreciated album, the relationship among Ghanaian artistes and his thoughts on the Nigerian music industry.

What have you been up to?

Well after the album I’m just looking to expand the brand, do more tours and focus on building an empire, LFO Group worldwide, which will be a group of different talents family and songwriters and composers. My ‘Fire’ video is also ready so I’m looking for the appropriate time to drop it.



What is LFO?

Loyal Friends Only.



How is your new album, Unappreciated, doing so far?

Well, yeah we’ve actually run out and reprinting more for sale. The people who have listened have had great reviews and remarkable comments about the album.



Wow! So how many copies have you sold so far?

On the day of the launch we sold close to GH¢50,000 that night.



Why did you title the album ‘Unappreciated’?

Well it’s a phase I went through. I work hard a lot to put out the end product for people to hear. I think I kind of expect more than the attention I received but that’s just me being over the top with my feelings I guess. It applies to my past relationships and all; you know I always put my ‘A game’ into whatever I’m doing. So I kind of always expect more. Unappreciated spoke my falling out with the people I have love for. You know it’s kind of still ongoing but I’m learning the game fast now.

Some think you feel the industry does not appreciate you.

The industry flushes out artistes every day. You know I’ve been relevant since I took off and I appreciate that. What I don’t appreciate is the way we gravitate to everything that comes from outside. I feel like even we the artistes do a lot of “ass kissing.”



What do you mean by that?

Say I have an album out, how many artistes did you see post that to promote it? We don’t even support each other, to begin with.



Ghanaian musicians are not united?

Yeah, then we turn around and complain the foreigners (Africans) are more successful—Nigerians, etc.



Why do you think Ghanaians gravitate to anything foreign?

It’s pretty a generational thing. But we misuse that feature. We are warm-hearted people. How do we solve it, if we can’t love ourselves? Who would love us? It’s a big problem. And honestly as artistes some of us have a lot of work to do.

How did Chase end up in music?

Passion brought me here. I love music so much I overlooked a lot of other opportunities to forgo my dream. I mean if we are living to die why not live being happy.



How did it all start?

I started as a rapper. I was in a rap group called Soljas Inn. We used to ‘battle’ rappers and ‘kill’ them for real. It was me, Treasure, Bils Rayoe and X.



Treasure is still around, how about the rest?

Bils Rayoe is in the States. X found God and got married. I’m still doing my thing.



How did you break onto the limelight?

I think my songwriting made me popular. At the time I wanted to start song writing, there was an artiste in Richie’s camp called Salimi. So I wrote a song for her, then when I went to Richie to sing it for him to give the girl, he was like why don’t you do this yourself? So then I started to record. Some songs leaked and got me popular. Then I left Lynx Entertainment and dropped ‘Tell Me Your Name’ featuring Paedae. God was just good because I didn’t even have a marketing plan for the song. It just took off. Then when the video dropped it went extra. Shouts out to Nana Asihene.



What will you describe as your biggest achievement in the industry so far?

Well dropping my album meant a lot to me. My Channel O nod was also a great feeling. But there’s more to come.



Who do you see as competition in the industry?

Well nobody and I say this out of respect and sincerity. My style is different…



Who is Chase?

He is Forever. Whatever lingers in your mind too long trickles down to your heart eventually. My music that.



Which part of Ghana are you from?

Akuapim/Ashanti.



What is your education background?

I was at Aggrey Memorial for a year then left to Pope Johns. After, I went to Central University and years down the line here I am.



Any massage for the people who follow you?

Stay true to yourself and address your fears at all times. That’s all I want to tell the people.

GHANAIANS MADE ME WHO I AM – SARKODIE

Award?winning rapper Sarkodie has commended his Ghanaian fans for remaining loyal to his brand throughout the years.

Sarkodie, who put up a marvellous performance at the ‘Tigo Music Unplugged’ concert over the weekend, stated that he was overwhelmed by how his fans cheer, listen to his music and even fight for him when issues about him come up.

“Ghanaians made me who I am today. You guys are the best. The way some of you even fight for me when issues about me come up is touching,” he stated after his performance at the Accra Sports Stadium.

The ‘Adonai’ singer also commended organisers of the ‘Tigo Music Unplugged’ concert for putting together a massive crowd of music lovers for the show.

Sarkodie performed a lot of his hit songs including ‘Baby’, ‘Illuminati’ and his new track titled, ‘M?gye Wo Girl’, among others.

It would be recalled that the artiste was recently in the news after he released his ‘Inflation’ song which centred on the current economic hardship in the country.

Michael Owusu Addo, as he is known in real life, has managed to stay on top of his game despite the keen competition in the music industry. He is also the Chief Executive for his Sark clothing line.

NAFTI BOSS COMMENDS MOVIE LEGENDS

The Rector of the National Film and Television Institute (NAFTI), Prof Linus Abraham, has paid glowing tribute to TV Africa’s CEO, Kwaw Ansah, for what he described as his interest in creating a new dimension in the film industry.

Prof Linus Abraham made the commendation at the launch of Kwaw Ansahs’ new 146 page comic book written from his movie, “Love Brewed in an African Pot”, at the British Council Hall, Accra recently.

The brief event was also attended by ministers of state, players in the movie industry, heads of private educational institutions and school pupils among others.

“Love Brewed in an African Pot”, which was produced in the late 1970s, has been described by intellectuals and people in the industry as being a classic movie for its content and editing among other qualities.

Prof Linus Abraham added that many intellectuals across the world prefer to read comic books rather than movies for their ability to capture readers’ attention.

The Rector urged the young breed of film directors and producers to take advantage of what he described as a new dimension in the industry opened by Mr Kwaw Ansah to create an easy to read comic series for all age groups.

A member of the cast, Anima Misa Amoah, was happy that the movie continues to be relevant in portraying the ideals of society.

Mike Eghan was happy that “Love Brewed in an African Pot”, though more than three decades old, had lived on to tell its story in a book form for all to read.

The director of the movie, Kwaw Ansah, who also authored the book, said the introduction of the “Love Brewed in an African Pot” as a comic book was to give a new dimension to the business of film production as well as capture more patronage for the movie.

He expressed satisfaction that ‘Love Brewed in an African Pot’ had won a large international patronage, adding that the comic series will equally be a hit on both local and international markets.

The author of the comic book praised the cast and crew for what he described as their high level of professionalism when the movie was being shot.

According to him, the cast includes Anima Misa Amoah, Kofi Yirenkyi, Mary Yirinkyi, Kwadwo Dadson and Doris Kuwornu.