#simplyhiphop
New post- on one major lesson we could all learn from @brightackwerh’s@theprizeghwin: http://yoyotinz.com/write-ups/bright-ackwerhs-kuenyehia-prize-win-a-lesson/
By: Moshood Balogun
Photos by: naa oyoo quartey,visual octopi
Post link
Do you remember ‘Afemakpor’-Delasi’sode to his late dad? If you don’t, you can read more about it from our review of the music video here.
Delasi has been journeying around the globe with his Thought Journey album since its release, and is currently up to a lot in his motherland and wherever music takes him. While in Kenya, he collaborated with some dope artists and producers. Today we are happy to share with you a hot banging remix from the talented Kenyan producer Jinku who’s “Amadeyo’ EP (Released via Sofa Lounge Records) made rounds on the internet on prestigious blogs like The Fader.
Here’s what Jinku had to say about remixing Afemakpor:
”To be honest I really struggled with this song, and I had almost given up. The original had this really great African sample and without that, I really wondered what I could create. So I tried to recreate that using Delasi’s own vocals. I don’t know the context of the song, to me it felt like a love song that was trapped in a tribal beat. I just wanted it to be sensual and Delasi’s words to be felt more than the beat, so I gave the song more space. I just imagined I was scoring an intimate dance scene between two star crossed lovers“
You can stream and download 'Afemakpor’ (Jinku Remix) here, and follow Delasifor more updates on his subsequent thought journeys.
#StreetArt
Stills from the day 2 of “Meeting of Styles” graffiti event !!
its exciting for us to see Moh,Khali, Deff art, Bright Ackwerh come together with other artists like Ian, BlackBoneGH, Nii Nortey and Scare Crow- after they all met a graffiti workshop organised by Alliance Française Accra.
The workshop was part of the annual Alliance Française Hip Hop festival in collaboration with yoyo tinz in November. It was headed by international graffiti artist Da cruz, who touched on the need for collaboration and working with time and speed.
The final day of the event is today. Meet us in James Town when you can, before the sun comes down.
Post link
Today, the 6th of May is Day 1 of a three-day graffiti art event to be held inside James Town, Accra. The event, Meeting Of Styles, is put together by a line-up of graffiti artistes known as Ghana Graffiti. This is how they are describing the event:
MEETING OF STYLES is an introductory graffiti art event by the Ghanaian crew Ghana Graffiti. The crew is set to challenge societal defects using street art as a medium to communicate with the citizens of a disturbed biome. Altering physical space with thought-provoking and creative content for social change and aesthetics is the function of the crew even as the members individually address various topics of a changing world. The graffiti crew hopes to be an artistic body of exclusively street artists pushing GHANA beyond corridors.
This one is the introductory Meeting of Styles event, and it ends on Sunday, the 8th of March 2016. You should pass through James Town between today and Sunday to enjoy and engage with graffiti art and artistes and enthusiasts. And of course, yoyo tinz will be around.
For more information, see attached poster, visit the event facebook page, or just enquire with us.
Sarkodie: Take it Back Dir: Alexx Adjei
Ask any Ghanaian who Sarkodieis and they will likely marvel at the question, surely you don’t need to ask, you should just know. His impact on Ghanaian music can be felt beyond its borders and overseas, arguably, in a league of his own, a cosign from him can do wonders for your career, ask Fanti Van Damme - and he proves this in his latest single critiquing an art form, you can tell he genuinely loves.
Take it back is a retrospective look at the GH Hiphop scene, comparing it to what it looks like now, with visuals to back. The music video starts with a quote; and if you are a film nerd like me you’ll know the quote is from a poignant scene in the Matrix, said by lead character Neo - an anagram for One meaning the ‘The One’ thus in the first few seconds of the video Sark cements his position in the industry.
