TAKE ME SERIOUSLY AS A MAN OF GOD - KENYA

Three years ago, hiplife rap heavyweight champion, Lord Kenya decided to stop rapping to “entertain the world” and start preaching the gospel after he had had “a personal encounter with God”.

The born again musician also declared that he was going to make every effort to bring his hiplife fans along with him to his new-found Christian world.

Last weekend, he celebrated three years of evangelism and the thick crowd that thronged the venue for the celebrations, the auditorium of the Kumasi Technical Institute (KTI), indicated that Lord Kenya’s dream of winning more souls for Christ was becoming a reality.

Lord Kenya was joined by top gospel stars, Rev Seth Frimpong, Joe Beecham, Moses OK, Jack Alolome, Esther Smith, Agnes Opoku Agyemang and Frank Boakye to minister to the audience through the power of music.

Other musicians on the bill were Brother Sammy, Slim Becky, Brother Jackson, the Levites, Frank Boakye, Agape Incorporated, Angel Michael Osei and Brother Gideon.

He was supported by some pastors in word ministration. The preachers included, Apostle Sampson Offen, Rev Ama Nyantekyiwaa and Pastor Agyemang Dua.

Also present at the event was the Nzema Community Chief of Kumasi, Nana Akpor Kainya and his wife, who came to support, Lord Kenya, a son of Nzema in the Western Region.

The former hiplife icon repeated his call on people who doubted his call to evangelism to have a change of mind and begin to take him seriously as a man of God.

“They were with me on the other side (hiplife world), now I have moved to the side of Jesus Christ and I am pleading with them to follow me so that we can all be together as one big family in Christ,” he said.

Lord Kenya aka Abraham Philip Kojo Akpor Kainya was the first hiplife artiste to win the coveted Artiste of the Year prize at the Ghana Music Awards (GMA) in the year 2000.

He has also won Hiplife Album of the Year twice, Song of the Year (with the hit track, Medo on the Yeesom Sika album, released in 2001); and the Best Rap Artiste, plus several nominations at the GMAs over the last decade.

In October, 2010 he announced his retirement from hiplife showmanship, saying he had been called to serve God as an evangelist.

MASTER RICHARD: ACTING IS SPIRITUAL

He was a delight to watch as he cracked ribs playing Master Richard in Taxi Driver.

He did same as Dada Boat in Dada Boat and after about a decade hiatus, Mikki Osei-Berko is back again to endear himself to viewers as Dada Cash in the Yello Cafe television series.

And how is he able to consistently do that? Well, while most actors attribute their success in acting to passion, for Master Richard, his ‘little secret’ over the years has been his consideration that, ‘“acting is spiritual”.

“It takes one with a spiritual mind to understand what acting is all about. I have always given a spiritual interpretation to my roles because I play characters that are different from the real me and to perfectly perform such roles, my spirit being must understand that role so that I can effectively communicate” he said in an interview with Showbiz last Tuesday.

“God has blessed me with the talent to be versatile because acting is spiritual for me. I interpret my role based on the communication I have with my spirit being and that has been my little weapon till date,” he stated.

Speaking on his new role as Dada Cash in the new Yello Café television series, Mikki who made his debut appearance last Saturday said that even though he is yet to receive feedback on his performance, he was quite optimistic it will bring back nostalgia and take viewers down memory lane

Mikki who had a stint with Adom FM for about a year when he returned to Ghana after his about 10 years sojourn in the UK said that he is yet to get his groove back even though it has been “interesting, funny and a bit difficult”.

“I was away for quite a long time and need to learn the new trend in the industry as things are quite different now. There are new players and they all have their style so you need to study the new things that have emerged and that is what I am doing now.

“I came back feeling more educated and matured as a performer. I learnt a lot when I travelled outside and I feel I am now a better actor and performer than I used to be and now back home I have to put all that into practice.

“I have watched a couple of my series and movies that I starred in and I must admit that I get embarrassed sometimes because I feel I could have performed better. I can beat my chest and say that I am a better person now,” he added.

Mikki who is also a stand up comedian hinted of a comedy show scheduled for December to raise money to promote and create awareness on breast cancer which he described as a “committed task”.
He said that even though he has held a number of stand-up comedy shows both in and outside the country, they were not publicised and believes the time is now right for people to have a taste of that aspect of his character.

“We have great talents in comedy in the country but we have not provided the right platform for them and that is why our comedy industry is not growing. We need to support our own”.
Mikki started as a theatre stage performer who later hosted Radio Gold’s drive time programme Agoro.

He holds an English FA 2010/2011 UEFA B Football coaching certificate and is very optimistic that he will coach one of the clubs in the Ghana Premier League “when the right opportunity comes.”

