Responses to an Accra resident who rambled some thoughts while watching the 2010 Ghana Music Awards

:-) The Mighty African likes to do some things differently every once in a while. So I started leaving a comment on Abena Serwaa's blog and realised my comment was more like a blog post. So here is one. To get the idea behind this post, you have to read this blog post about the Ghana Music Awards by Abena (Chardonas) of Ramblings of a Procrastinator in Accra. So, it's a direct response to Abena but I feel it's great reading for us all. So if anything is confusing, all you need to do is click here.

1. As for the 70% of the audience at the Ghana Music Awards being females in their 20's - your theories are probably true. the tickets cost a lot, and they probably got them for free. On the other hand, attend things like BarCamps or TEDx and you'll see the crowd is mostly men in their 20's. I won't give any analysis for that one.

Hmm, so Ghanaian women are spending a lot of money on weave-ons eh? Is that why there's this whole hair debate? Never knew what the fuss was about before.

2. Well, that's what I was talking to Ndinda about on the CapeTowntoCairo interview about the Museke Online Africa Music Awards (MOAMAs). Africans seem to listen to mostly music from their own country. Funny thing is, Jozi's videos actually are shown on MTVBase which some Ghanaians watch, albeit a small percentage. If the audience doesn't know you, you have to try extra hard to like them. It's not just Ghanaians. I go to concerts and sometimes feel the same way about artistes I don't know. We have to make a conscious effort to support African musicians, even if they are not from Ghana.

3. VIP is one of the best performing acts in Ghana. I've seen them perform live and they know how to work a crowd. It helps that they finally have a hit song after some quiet years starting circa 2007. You should all check out Eli Jacobs-Fantauzzi's documentary about their story called Homegrown - the Hiplife movie.

4. Hehe, I hope you aren't saying Sarkodie should change his name. Like I told a cousin today, my favorite Ghanaian rapper is Obrafour but I think Okyeame Kwame is the best in Ghana. Sarkodie has all the hype now and I believe he is the hiplife artiste who can crossover successfully onto the whole African scene. With Akon and Konvict Music behind him, I believe it will happen. Sarkodie's been great but I am happy he didn't win too many awards. Oftentimes, the most popular artiste wins every award even if they didn't deserve it. It's funny how Tema is on the up. Hiplife used to be between Accra and Kumasi and now the Tema massive is taking the spotlight. Who'll be next? Ho? Tuabodom? Tain?

5. Hehe, yes, remember this name. Because after R2Bees makes a video for 'Kiss your hand remix' with Wande Coal, they'll be known all over the continent. That song's a massive hit. They refuse to be broke. And yes, they are from Tema. Did I hear that they have beef with Charterhouse, organizers of the Ghana Music Awards?

6. Asem was installed as Ambassador for Education? Why not, Ghana's youth listens to him. The funny thing is Asem is not the guy to be making socially conscious songs. I doubt he even made School dey be with that in mind but now look. "School dey be" is an interesting song, he talks about all the bad things he did in school, what he would have done different and encourages people to go to school. And it's a great song to boot. "School dey be, but class dey bore". Obviously, he has some really profane lyrics in "When I get u" but that doesn't make him any less an ambassador for education. At least his song can be a theme song.

7. Hehe, not many people had heard the Jon Germain song that was nominated. If you find the mp3 for Love Zone, let me know. Jon has some talent and has crossover appeal. The market is not Ghana anymore, you have to sell other places too. He says he does pop music. We'll see.

8. Lol, I didn't watch the awards but was at a Ghanaian party dancing to many Ghanaian and Nigerian hits. That remembers me, I thought Okomfo Kwaadee had been resurrected, no one's talking about him? Fresh from London eh? Is he a fake london boy? He should have just spoken Twi. He didn't try to use his locally acquired foreign accent? Who was the artiste by the way?

Becca rocks! Congrats to her for winning best African prospect at the Kora awards.

Comments

Abena Serwaa said…
Eih Ato! I just went to facebook and saw your note. I hope you are not working on getting me a life-long ban from Asem/Richie concerts...nonetheless I do not mind...less education on "humping til the end of the night"! I responded to your comments on my blog but in the spirit of your responses to my comments on your blog here I go with some responses:


1. I admit I was being a little sardonic about the overwhelmingly female audience. However, I'm quite disturbed if it is true that you find overwhelmingly male attendance at things like BarCamp/TEDx. Does this mean women in general would prefer to attend the Music Awards compared to more empowering endeavors? *Yikes*

2. There are a small section of Ghanaians who are into Jozi. Blogger B.O.N.T.I had told earlier he would only be motivated to attend the GMAs to see Jozi live...I agree that it is not only Ghanaians who are hard on performers but what I continue to be shocked about is how rude my (normally polite?!) people can be when they are unfamiliar with performers. I've been to performances where the audience would shout "Away" or "Away Bus".

3.Will have to be see Homegrown. Some years ago VIP feelings of being unlovedby GH audiences were steering them more towards Nigerian performances...am I wrong?

4. *LOL* I'm not suggesting Sarkodie should change his name but lets face it, He WILL inevitably be called Sar-Cody. Last year, the TV advert for the MAMAs referred to a live performance by Sar-Cody. Turns out the ad was made in SA.

6. Still not swayed on the Asem asem. I think as an Ambassador for Education he is being placed on a pedestal for the youth as some sort of role model. Kids may not be discerning enough to say "Okay 'School dey be' is the jam and I will ignore Asem promises to leave girls bow-legged".

Indeed Becca rocks, did rock and has the potential to conquer the world.
MIghTy African said…
Hehe :-)

1. Yes, Yikes. As a female role mode, which I am sure, you are, you should help start to correct this.

2. Really BONTI would only go see Jozi. Some Ghanaian lol! True about the Away bus tho, we used to do that at Presec. Ghanaians seem to quickly get attached to some things and forget about everything else. That's the problem. The solution? Time for anotehr blog post.

3. VIP got steered towards Nigeria because they realised the huge market there, it may have lost them some Ghanaian fans, but I say it was the better thing to do. Now, they have the Ghanaian and Nigerian markets captured. They have strong ties to Kennis Music, which brought up 2Face Idibia.

4. Hmm, Sarcody. trouble. I'll like to hear Akon or even Babs say it.

6. On the real tho, to call him an ambassado for education is a strecth. No one will complain if Obour was made an ambassador of someting for instance. Now what they should really do is pay for a super music video for School dey be which encourages education.

Becca! She held some concerts in Nigeria and they were successful. Girl's going places!
B.O.N.T.I said…
@ Mighty African you would agree with me the GMA was more like a Variety show.

Charter house are in for the money and not the interest of the ghanaian music industry.

I wrote something on the Music awards b4 it went on air but decided not to post it but i think i should now.


i would want to go watch Jozi and see what they have to offer for us in terms of African Musical talent.

In your own fair jugdement on how the show played out... if you were to rate it from 1-10 and 10 being the Highest what would you give it.?

to be honest why would you give the audience those loud horns for? are we cheering for some soccer team or something?

I had problems with the DJ.. i had problems with the crowd.. the publicity committee for the awards show. The publicity committee didnt put enough effort into it. no sensitization off Jozi's music or Doneo.

The only song the crowd could sing along with doneo was party hard. what abt the other songs like devil in a blue dress, be mine, african warrior etc

too much emotion here. i have to stop b4 i cry.. lol!!!

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