We then see cuts of a turntable, good old Chuck Taylor’s and black and white effects through out the entire video, connotating a nostalgic look at a moment in musical history; especially when he says 'yεn kɔ back to Reggie Rock, yεn kɔ back to Saturday Cypher with DJ Black’ referring back to a time when GH Hiphop was in its heyday, suggesting its not so now.
The video is littered with both literal and abstract imagery; for example the hour glass when he talks about the lack of cappa when battle rappers of today duke it out, or the faces of Sark’s rap idols. The more abstract imagery are the random dancers, who sometimes wear gas mask (don’t ask, I don’t get it either) or the image of a lion. However, one scene I really like, which is also woven throughout the video is the 'rap battle’ scene, where a few rappers are battling it out but only Sark can be heard, cut to a guy wearing a gas mask carrying a sign that says 'weak flow’ - suddenly it clicks, he’s protesting the current state of rap.
I get where Sark is going with this, and he’s one of the few who can release a track like this and isn’t to be argued with. He takes it upon himself to call out out the so called 'rappers’ who he believes are undoing the great work that him and his peers have done while congratulating the few who have kept a standard.
You can liken this to the Jay Z Death of Autotune single; moment of silence! Short video, and I like the song more than I do the video but I get it, and that’s all that matters. Like Neo, Sark is taking the game back! 3 stars.
P.S: So glad he shouts out Kofi Kinaata, y'all sleeping on him.
Review by Yoyotinz member Hephzie
Twitter: @HephzIsBlessed
Blog:http://hephziek.blogspot.co.uk/
THE SON’S TEAR
first painting in my #veryverygraphic series
#exclusive #lybia #gaddafi #africa #storiesofafrica #america #american #instagram #sorry #illustration #gouaille #obama #sorry #apology #bloodyhands #contemporaryart #painting #digitalpainting #caricature #brightackwerh #art #fatherfigure
Illustrator/Street Artist/Graffiti Artist @brightackwerh recently shares with us his latest piece called “THE SON’S TEAR” .
As the saying goes - A picture is worth a thousand words.
Post link
#StreetartSaturday
Once again, for street art saturday we are taking you to Nima (Accra, Ghana). When it comes to graffiti, this neighbourhood could totally compete with similar neighbourhoods in New York, Berlin or Paris. It’s a hub of creativity. Make sure to pass through when in Accra.
Une fois encore pour samedi street art nous vous emmenons à Nima (Accra, Ghana). En matière de graffiti ce quartier d'Accra pourrait totalement rivaliser avec certains quartiers de New York, Berlin ou Paris. C'est un lieu dédié à la créativité à ne pas manquer quand vous passez par Accra.
Post link
#StreetArtSaturday
Since last year GraffArt Ghana have been dedicating graffiti works to the Independence Day of Ghana. This is the work of Rufai and his colleagues during last years independence celebration, on the 6th of March. we found it in our archives and thought it will be a great way to say bye bye to month March .
Français Depuis l'année dernière Graffart Ghana ont réalisé plusieurs graffiti pour célébrer l'indépendance du Ghana. Ceci est l'oeuvre de Rufai et ses collègues au cours des dernières années de célébration indépendance, le 6 Mars. Nous avons retrouvé ses photos dans nos archives et nous pensions que ce serait une excellente façon de dire au revoir au mois Mars .
Post link
Second episode of season two of our #gintartinz series. it features @Abladzo_Kwame. The home boy sings about resilience in the face of life’s adversaries in a song he calls “Balotelli”. Watch.
FRENCH
Deuxième épisode de la deuxième saison de notre série #gintartinz avec @Abladzo_Kwame. Il chante sur la résilience face à des adversaires de la vie dans une chanson qu'il a intitulee “Balotelli”. Regardez.
It’s been a couple of Mondays without our occassional #MusicMonday selections. This week we bring to you a few songs that were released over the last few weeks.
Kwame Nkrumah by Kojey Radical.
