MOVIES ON THE GO - PRODUCERS RAISE OBJECTION

The Film Distributors and Producers Association of Ghana (FIPAG) will from February 1 start arresting drivers of commercial vehicles who show local movies on their buses.

The president of the Film Distribution Association of Ghana, Mustapha Adams told Showbiz last week that movie producers are losing big sums of money due, in part, to the growing number of long-distance buses that show movies free of charge to passengers.

Mustapha Adams said that at the beginning of every local movie, it is written that the movie is not for public viewing but drivers still go ahead to flout the rules.

Asked why producers have decided to act only now although the practice has been going on for a long time, Mustapha Adams said that although producers had made some efforts to dissuade bus drivers from showing their movies on their trips, such prodding seem to yield no positive results.

On the other hand, some operators of long distance coaches who confirmed showing local movies on their buses had a different view. According to the Road Safety Officer of VIP buses, Asiedu Mensah, showing movies in their buses rather encouraged patronage as passengers who like the movies shown were likely to buy their own copies later.

“On many occasions I have been personally asked to procure some of the movies we show for passengers. As it stands we are rather helping the producers to market their movies” he said.

Some passengers that Showbiz spoke to expressed delight about the movies they watch on their journeys. According to Adwoa Kissiwaa,a regular passenger on the Accra -Kumasi route, showing local movies in the buses is the only form of entertainment and it would be unfair for film producers to stop drivers from doing so.

“I personally enjoy watching them in the buses because that is the only time I get to watch them. I never watch them at home and so do my friends” Adwoa said.

Another passenger, Robert Morden told Showbiz that, the decision of FIPAG to prevent drivers from showing local movies would deprive passengers of entertainment on the long trips. He suggested that FIPAG should come to an arrangement with drivers over a fee that they would pay and allow the drivers to continue showing their movies.

Adwoa Kangberee who said she enjoys local movies thinks the decision of FIPAG is not the best. According to her, the best option for FIPAG is to demand royalties from the drivers and allow them show the movies to entertain the passengers.

WHAT IS PROFANE ABOUT ADULT MUSIK? - KWABENA KWABENA ASKS

Smooth highlife musician, Kwabena Kwabena, appears to be of two minds about his hit song Adult Musik.

Last year, when the song made its debut, it was largely believed that Kwabena Kwabena was being careful not to hurt public sensitivity by categorising the song as 18+, the reason behind the title Adult Musik.

But that does not seem to be the case. The song is now virtually on air at all times without regard to its strong lyrics and sexual undertones and Kwabena Kwabena says he does not regret that Adult Musik is now free for all.

“I am quite comfortable with the manner most radio stations play my music. Yes, the title of the song suggests that they are for adults but I don’t really get worried when I hear it being played on air at times when I know most children are likely to be listening”, he told Showbiz last Tuesday.

“I used what I call ‘naked’ language in my music so it will be very difficult for children to understand what I am saying. In an African society likes ours, adults always have a way of coding their messages during conversations if it is not for the ears of children.

“I perceived during the composition of this song that I may not have control over the various radio stations on when to play so I had to put my adult message in a way that only they would understand” he said.

Kwabena Kwabena said he is optimistic that his Adult Musik would grab the Song of the Year at this year’s Ghana Music Awards considering its popularity and the success it chalked in the year under review.

When asked how he will feel when his song is disqualified for the use of explicit language which has seen other artistes like Samini and R2Bees face such fate in the past, Kwabena Kwabena dismissed the suggestion that Adult Musik may be categorised as profane.

“What is profane about this song? Adult Musik is not profane and it has never crossed my mind that the Music Awards Select Committee will disqualify it. When that happens, they would probably need to explain and convince me beyond all reasonable doubts that Adult Musik is sexually explicit”.

He however contradicted himself when he remarked, “I labelled my song Adult Musik so I don’t expect anyone below the age of 18 to listen to it. In the film industry, there are movies that are labeled 18+; does that mean they are pornographic?” he queried.

He said that his fans should expect another master piece like Adult Musik from him this year.

ANTI-GAY LAW: WANLOV THE KUBOLOR DISSES NIGERIAN PRESIDENT

Before jumping on a flight to Tokyo, the controversial Wanlov who sung ‘Thank God We Are Not A Nigerians’ took to his facebook to express his fear about Nigeria’s new anti-gay law, saying; “I really loved going to Nigeria, but I don’t think I will be going there again till this changes because it could be very dangerous for me just because of my dressing”.

He however has some unkind words for the president of Nigeria, Goodluck Jonathan:”Nigeria your president Goodluck Jonathan is an idiot of the highest quality…just thought i should inform you…carry on… “

BEVERLY BLAMES “NIGERIANS” FOR BREAKING UP HER RELATIONSHIP WITH ANGELO

It was a picture perfect love story for Beverly Osu and Angelo Collins until it ended.

The controversy that surrounded the Big Brother Africa: The Chase contestants made them instant media sensations.

Beverly who is over the relationship, is now the face of Prestige Cosmetics and has her mind set on a couple of projects.

She and fellow BBA housemate Bimp recently visited the Hip Hop World headquarters in Lagos. And of course, they had to ask her a few questions.

On her relationship with Angelo: ” We have broken up. Is it not Nigerians that caused it?”

On how Nigerians broke the relationship: “Today, one paper will say Beverly is with this man, tomorrow another paper will say another thing, I don’t know.”


