I’ve been listening to people’s comments on Obrafuor’s latest song, “Kasiebo,” in which he takes a swipe at both Obuor and Okyeame Kwame. This song is really nice and has received massive airplay in Accra. If you haven’t heard it, or would like to listen to it, here's the video from youtube.
Although he disses Obuor for the latter’s assertion that hiplife is dead and for his songs “killing the game” and “atopa gyengyen,” it’s the jab at Okyeame Kwame for calling himself “The best rapper alive” that’s set tongues wagging. Some people have actually expressed the fear that some fans of Obrafuor and Okyeame Kwame could clash and the result could be bloodshed! What a joke, I say, what a joke! In Ghana? Chale, dis no be America oh! There isn’t going to be any of that East Coast-West Coast nonsense here, I can tell you that! Some things, I always say, are for those who are belly-full! If you have to walk all day in the hot sun, just so you can polish a few shoes and earn a few Ghana cedis, the last thing that’ll occur to you’ll be to go into some such foolish fight! If you get hurt and can’t work, how you go chop tomorrow? But that's going to be the topic of another discussion.
Although he disses Obuor for the latter’s assertion that hiplife is dead and for his songs “killing the game” and “atopa gyengyen,” it’s the jab at Okyeame Kwame for calling himself “The best rapper alive” that’s set tongues wagging. Some people have actually expressed the fear that some fans of Obrafuor and Okyeame Kwame could clash and the result could be bloodshed! What a joke, I say, what a joke! In Ghana? Chale, dis no be America oh! There isn’t going to be any of that East Coast-West Coast nonsense here, I can tell you that! Some things, I always say, are for those who are belly-full! If you have to walk all day in the hot sun, just so you can polish a few shoes and earn a few Ghana cedis, the last thing that’ll occur to you’ll be to go into some such foolish fight! If you get hurt and can’t work, how you go chop tomorrow? But that's going to be the topic of another discussion.
In Ghana, the things that get us that animated are food (i.e. access to food and money in our pockets), politics (related to food, since the party in power sometimes determines how much food you’ll get, if any at all) and religion (includes witchcraft). What do we care about two musicians trading artistic blows? For all any of us knows, it’s a ploy to increase publicity and, therefore, sales of the new song and subsequent replies. There’s already a reply to it by Bohyεba on youtube: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M1aDNdVTp5I&feature=related. Now, what did I say about a ploy to promote Obrafuor’s song and its replies?
I’m disappointed, though, that for all the media attention given to this song, the song’s critics have been unable to see the creativity of the song and to commend the musician on it. Perhaps’ I’d better describe the song so you can follow my argument better. The song is in the form of a radio talk programme and features Guru, who acts as the host of the programme. Guru announces that they have a special surprise for listeners and that he has Obrafuor on the telephone, since audiences have been asking him to find out why Obrafuor’s been so quiet lately. Obrafuor ‘s surprised at the phone call and asks if he’s on air. Then the interview begins. The host asks him why he’s been absent, and even cites rumours that are supposed to have been circulating regarding Obrafuor’s silence. Obrafuor responds that he’s in town and that he’s back at the top. Well, he says a lot more than that, but that’s the summary. Then, satisfied with his answers, the host announces a commercial break, which is, in actual fact the chorus of the song.
After the chorus, the host returns to his interview, but finds that he has lost connection with Obrafuor (MTN?). To while away the time, the host presents a breaking news story, but goes right back to his interview when he gets Obrafuor back on the line. He then asks him his opinions about Okyeame Kwame calling himself “the best rapper alive,” even though he doesn’t have even 5 albums to his credit. Obrafuor’s answers, in summary, describe Okyeame Kwame as a braggart who will be brought to his knees eventually. The host then asks Obrafuor his opinions about Obuor’s assertion that hiplife is dead and about his rescuing it (hiplife) with “atopa gyengyen.” Obrafuor responds that he was totally unaware that hiplife was dead and says that musicians have to change to suit changing times. Since this is the end of the interview, the host signs off and the song soon ends.
I think the format of the song is really creative and unique and the artists need to be commended for their creativity. Obrafuor could very well have presented the song in the usual monologue of songs, but by choosing this format, he sort of gave the song an extra special touch. As usual, his lyrics were sound, as was his rhyming. It’s a great song by all accounts.
I’m not in any way promoting Obrafuor, but I’ll say that if any artist has a bone to pick with him over this song, let them find an equally, if not even more creative way of expressing it. We would very much appreciate the enhancement of creativity in our music. We need to raise the bar and if this the only way to do it, then so be it!
I’m not in any way promoting Obrafuor, but I’ll say that if any artist has a bone to pick with him over this song, let them find an equally, if not even more creative way of expressing it. We would very much appreciate the enhancement of creativity in our music. We need to raise the bar and if this the only way to do it, then so be it!