This is apparently an ode to Kojey’s dad and the first president of Ghana, Kwame Nkrumah. Kojey Radical is identified as having ‘British and Ghanian roots.’ This song is vim-filled and provocative. Stream on Soundcloud here.
You Don’t Wanna Know by C-Real.
The EmCeo was featured -alongside Kyekyeku- on the debut version of our Mash Up series (video out soon.) He was also on Dj Black’s Open House Party on Joy Fm over the weekend, and he did something a bit unusual. “You Don’t Wanna Know” is his latest joint. Listen & download here.
No Hear Don’t Care by Ru.
When an artist is so generous they give a gift on their birthday. That’s what Ru did yesterday- giving us this gift on his birthday yesterday. The title of this one, No Hear, Don’t Care is a clever pun on the “… hair, don’t care” variations. Stream this song on Ru’s soundcloud here.
Fire Burn Dem (remix) by Flowking Stone ft. Sarkodie & Shatta Wale.
Flowking Stone features Sarkodie and Shatta Wale on this remix of his single, Fire Burn Dem. All three artists did their thing on this one, but from the bit gathered, it seems people are feeling Sarkodie on this one. Listen for yourself here. Stream (and download) here.
#StreetArtSaturday
The street Art culture, which was upon a time not welcomed in Nima- a suburb in Accra, Ghana, now is a source of income for a lot of young artists in the community.
The images above are that of a typical art studio, very evident by the images you find on the walls outside the studios and a contact to commission a work soon as you eye hit it.
FRENCH
Il fut un temps ou l’art de rue n’était pas le bienvenu a Nima, une banlieue d'Accra, au Ghana. C’est maintenant une source de revenus pour beaucoup de jeunes artistes de cette communauté. Les images ci-dessus sont celle d'un studio d'art, facilement reconnaissable grace aux images que vous trouverez sur les murs extérieurs accompagnées d’un contact pour commissionner des oeuvres.
Post link
The Sunday 28th February night, The Studio (OSU) hosted the first edition of “Mashup by Yoyo Tinz”. The rapper C-real had been invited to perform his songs alongside the singer and guitarist Kyekyeku. The opportunity is to mix the urban style of the hip hop artist to the acoustic rhythm of highlife by the latter in artistic fusion purpose.
Question times also accompanied the music session. Which musicians inspired them ? What does being a rapper in Ghana mean ? How does the creation process take place ? About thirty people gathered around this cozy and intimate place and led the artists to express themselves about their influences, opinions, and ideas.
Yoyo Tinz recorded the event which will be released for broadcast very soon on the YouTube channel.
Kyekyeku and C-real were the artists featured for the first episode but more artists will come. The plan is to keep featuring hip hop artists with different musicians of various style for unique pieces, every last Sunday of the month at the Studio.The next Mash up is scheduled for Sunday 24th April 2016, holla at the yoyo tinz team for your invitations.
For today’s International Women’s Day, we celebrate the goddess/Rapper/singer/YouDoEverything/SkolomChic @senadagadu
We appreciate your words of hope, joy, love & empowerment, and for allowing us to experience you as a soulful artiste.
With women like you our sisters,daughters,neices have someone beautiful to look up to.
Yoyotinz would like to say Ayekoo to Sena Dagadu and to all women.
Post link
#StreetArtSaturday
Une conversation avec Bright Ackwerh.
Une semaine après avoir partagé son travail avec des élèves étudiant la culture populaire ghanéenne à l'Université Ashesi, l’illustrateur satyrique Bright Ackwerh a convie ses fans à une conversation dans la bibliothèque de l'Alliance Française Accra le mercredi 2 Mars 2016.
Selon Bright, l’événement était une sorte d’invitation a découvrir son atelier, afin que l’on puisse voir comment il travaille.
L'artiste a disséqué ses œuvres; épluchant les diverses couches, donnant des détails sur les des divers facteurs qui influencent leur creation, et les processus qu'elles subissent avant d'arriver à l'étape finale.