GHAMRO UNDER PRESSURE TO ELECT SUBSTANTIVE EXECUTIVES

Pressure is once again mounting at the Ghana Music Rights Organisation (GHAMRO) where displeased members have intensified their call on the leadership to hold election and pave way for a permanent administration.

The Spectator Agoro is reliably informed that the current 14-member Board was constituted almost two years ago at the birth of the organization and given a one-year mandate to oversee its affairs and subsequently hold elections to elect a permanent Board.

However, two years down the line, the Board has yet to hold fresh elections that would pave way for a new administration.

GHAMRO received the certification to operate as a collective society for Ghanaian musicians on December 23, 2011, replacing the erstwhile Copyright Society of Ghana (COSGA) which was supervised by the Attorney-General.

The organization has since been rocked by internal agitations which have crippled the realization of the expectations of some member. The payment and administration of royalties due members have particularly featured in such wranglings.

This is not the first time the conduct of elections and the formation of a permanent Board have come up. In recent past, some key figures, including one-time members of the interim Board, have all called for elections but to no avail.

Two celebrated Highlife musicians, Rex Omar and Charles Amoah, who, hitherto, were members of the Board, resigned their positions earlier this year and cited the issue about the election as part of their reasons.

Election Coming?
Amakyi Dede Highlife legends Nana Kwame Ampadu and Abrantie Amakye Dede, among others, have all shared similar sentiments in the past, among a host of stakeholder forums where the issue has come up.

Nonetheless, latest information available to the Spectator Agoro indicates that, the Board may finally be holding the election in the coming weeks – either in December or early 2014.

A source told this reporter that the issue came up strongly during a recent meeting of the board held on Friday, September 20, and attended by all its members, with the exception of Amandzeba Nat Brew, a deputy Chairman, who had travelled.

Present were the Chairman, Carlos Sakyi; deputy chair K.K Kabobo, Mary Ghansah, Kojo Antwi, Mark Okreku-Mantey, Abebe (please, add the rest….)

The Spectator Agoro will keep you posted on emerging developments, including an exclusive story on ‘candidates’ who have nursed ambitions to vie for the chairman’s seat.
Source: Asomasi Kwaku Poku

WE DIDN’T BAN MERCY JOHNSON, SHE IS RUDE AND WALKS OUT ON SET – FILM MARKETERS

I believe this is the first time one will be hearing that Mercy Johnson is rude. This is what the Onitsha marketers who filed a petition against her claims. They said apart from charging high, Mercy Johnson is rude and walks out on set.
 This was revealed by the chairman of the association in an interview with The Nation Newspaper.

He said complaints were brought against Mercy Johnson for her rudeness and how she often walks out from movie location without proper notice.

He said the Onitsha branch of the organization made several petitions against Mercy Johnson that she often dictates to people who pay her to work on movie set.

Ajaegbu said a meeting to address Mercy Johnson’s indiscipline has been fixed for Thursday November 7th, 2013.

This is what the chairman of Film, Video Producers and Markers Association of Nigeria, (FVPMAN) said on the issue:

We did not ban Mercy Johnson, and this is authoritative. Let me tell you what happened; we had a National Working Committee meeting which I presided over. The leadership of the Onitsha branch came up with an issue that most of the artistes are charging exceedingly high. On that issue I ruled that such is the function of a competitive market; arguing that if an artiste is charging for example, N5 million, they are free to pick another artiste, who may charge N500, 000, if that is what they can afford.

On Mercy Johnson’s high movie fee, FVPMAN chairman said:

I also made them to understand that we are gunning for the day an artiste in Nigeria would be paid N100 million or sign N100 million as a contract fee, because that is the way to show that we are progressing. We can’t afford to remain in one spot for years Mercy Johnson’s Rudeness & Indiscipline On Movie Set I think they understood that, but they also brought complaints against Mercy that she sometimes walks out on set.

They said sometimes, people would pay her for a job but she would prefer to give priority to those that are paying higher. On that issue, I said we cannot take a decision because there is no formal petition.

I told them to go back to their zone, discuss it and come out with a formal decision. We have fixed another meeting for Thursday, November 7, to see if there will be any petition. That was all that was said, so I am surprised that there is false news flying around that Mercy has been banned. If action would be taken, we would call her personally and inform her primary guild.”

If the case brought against her is true, then Mercy Johnson needs to be careful because pride goes before a fall.

The outcome of their meeting on Thursday will determine Mercy Johnson‘s fate in Nollywood.

