News circulating has it that, Joey B’s popular song, ‘Tonga’ has been banned by the Musicians Union of Ghana (MUSIGA).
According
to the report, “Nana Kwame, the host of OC Showbiz Review on Skyy Power
FM, Takoradi confirmed to the reporter that, the ‘Tonga’ song has been
banned by MUSIGA. This was also confirmed to the Master Planner by the
Composer himself, Joey B.”
Ghana.com can confirm that Joey B’s
‘Tonga’ song has not been banned by the Musicians Union of Ghana
(MUSIGA) as it was reported. Reacting to the story on Monday’s edition
of the mid-morning show, ‘Brunch2Lunch’ on Radio Univers, Joey B’s
manager, Gee told Bra Chef, host of the show that MUSIGA has not banned
the song.
He added that the false information circulating is a
game plan by some media men to send a message to Charter House,
organizers of Ghana Music Awards not to nominate the song for this
year’s awards ceremony. He continued that the song ‘Tonga’ is not
profane and they have submitted it to Ghana Music Awards organisers.
A
check by OMG!Ghana.com on MUSIGA’s twitter handle also proved that the
song which features BET award-winner Sarkodie has not been banned.
Tweets by MUSIGA read:
Musiga
is not a music censorship board… so we dont ban songs..we only appeal
to members not to be explicit @GhanaMusicWeek @1RealJoeyB
— Musicians Union-GH (@Musigagh) January 19, 2014
We disassociate with such reportage @kaychills @ghanamove
— Musicians Union-GH (@Musigagh) January 19, 2014
Legendary highlife musician Nana
Kwame Ampadu has commended the MUSIGA executives led by Bice Obour
Kuffour for establishing the (Aging Musicians Welfare) AMWeF Fund.
Nana
Kwame Ampadu was speaking at a meeting on Friday January 17th at MUSIGA
where the first distribution for the AMWeF took place.
The
distribution is based on funds raised by the AMWeF fund raising team
since inauguration in August last year in fulfillment of the purpose for
the establishment of the fund.
The AMWeF fund was launched as
part of the AJUMAPA vision of the President of the Union, Bice Osei
Kuffour to raise funds to support the many ageing and elderly musicians
who are currently going through various degrees of emotional and
financial challenges.
The Fund will make periodic financial
distributions to support qualified musicians above sixty years and
disabled musicians in times of need.
The distribution covered
beneficiaries from Greater Accra, Volta, Eastern, Western and Central
regions. The Northern, Upper East, Upper West, Brong Ahafo and Ashanti
regions will receive their donations in next week.
Another
veteran highlife musician Amesese Abrakyireba Kofi Sammy called on
corporate Ghana, well meaning individuals and philanthropists to support
the fund.
Speaking at the meeting, the MUSIGA President Bice
Osei Kuffour aka Obour expressed appreciation to organizations that have
supported the AMWeF Fund so far and urged others to do same. He
congratulated the elder musicians for their contribution to society and
urged them to continue to be mentors of the upcoming generation.
Present
at the meeting were representatives of the Volta, Central and Eastern
regions who received the amounts on behalf of the beneficiaries in their
regions. Others included P.K Yamoah, A.K Yeboah, Rev Sam Cooper and
Kwabena Donkor.
Afro music sensation, Kojo Antwi has
eulogized late broadcaster Komla Dumor who died last Saturday disclosing
that his death is as painful as that of Bob Marley, Nelson Mandela and
other legends.
According to the music maestro, he is yet to come
to terms with the death of Komla Dumor, who hosted the BBC 'Focus on
Africa' Programme until his death.
Kojo Antwi said Africa has lost a great asset and son.
He
made these remarks in an interview with Myjoyonline.com Tuesday after
signing the book of condolence opened at Joy FM in honour of the former
Super Moring Show host on Joy FM.
According to the 'Adiepena' hit
singer, "This is the feeling I got when Bob Marley passed away, this is
the feeling I got when Lucky Dube passed away, this is the feeling I
got when Nelson Mandela passed away. That's how I can described what
we've lost."
