BIOGRAPHY OF FIRESTONE

When people find themselves caught in a place where their dreams, hopes and ideas have nowhere to breathe or fly, something happens. Something that is so natural and powerful, like the water we seek when thirsty, or the food we need when hunger takes over. This energy to change, to move in a different direction produces a voice - a voice loud and strong enough to vibrate and shake the wall that attempts to oppress the will of the masses and the fight for the future. From that first small voice that dared to speak, to resist, to protest - a small, but important insult has now grown into a voice of millions that cannot and will not be silenced.

He hails from a small town called Adukorom in the Eastern Region of Ghana, located at the back of Ewukugua and the villages along Akropong Akuapem, it was easy to see that a small, quiet vibration was growing and has reached a pitch that is now heard by the ears of Ghana and beyond.

There has been many who have attempted to deny the force of change as if trying to prevent a flower from its blossom or a mother from giving birth. In every case this deeply rooted will to express what cannot be denied, rises up and forces all of us to recognize and respect this voice that produced the sound: "Dey Dey Under", "Akosua Sie Ho" and "Ejiorma" to name a few, playing along and strong throughout Ghana.

Born Larbi Davis to Madam Charllote Anim on November 28th 1985, is the voice we talking about. In 1998, Larbi 'Firestone' Davis developed interest in music even though his father Mr. Godfred Larbi Dankwa didn't see the future in it, as he wanted his son to become a Banker. Popularly called Firestone, he has made it through thick and thin as it was not easy to get to his current level in the music industry. Whereas still on the verge of learning to better his craft in music, Firestone has collaborated with giant superstars like: Screwface, Keche just to name a few.

Firestone has also performed at noble shows that include sharing stages with Castro, Stay J, Fiifi Sellah, Samini, Opanka, Keche, WhizKeli and the likes. Many might know of Firestone through his version of Gyptian's 'Hold Yuh Riddim' which featured WhizKeli. Firestone is reported to have been initially inspired by his mother Charllote, Ayisha Modi (Managress) and Mr. CNN of 3G Magazine (U.S.A). Firestone performed his way through neighboring shows, only to find himself performing at the 2012 African Cup Event hosted by Tigo at Osu Oxfford Street, Accra.

Firestone is Currently signed to Boe Mo Ala Music, under MODI'S MANAGEMENT, he is been promoted by KELLS EMPIRE. With Firestone he is the only new artist or musician in Ghana  with a lot of  support from Ghanaian  Dj's.


Firestone's interest in Reggae and Dancehall music led him to collaborate with Stonebowy Burniton of  Samini Music and finally, to reconnect with other hip life and hip hop artiste in Ghana. His most recent singles 'Golden Girl' features Ghana's hip life superstar Castro, 'Mede Be Hye Ho', 'Mene Wobe Ye' which features Yaa Pono are ranked among the best top ten songs in Ghana.

Firestone is said to promote the African Culture, Dance, Music, Cuisine, Attire and other aspects in his music. He believes there is no culture in the world that is as rich as the African culture. He frowns upon the fact that we have been influenced by religion, politics, media, and advertising to think our African heritage is primitive, pagan and backward, which is not true.

Firestone is much more than just his music; as beautiful and globally adored as his music is. Indeed he is an intellectual with a great vision for his country and the continent or more simply put, he is a True  Son of Africa.


BOE MO ALA....

Guru Explains 'Lapaz Toyota' To The World

There is a growing argument over whether Ghanaian hip life musician Guru’s latest hit single, ‘Lapaz Toyota’, should be rated 18.

This follows claims that the song has some profane notes, with emphasis on a controversial and popular line somewhere in the lyrics which some music observers interpret to mean “Lick my dick”.

However, the young rapper has raised objections, saying the song has got nothing profane in it and denied usage of profane words as “Lick my dick.” “I believe in people and how they feel comfortable with what they think and how they think like. That word is not; lick my dick or hit man. No, no, no, it is far from that.

Even the starting of the song, people have their own way of interpreting. But the word is hikma, it is a hook. I got that idea from an old song. Hikma is a name,” he told NEWS-ONE in an exclusive interview on Saturday evening.

“No, ‘Lapaz Toyota’ is not a profane song. I got this idea when I was driving around Lapaz. That was when I was planning for the new single after my ‘Mmaa Kuo’. So I was trying to target the masses and targeting the masses is all about coming out with something that can build up to that line. So I was driving around Lapaz, and I saw this well-dressed guy with the girlfriend seated by him in his car. They were kind of very happy but my only problem was the car.

You don’t expect such a beautiful girl and well-dressed guy to be in such a car. So I realize oh ok….I was trying to understand the reason why they were happy. So I realized, we should be content with whatever we have.

If the car does not look so good, they are still ok with it. It is kind of a priceless thing but they cherish it. That motivated me to record the song. Somewhere along the line, while recording the song, these whole ideas came up. ‘Lapaz Toyota’ is not referring to a lady rather appreciating something priceless,” he added.