SONNIE BADU ARRIVES IN GHANA AHEAD OF “AFRICA WORSHIP” CONCERT

Multiple award winning Gospel singer, songwriter, philanthropist and author, Sonnie Badu has arrived home in Ghana from his base in the UK.

He arrived at the Kotoka International Airport yesterday, Sunday November 3, 2013 to prepare for his upcoming concert dubbed “Africa Worships with Sonnie Badu” which is scheduled to come off on Saturday November 30, 2013 at the Accra Sports Stadium.


Speaking to journalists shortly after touching down, he said he’s in Ghana early to commence promotion of the show.

As part of the promotional plan, Sonnie would be visiting various churches randomly to take pictures and sing for about 5 minutes and invite the congregation to the concert, which also features the American Christian worship leader, singer; Ron Kenoly.

Sonnie said he expects over 30,000 patrons at the 50,000 seater stadium to worship the Lord.

SARKODIE PUNCHES EVENT ORGANIZERS

The most influential artist in Ghana for seasons now, Sarkodie is actually throwing punches
to Event Organizers In Ghana for using his picture for advert, knowing very well that Sarkodie inst going to perform on that said Event.

He stated it out that the organizers couldn’t meet his demands for that event and started saying he is a (TOO KNOWN) Artist just because he asked of a dressing room for that show.. HMMMMMM…

According to his punches, it is more likely that he actually contacted the event organizers on this issue after he realized they are not going to put him on that platform, asking them about his image on the bill when he inst performing but these organizers said they don’t know who actually printed Sarkodie’s image.

This made the organizers publish a new poster without Sarkodie’s image forgetting the old one is still on the net winning the attention of Sarkodie’s fans, which is automatically and indirectly increasing the fan base for that show.

I don't actually know Sarkodie in person but he doesnt look like he has ever been this mad and pissed even though he faced a lot of temptations climbing up the ladder.. But within these few hours, if any one knows the mood of Obidi now then it will be nothing different from PISSED…

Check out some of his tweets……… All these tweets are actually sourced from Sarkodie’s official twitter page @sarkodie

“Event organisers ve been shittin on gh musicians 4 loong”
“I Ve never been this type but it hurts….. show some respect… cos we deserve…”

“Same media gon make u look like u arrogant when u speak out cos they dun wan people 2 know da shit they do”

“musicians who had so called *respect* 4 these promoters aint making a dime now!!! #fact: they only use u wen u hot…”

“They use our musicians like disposable plates. I won’t b selfish cos im in a safe place.. I feel 4 everyone… fans never know what goes on”

“They choose to meet all demands made by foreign acts … and tell me im too known cos I said I need dressing room.. WTF”

“We don’t ve one musician taking gh 2 da nxt level cos they get killed even b4 they get der….. But watch me… God forbid”

“All they waiting 4 is 4 me 2 fall so they wudn’t ve 2 go by ma rules… goodluck… they never wanna see a powerful musician”

“I tweet about sarkology album eerday.. no call came tru to ask me abt it.. some1 comes from usa 2 say he didn’t sign me.. now u need ma take”

It goes on and on and on.
Sarkodie really throwing punches on twitter.
We hope he cools and chill up cos its just part of the obstacles in the entertainment industry…

‘BACK IN THE DAY’ CONCERT RETURNS

In the year 2012, the Dome of the Accra International Conference Centre was the place to be as the organizers, Empire Entertainment, in their usual fashion drew Ghanaians to come out and have fun, sing along and dance to their favourite tunes that made wave way back in the late 90s and early 2000.

That year, being the maiden event from the organizers, it lived up to its expectation from the delivery of tunes as the audience had nothing to leave back as they sang to every old tune that kept them awake those days. And to say the least, the boom box styled stage was just brilliant.

That night had a long list of ‘old soldiers’ rock the stage with their hops, bounces and swags; the roll call were T-Blaze, Ded Buddy, TH4Kwages, Abrewa Nana, Joe Fraizer, NFL, Akatakyie, Keteke, Ex-Doe, Chicago, Slim Buster, Kontihene, Sonny Achiba, Lord Kenya, Obrafour, VIP, et al.

This year, on the 6th of December, 2013, the organizers in their strength are bringing the legendary American hip hop group, Naughty By Nature to headline the night.

The group will be backed to rock the audience with Reggie Rockstone and Obrafour who returns to thrill with intense back-in-the-days sounds.

The night will also present loads of surprises from the artistes that are lined up to join the already mentioned to the take-home-gifts which will take music enthusiasts back to the days when baggy jeans and bling-bling shirts dominated the atmosphere.

The initiative is in effort to celebrate artistes who have made hits back in the day, accomplished success and contributed to Hiplife over the years.