Être un créateur dont l'art se prête à l'utilitarisme, Bright a présenté des dessins qui critique principalement les productions culturelles ghanéennes et des phénomènes sociaux politiques.
La présentation a été suivie d’un grand nombres de questions et a fait naitre de nombreuses discussions, c’est ainsi que s’est clôturée la soiree.
Post link
#StreetArtSaturday
A Conversation with Bright Ackwerh.
A week after sharing his work with students of the Ghanaian Popular Culture class at Ashesi University, satiric illustrator Bright Ackwerh hosted fans to a conversation inside the multimedia library of Alliance Francaise, Accra on Wednesday, February 29th 2016.
According to Bright, the event was akin to him inviting the audience into his studio-for them to witness how he goes about doing his work.
The artiste dissected his works; peeling off their layers, giving insightful details of the various factors that inform their making, and the processes they undergo before getting to the final stage.
Being a creator whose artistry lends itself to utilitarianism, Bright showcased pieces that largely probed and critiqued mainly Ghanaian cultural productions and sociopolitical phenomena.
There were a wide range of questions and bits of discussions after Bright’s presentation, after which an entertaining and stimulating night of conversation was brought to a close.
Post link
“That is ‘I’m a legend‘written in Chinese.”
“The cross and the wings represent God and the angels guiding and protecting me, and the flames atop the cross means i’m on fire“
Post link
#StreetArtSaturday
This is the last street art for the month of love. Did you find love, make love, give love and did you enjoy ‘‘Oshun’’? The thing about love is you don’t need a special day, time or month to show love. So One Love people for the months ahead and beyond. Peace !!
ART WORK - found in Nima, Accra, Ghana.
Ceci est le dernier #StreetartSaturday du mois de l'amour. avez-vous trouvé l'amour, avez-vous fait l'amour, donné de l'amour et avez-vous profiter de notre mix “ Oshun”? Le truc c’est qu’il n’y a pas besoin d'une journée spéciale, d’un moment ou d’un mois pour célébrer l'amour. Donc, One Love pour les mois à venir et au-delà. Paix !!
OEUVRE D'ART - trouvé dans Nima, Accra, Ghana.
Post link
Lorsque que l’on demande comment l’on pourrait décrire le duo FOKN Bois en un mot c’est presque toujours celui-ci qui ressort : Controversé.
C’est tout à fait juste ! Pour autant les FOKN Bois sont bien plus que ça. Plusieurs adjectifs pourraient décrire avec pertinence le groupe : caustique, malicieux, créatif, intelligent, frondeur, …
Tout ça se reflète dans leur musique, à travers leurs films et les couvertures de leurs albums, du moins celle de leur premier opus : FOKN WIT EWE (que l’on pourrait dans ce cas traduire par « baiser une brebis » mais qui renvoie également à l’ethnie Ewé présente au Ghana et au Togo, et nous prouve encore l’esprit corrosif du duo)
Les couvertures de leurs albums ont d’ailleurs fait couler beaucoup d’encre, notamment celles de Coz Ov Moni-The remix EP et FOKN DunaQuest In Budapest, critiquées pour leur « portrait misogyne des femmes africaines ». Dans un article de Chimurenga’s The Chronic, le duo est amené à se prononcer sur le sujet : « Nous admirons également l’esprit et le cœur des femmes africaines mais les représenter graphiquement aurait été quelque peu morbide. On a donc décidé de montrer ce qui, d’après nous, attire le plus chez les femmes et laisse une impression visuelle forte dans notre cortex. La misogynie est très relative, à partir de quel moment considère-t-on quelque chose comme misogyne? Si nous étions des musulmans « hardcore » faisant de la musique et montrant à chaque fois seulement les yeux des femmes dans notre travail on nous qualifierait de misogynes-musulmans. »