Guru started singing and rapping during his school days. He was one of the rappers on Dr. Duncan’s program Kasahari on Adom FM and also on Rap Attack hosted by Upper Junior on Hot FM. Guru is the first WAPPI talent discovery of the 2008 artiste program held at British Council for underground music artistes. He first recorded a mixtape video with Sarkodie.

In 2009, he got his breakthrough when he featured on Obrafour’s ‘Kasiebo’. Since then, he has been shining. He subsequently released a single, ‘Democracy’ which became a 16-track album featuring the likes of Kwabena Kwabena, Wutah and a number of other artistes.

At the Ghana Music Awards 2011, he was nominated for ‘Best Rapper of the Year’ and ‘Hip Life Song of the Year’ for the same album. Indeed, Guru has registered his name on the annals of Ghana music. Currently, he has three singles- ‘Mmaa Kuo’, ‘Guru For President’ and ‘Lapaz Toyota’ which is reigning now.

Guru, born Nana Yaw Adjei Yeboah Maradona, hails from Nkoranza in the Brong Ahafo Region. He started his education at Rev. John Teye Memorial School, and continued at Apam Secondary then to NIIT and IPMC. He later pursued a marketing course at Zenith College.

"Pay Me $10,000 Or No Show" Kwaw Kese

Hiplife artiste Kwaw Kese (Real name: Emmanuel Botwe) has sent a straight forward message to event organizers and promoters, stating emphatically that from now he will not take anything less than $10,000 before he mounts any stage in Ghana, adding, that if the event is outside Ghana, he may charge about double or even more.

In an exclusive interview with Peacefmonline.com, the Abodam crooner said event organizers in Ghana do not treat artiste well professionally. He said aside the fact that most of them refuse to provide most of the things they ask for to be able perform well, they also dictate how much they want to pay artiste. “Event organizers must allow us as musicians to charge and stop imposing their prices on us at their own convenience.

They always expect us to put up world class performance but they refuse to pay us what we deserve. I think Ghanaian artistes deserve at least 50% of the amount event organizers pay foreign artistes to perform in Ghana”, Kwaw Kese stated.

He told Peacefmonline.com that before he gets on stage he has to pay his DJ, his bodyguard, his hype man, dancers, buy new clothes and if the show is outside Accra he has to provide accommodation and transportation for all these people but the amount organizers pay now cannot take care of all these people, so most often only the artiste comes on stage but professionally, the artiste alone is not enough.

The “Nonsense” hit maker believes that as an artiste $10, 000 will be enough for him to get everything like costume, props and stage craft right. “$10,000 is not too much it is a considerable amount that will be okay for me to put up a great show and perform from my heart. So from now it is $10,000 or no show”, Kwaw Kese emphasized.

He said most of the Ghanaian artistes perform better than artiste from other African countries but when event organizers bring other African artistes to perform in Ghana, they pay them huge amount of money.

Asked if he is aware that because they (Ghanaian musicians) are not united, if he insists on the $10,000 charge, some of his fellow musicians in Ghana may go behind him and take about half of that to perform on the same shows, Kwaw Kese said “Oh yes I know that some Ghanaian musicians who are reigning now may even take quarter of $10,000 because they are hungry and that is how they want to sell themselves. My fellow musicians shouldn’t just think about their stomach today and sell themselves cheap”.

Abodam stressed that other Ghanaian artistes who are on top now like Sarkodie, 4X4, Samini, VIP, Tinny, Castro, among others, equally deserve to be paid the same amount or more for performance but if they don’t sell themselves like that nobody would be ready to pay them that much. “This is the only way we can develop and brand ourselves like other African artistes who are going international”.

He said he is only speaking for himself but if his fellow musician follow his movements it will help grow the music industry, develop the musicians artistically and improve on stage craft in Ghana.

When it comes to stage craft and audience appeal in Ghana, Kwaw Kese stands tall. He has appeared on stage in different ways over the years including; A Santa Claus, he has come stage on bicycle, in a giant microphone, he has appeared on stage sitting in an ancient carriage, he been on stage with a donkey, in a Zoomlion apparel, as a soldier, as a king with crown among others and he said it take money be able to achieve all that.

Kwaw said anytime he mounts the stage, the crowd love him not because he is an extraordinary human being but because he is doing something right on stage but as time goes on he needs to up his game and improve. “I believe I need to be paid even more than that but for now it is just $10,000 or no show”.

Kwaw has being nominated from “Album of the Year”, “Artiste of the
Year”, “Hiplife/ Hip Hop artistes of the year” and “Hip Hop Song of the year” for the upcoming Ghana Music Awards 2012. Asked what his chances are, he said deserves to win all four categories but he will be very surprised if he doesn’t win the artiste of the year.