Kojo Antwi recounted that, he "was privileged to
have had interviews with him when he was with Joy FM. The last time I
met him was just like a year ago. A company called Stratcomm was having a
show that I was part of; I was the main act and Komla was the host."
Even
as a musician, Kojo Antwi said he learnt a lot from the broadcaster: "I
loved the way he approached his work with professionalism and if you
want me to talk about Komla, [when] radio became big in Ghana, Komla
could have decided to live in here and [considering] his caliber, he
would have lived like a king but he left it all to go and fight for us
as Africans.
"When he reported things about Africa, it was no
more the White man's perception of Africa; It was somebody who is an
African, who had lived here and he knows Africa very well and that's
what we need," Kojo added.
Komla Dumor's exemplary life, the
music maestro acknowledged, is very crucial to Africa; "We need that
professionalism, people who will come in to set standards, people who
will uplift the image of us as Africans."
Asked if Ghana and
Africa will ever get another 'Boss Player', as the late Dumor is fondly
called, Kojo Antwi said he believes that, "he left us some kind of
footprints and I want the youth to look for those footprints and go
further than Komla did. It is possible."
While refusing to give
details, the music maestro hinted that he "may" compose and record a
tribute song in Komla Dumor's memory.
He used unprintable words in a song
title “Me no need no award” to establish his displeasure after he lost
the Reggae/Dancehall Artiste of the year award to female dancehall
artiste Kaakie, at last year’s Ghana Music Awards ceremony.
He
caused commotion and broke glasses at the Accra International Conference
Center after the awards, and insulted award winner Kaakie and
Charterhouse organizers of the awards. That whole VGMA drama and
controversy was dancehall artiste Shatta Wale’s claim to fame again,
after almost a decade in hibernation.
It’s been almost a year
now since he suddenly became the most sought after performer in Ghana.
As the popular saying goes “A lot of water has passed under the bridge”
in 2013 and the “Enter The Net” hitmaker has ‘cleaned up his closet’,
putting all the problems he had with people behind him.
Within
2013, he apologized to Kaakie and Samini and ended the year with a
public apology to Charterhouse during his performance at Ghana Rocks
concert at the conference Center on December 27, and Charterhouse
immediately accepted his apology with no hesitation. So obviously Shatta
Wale was on a clean sheet to be nominated for the awards and perhaps
win on the awards night, but trust Shatta Wale to take you by surprise
just when you thought all was settled.
Shatta Wale, arguably the
musician with the largest following in Ghana at present, has emphasized
that in spite of all his apologies and expression of remorse, he still
stands by the line in his song that states that he doesn’t need any
award and that he doesn’t have any expectations at all as far as this
year’s upcoming Ghana Music Awards is concerned.
Speaking on
Peace FM’s “Entertainment Review”, Shatta Wale said he thinks that last
year was the right time for him to win an award, but since he couldn't
win, he has taken the whole issue of awards out of his mind.
“If
I say I don’t need an award, I really mean I don’t need it to make a
hit in Ghana. I don’t need any awards! If Ghana would really appreciate
the kind of work I am, doing I don’t have a problem but if they don’t
give it to me I will always create my music”.
Shatta Wale defused
the speculations that he is desperate for awards, and that was why he
apologized to Charterhouse at the time he did. “Basically, I just
decided that let me just let bygones be bygones because we were entering
a new year, so why don’t we forget certain things and move on, but it
is not basically because of the awards”.
He said right from
childhood he never had any thoughts of doing music, to win awards,
because according to him the real award comes from God. “I don’t have
that kind of mind from birth. I don’t know who gives awards in music
apart from God and it is God who rewards. If Charterhouse feels I have
insulted them and they don’t want to give me an award I don’t have a
problem with them. It is their life it is their company. So I don’t have
problem with them; I just felt that let me just apologize to them and
just do what a child would do when he offends his parents”.