Revenons-en à la couverture de FOKN WIT EWE, crée par Hanson Akatti. Elle contient un grand nombre d’allusions, de clins d’œil à certaines situations et problèmes que l’on retrouve tout au long des chansons. On vous présente six détails de cette couverture qui ont pu, ou non, vous échapper :
Deux pots de crème pour se blanchir la peau : sur chacune des tables de chevet ces deux crèmes décolorantes- Milky way et Brite is right (que l’on pourrait traduire par voie lactée et Etre clair c’est plaire !) – sont celles auxquelles fait référence FOKN Bois dans l’introduction du titre 5 « Want to be white » (Vouloir être blanc)
Deux livres sacrés (la Bible et le Coran) : ils sont placés sous le lit dans lequel Wanlov et M3nsa couchent avec la brebis. Il n’est pas abusif de conclure que c’est de la Bible qu’ils se sont inspirés pour parler du retour de Jésus dans « Jesus is coming » (Jésus arrive), et du Coran qu’ils tirent les notions telles que « le haram » qu’ils mentionnent dans le titre 12 « Sexin Islamic Girls » (Coucher avec des filles islamiques)
Un FOKN KNEWESpaper (jeu de mot avec newspaper journal en anglais) :posé sur le sol du côté de Wanlov le gros titre du journal annonce « Woyome Azonto’s Ghana’s Economy » et fait référence à la célèbre affaire de corruption concernant le businessman Woyome (pour plus de précisions… demander à Google). Dans la chanson 10 de l’album nous apprenons que le groupe à une station de radio – FOKN Radio. En plus du journal, nous ne pouvons que conclure que FOKN Bois est très sérieusement engagé à répandre le FOKN gospel !
L’espace : souvenez-vous du titre 11 « Extra Terrestrial Sex » (Sexe Extraterrestre) « having sex in the space » (S’envoyer en l’air dans l’espace). Et bien, ils ne mentaient pas ! En regardant à travers la fenêtre vous pouvez voir que cette scène de sexe a vraiment lieu dans l’espace ! Vous pouvez même apercevoir le visage des aliens.
Deux affiches (de chaque côté du mur) :Une « Son impérial majesté Haile Selassie » - écoutez la chanson 15 « Rasta fried rice » (Rasta riz frit) et faites-vous votre propre idée. La seconde est une affiche de Bruce Lee – une nouvelle fois allez écouter le titre 6 « Famous in China » (Célèbre en Chine) et voyez si vous trouvez quelques connections.
Un flyer d’Obama : traînant sur le sol du côté de M3nsa. Vous vous rappelez le slogan « Yes we can » (oui nous pouvons) de la campagne de Barack Obama ? Les FOKN Bois pensent autrement et c’est ce que le flyer nous annonce « No u can’t Obama » (Non tu ne peux pas Obama). C’est aussi précisé par Wanlov dans la dernière chanson de l’album « Gimme pinch » (Pince moi)
Avez-vous trouvé d’autres message subliminaux ? Mais attendez… Pourquoi Wanlov – qui se balade généralement pieds nus – porte-t-il des chaussures au lit ?
Vous avez là le point le plus important : Si vous avez manqué une (ou plusieurs) de ces références la morale de l’histoire est qu’il faut à tout prix ‘consommer’ toute chose produite par FOKN Bois en ouvrant grands vos oreilles, vos yeux, votre cœur et votre esprit !
N.B : Nous tenons à préciser que les traductions des titres de chansons et d’albums présentes dans cet article ne permettent pas de saisir la complexité, l’humour et la finesse des versions anglaises. Les références, culturelles notamment, ainsi que les jeux de mots se perdent quelque peu dans les traductions.
FOKN Bois se produira en concert à l’Alliance Française d’Accra demain (27 Février) à 20h. Les tickets seront en vente sur place pour 20 GHC.
Ce sera l’occasion d’assister aux performances d’Efo Chameleon, Pappy Kojo,Joey B,Sister Debbie,Sena Dagadu et des FOKN Bois eux même. Plus d’informations ici.