Source: Eugene Osafo-Nkansah/Peacefmonline.com/Ghana

Efya To Set Kumasi On Fire This Easter Sunday

Fast rising Ghanaian pop songstress Jane Awindor,known in music circles as Efya,has promised residents of the Garden City and all lovers of good music, an enthralling night of musical intimacy ahead of Easter Sunday’s RapperholicAlbum Launch in Kumasi.

Credible reports reaching event publicist and blogger Kwabena Agyeman-Kobia,indicates that the sexy and strong voiced Efya appears upbeat and all too determined to steal the show,a venture she believes will enable her penetrate deeply into the Kumasi market.

Efya is slated to perform alongside hiplife giants like DCryme,StayJay,Raquel,Tiffany,Guru,Edem.Keche and whizz-kid Awal in support of the ‘Azonto King’,Sarkodie,in the Rapperholic Concert at Kumasi’s ultramodern Royal Lamerta Hotel,Ahodwo.

CHINEDU IKEDIEZE(AKI) BECOME FIRST NOLLYWOOD ACTOR TO SELL HIS WEDDING VIDEO

Grab your copy now! You may want to know which Nollywood movie is that.

It is the superlative traditional and white wedding of Uzuaholi,Abia State born actor,Chinedu Ikedieze popularly called Aki.

The midget actor who got married to his Imo State born wife Nneoma a few months back is now in Nollywood history books as the first male star to offer the video of his wedding for sale to the public.

The video which is currently on the shelves is marketed by Kasvid Venture Limited.

The first to have her wedding video sold was Mercy Johnson last year.
                                                 
 GRAB YOUR NOW

Chemphe Fills Up Tavern 2131 For Bartender Event

Chemphe is Ghana’s only Pan-African R n B /urban life artiste with enormous experience in writing of inspirational and good R n B pieces. His global Campaign against poverty which received massive support from YMCA and subsequently had the new day album launched in Norway, was among the biggest album exposure around the world.

Chemphe will outdoor the most anticipated “purple Kiss” album this year and is currently working on the double P project which will encompass campaign for Peace but against Poverty. He is set to release two new singles “Kiss Me” which features 4×4 and funny face and “Left Over” which features Laxio prior to the album launch.

Chemphe’s R N B influence was really felt at the Tavern 2131 event when he was called upon to headline. Fans were treated with two hours of Chemphe’s Urban R n B music by E-Jam Record’s DJ Nyaami which pushed fans to request for album copies accordingly. He performed “Can I Be”, “Number 1”,” Love Somebody ft Nana” among others. His “kiss me slow” mix later generated controversy in the night and was almost named abortion syrup due to the contents. The event organized by 2131, E-Jam Records and Y fm came off last Saturday 31st March 2012, and was really packed despite numerous events in town.

Armed Robbers Attack E-tv Presenter

The hostess of E-tv Ghana’s Late Nite Celebrity Show, Deborah Vanessa, was attacked last Friday by armed robbers on her way home from presenting that night’s edition of the popular entertainment show.

The random attack, which occurred around 23:30 that night, resulted in the robbers fleeing with her phone, car keys and digital camera.
She, thankfully, was left unharmed.

Deborah Vanessah had stopped at a female friend’s place at Dzorwulu when the unfortunate incident occurred. According to Deborah, the armed robbers attacked her with a machete and demanded money from her.
Recounting the ordeal, the TV personality explained that the machete-wielding criminals sprang from a dark blue coloured Toyota Corolla, employing a tactic which had her effectively boxed in between her friend’s gate the adjacent gutters and their Toyota.

“They threatened to break my side window with a machete and harm if I didn’t open the door so I unlocked my car and one of the robbers entered from the passenger side and started demanding money. He was like ‘where is the money, where is the money?’

To avoid physical harm, she allowed them to search the car thoroughly to prove that there was no money or laptop, as they demanded. The assailants, numbering at least two, escaped with her car keys, digital camera and her Blackberry. One was described as tall with a low haircut and the accomplice was short with unkempt hair.

Deborah, when speaking to E-tv Ghana news, said she had reported the incident to the police. She is in a healthy condition. Deobrah Vanessa broke the news to her fans on Facebook, prompting an outpouring of sympathy and supports from her many fans. “I am grateful that I came out of this unscathed but if anything positive has come out of this, it’s that I’ve been touched by the messages of support and encouragement I’ve received from my fans.”

Residents of Dzorwulu are being cautioned about such attacks in the area. Security expert, Alex Acquaye, who gives Etv Ghana viewers crucial security tips on Awake every Monday morning, commended Deborah Vanessa for the way she conducted herself in what was a highly stressful and dangerous situation.

This attack comes after Joy News entertainment reporter, Kweku Obeng Adjei, was robbed at gunpoint by three armed robbers last month. They made away with his Toyota Corolla, although there is no suspicion at present that these two events are in any way connected.