On if she is dating Bimp: “We are close, everybody knows this right from the house. People think we are dating because he is always in Nigeria but we are good friends. Can’t I have a friend that is a boy?”

On being called one of the worst dressed celebrities by Venita “Vee Vee” Akpofure: “Now I want to talk about that issue. Two days after the Big Brother Africa show, I had not stepped out from where M-Net kept me because I had a bad leg and was taking treatment for it and when I came back I heard about the comment and I’m wondering where she saw me. Did she see me in her dreams? If it’s paining her she should buy me a fine dress since she is the best dressed celebrity.”

Bimp who was with Beverly at the Hip Hop World office, also dished on his relationship with Beverly.

“Bev and I are really close. To be with someone you see 24 hours a day in a house for three months and not getting to know the person better is not easy. You’ll realise that you will have a bond different from the friends you have out there. So we are close, I know a lot of people are speculating about us dating but we are really close.” he says.

Okay Bev and Bimp, noted you aren’t dating but that’s a very cozy photo.

VAN VICKER SHOOTS MOVIE ON SLAVERY

Actor, Producer and Director, Van Vicker, who picked the Pan African Actor of the year award in the just ended 2013 Cameroon Movie Awards, is presently back on set shooting his 7th movie titled ‘1800’ which is basically about slave trade.

To him, he believes it’s about time Ghanaian or African filmmakers invest in shooting our true but untold historic stories, so that the world can know some of Africa’s interesting past.


He also spoke about the fact that, anyone who wants to make an attempt to shoot historic stories, should get all requisite antiques and shoot to perfection!

Talking about 2014, he stated that he believes 2014 is going to be a very successful year for the industry to improve. “My major and probably only resolution for 2014 is to be more God fearing” Van added.

You can click here for some pictures we took on set on Van’s forthcoming movie ‘1800.’

COURT SELLS POPULAR HIGH-LIFE MUSICIAN REX OMAR'S CAR AND TV

Armed police officers and a court registrar, on Wednesday dawn, stormed the home of popular high-life musician, Rex Omar, to seize his properties with the intention of auctioning them.

Rex Omar personally helped the police to move out his room items including coffee tables, TV stand, two pieces of 21-inches plasma television sets, a home theatre set, and his old Renault Cleo salon car registered three years ago.

The operation was on the orders of the Tema Circuit Court 'B', following Rex Omar's inability to cough out an amount of €8000 given to him by his brother-in- law, Haruna Al-Rashid Idris, to secure land for the construction of a salt mining project.

The seized assets, when sold are not likely to amount to €8000, and the house in which Rex stays cannot be auctioned because it is a rented property.

Haruna is therefore reported to be searching for other properties of Rex across the country so he gets the court to confiscate them for auctioning. Rex Omar declined speaking to this paper over the matter when he was contacted.

According to a statement of defence, Haruna invited Rex to Germany for a business discussion between them on one side and two Germans partners who proposed the setting up of a Compact Disk (CD) Plant at Accra.

Rex was said to have advised Haruna and his German partners that the cost of establishing the CD plant, which was estimated over one million Euros plus, was too high in relation to its viability, recoverability and profitability. He was said to have explained further that the Ghana music market was an unpredictable one with a very loose copyright regime.

Rex reportedly suggested that if Haruna and his business partners were still poised in setting up a capital venture in Ghana, they should rather consider investing in salt mining.

Haruna and his partners consequently expressed interest in the salt business and proposed that they jointly set up a salt mining company in Ghana.

Rex returned to Ghana and within two months, claimed to have conducted feasibility studies for the project to take off.

According to the statement, Rex was able to secure a 504-acre land at a cost of GHC 3million per acre at Winneba for the salt project using his public image, reputation and good will among others in Ghana. He was said to have then signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) for a lease of the 504-acre land with the concerned chiefs.

Haruna, whiles in Germany where he is domiciled, was said to have given Rex Omar an amount of €8000 to pay for the leasing of the land and other expenses for the project.

But when Haruna later returned to Ghana for the construction project to commence, he realized the land was not secured and further checks with the concerned chiefs revealed that no such consultations were made.

After fruitless attempts to retrieve the money from his brother-in-law, Haruna reported the matter to the Tema Police where Rex was apprehended.

The case was sent to Tema Circuit Court B presided over by His Honour Emmanuel Bart-Plange Brew, where judgment was entered in favour of Haruna in June 2008.

Rex promised to pay the amount in four instalments but failed to honour his promise, thus, pushing his brother-in-law to secure writ of execution and forfeiture to auction and sell his properties to defray his money.

I DON'T NEED YOUR MONEY--INI EDO TELLS FANS

Star actress, Ini Edo has berated some fraudsters on Facebook using her name to dupe some of her teeming fans.

She disclosed that her Facebook and Twitter accounts have been compromised and warned her fans to disregard any post asking to part with their hard-earned money.

The Akwa-Ibom-born screen diva sent out this warning message in a broadcast on blackberry and warned the criminals to desist from such acts.

She wrote, "hello my dear people. Once again, Happy New Year.

"My attention has just been drawn to some fraudulent acts being perpetrated by some criminals using my social media accounts; Facebook and Twitter, they have been compromised.

"I'm hereby warning these fraudsters to desist from these acts and advising my fans and unsuspecting members of the public to be vigilant so they don't fall victims. I have not asked anybody on Facebook or Twitter to pay money into any account. Please be careful.

"Kindly rbc (re-broadcast) this broadcast till it spreads. Thank you. signed Ini Edo."