Upon asking anyone who has a fair idea who the FOKN Bois are to describe the duo in one word, you’re likely to get the response: Controversial; which is true, but the Bois are much more than just that. Other adjectives that could aptly describe the FOKN Bois are: witty, mischievous, creative, intelligent, political and of course, FOKN.
All of these are reflected in their music, films, album covers-at least on the cover for the group’s debut album, FOKN WITH EWE.
Speaking of FOKN Bois and covers, the group has apparently been criticised for “misogynistic depictions of African women” on the covers for Coz Ov Moni- The Remix EP and FOKN DunaQuest In Budapest. In a piece about them on Chimurenga’s The Chronic, the duo is quoted as responding to these criticisms:
“We also admire the minds and hearts of African women, but to depict those organs graphically would seem morbid. So we decide to depict what women shake in our eyes that attracts us the most and leaves visual imprints in our cortex. Bear in mind the thresholds of what one might deem misogynistic are relative. If we were hard-core Muslims making music and always using women’s eyes in our works we might soon be branded Muslim misogynists”
Back to the cover for FOKN WITH EWE, which was designed by Hanson Akatti; the cover contains quite a number of allusions to certain issues and situations- most of which were rapped about in songs on the album.
Below are six of the subtleties on the FOKN WITH EWE album cover which you may-or may not- have missed:
Two containers of bleaching cream: with one of each of the two bedside tables, these two skin bleaching creams-Milky Way and Brite is Rite- are the ones the FOKN Bois were referring to in the introduction of Track 5, “Want to be White.”
Two ‘Holy Books’ (the Bible and the Koran): these books are underneath the bed on which Wanlov and M3nsa were fucking with the ewe. It wouldn’t be far-fetched to conclude that it is from the Bible that they got all the information about Jesus’ coming which they shared on Track 3- Jesus is Coming, and from the Koran, they learnt of things like 'haram’ which they mentioned on track 12- Sexin Islamic Girls.
A FOKN KNEWESpaper: Lying on the floor of Wanlov’s side of the bed, this newspaper’s headline read “WOYOME AZONTO’s GHANA’s ECONOMY” (We all know this story…otherwise, Google: Alfred Agbesi Woyome.) On track 10 of the album, we learn that the FOKN Bois have a radio station- FOKN Radio. Add to that this newspaper of theirs, and we can only conclude that these Bois are really serious about spreading the FOKN gospel.
SPACE:Remember Tack 11 (Extra Terrestrial Sex), “having sex in space”? Well, they weren’t lying about that: looking through the window, you can see that this fucking session with the ewe is really taking place in space. And you can see the alien’s face too.
Two posters (on each side of the wall): One is of 'His Imperial Majesty’ Haile Selassie- listen to track 15, Rasta Fried Rice, and make your own connections. The other poster is of Bruce Lee- again, go and listen to track 6-Famous in China, and see if there are any dots to be connected.
Obama flyer: This is lying on the floor of M3nsa’s side of the bed. Remember Barrack Obama’s “YES WE CAN” campaign slogan? The FOKN Bois thought otherwise- and that is indicated on this flyer which has the inscription “NO U CAN’T OBAMA”. This is also hinted at by Wanlov on the album’s last song-Gimme Pinch.
Are there any other subliminals you may have caught?
(But wait …why is Wanlov -who normally doesn’t don footwear- wearing a pair of shoes in bed-of all places?)
So there you have it: if you missed (m)any of these, the moral of the story is this: 'consume’ anything produced by the FOKN Bois with open ears, eyes, hearts and minds.
NOTE: The FOKN Bois are hosting ‘The FOKN Party’ tomorrow night inside Alliance Francaise, at 7pm. Tickets will go for 20GHS at the gate, and there will be peformances by Efo Chameleon, Pappy Kojo, Joey B, Sister Debbie, Sena Dagadu and the Bois themselves. Visit the event page here for any info.