Asked
if he is expecting any nominations and maybe win any awards, Shatta
said he doesn't even know how an artiste is nominated for the awards,
and Ghana Music Awards is really not part of his plans this year because
he has a lot of travelling to do and it is possible he might not be in
Ghana during the awards. But whatever happens his management will deal
with it and he would still be performing and creating his music.
When
Kwasi Aboagye host of the show, asked him if he would cause another
commotion this year if he doesn't win any awards, he said; “Then they
shouldn't nominate me and they shouldn't even invite me to the awards
night for them to have another Osama bin Ladin kind of thing. They
shouldn't invite me when they know they are not going to give me any
award”.
He said, he was nominated without his knowledge last
year, and he does not expect Charterhouse and the VGMA board to repeat
the same mistakes.
Checkout pictures of Shatta Wale time at Peace FM.
Ghana’s celebrated Artiste of the
Year 2009, Okyeame Kwame, who is working tirelessly to release his new
album, ‘African Connection’ this year, has denied rumours that he has
plans of contesting the presidency of the Musicians Union of Ghana
(MUSIGA).
Okyeame also denied having organised a meeting with
some of the musicians and stakeholders in the industry behind closed
doors to announce his presidential ambition.
Okyeame Kwame noted
that he is solidly behind the current president of MUSIGA, Obour and his
administration and that he has no intention of contesting the seat to
become the president of the union.
“It is not true that I want to
become the president of MUSIGA. I am not interested in that position. I
have a lot to do as a musician. My career is more important than
becoming the president of MUSIGA which will not be beneficial to me and
my career as a musician.”
Speaking in an interview with
'Beatwaves', Okyeame said the current president of MUSIGA is a very good
friend of his and he is doing a very good job for the industry.
“I
am satisfied with Obour’s performance so far and will always support
him in his efforts to build a vibrant music industry for the country. I
will not betray him as a friend to contest for his position.”
Okyeame
Kwame who recently launched his latest single, ‘Try Another Time’,
which featured Nigerian musician J Martins, stressed that he did not
want to waste his time and energy discussing issues that will not be
beneficial his career.
“Based on his achievement so far I
personally think Obour is still the best person to lead MUSIGA. He is a
good friend and doing a good job for the industry. I have worked with
him and I think he is the best to lead MUSIGA.”
Okyeame Kwame,
however, called on all musicians to come together and work as a team to
help the industry to progress, adding that together the musicians could
change the status quo which has rendered the industry poor, although it
represents wealth.
4Play actress, Roselyn Ngissah, has
denied reports that she has been warming the bed of Kojo Rana, a
prominent member of music group, Rana.
Reports of their alleged
secret love affair heightened after they posed together for the cameras
at the 2013 edition of the Ghana Movie Awards (GMA).
Several
months before the Awards, she was quoted by Graphic Showbiz saying, “I
have been waiting patiently for him (Kojo) to propose and to confess to
you, I won’t even think twice to accept his proposal because he is a
good guy and he is someone I would like to spend the rest of my life
with.”
But she downplayed claims that they are dating when she was asked by NewsOne.
“I don’t have much to say about it. He is my friend. We are not dating. We are just friends”, was all she said.
Roselyn
recently won best supporting actress award at the 2013 edition of the
PAMSAA Award held in Abuja, Nigeria. She is looking forward to a
successful career this year.
Musician Rex Omar has called on media
commentators to be cautious in discussion concerning recent report
about him, describing the story as a ‘family case’ in court.
“The
matter is a family case which is in court. I am also calling on my fans
to remain calm and I am assuring them of my integrity in the matters,”
the statement reads.
On Friday, news broke out that “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.”
According to the story “the
operation was on the orders of the Tema Circuit Court ‘B’, following Rex
Omar’s inability to cough up 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.”
“I am calling on the
media to be circumspect in its reportage and discussion regarding some
business dealings I was involved in,” Rex Omar added.
