Ghana - The Torch-Bearer

"These are not dark days: these are great days - the greatest days our country has ever lived." 


-Winston Churchill

The African spirit has always been reflected in the remarkable history and heritage of Ghana.
Ghana has been described as "The Gateway To Africa", "The Torch-Bearer" and so many more that really makes me blush as a Ghanaian.

The First of July, was, is and will always be an unforgettable day in the lives of Ghanaians in and outside Ghana. But what does it really mean to be revered as a leader in African democracy?? Does 57years of independence and 52years of being a Republic actually set Ghana head others?? I think the best way to prove this is in our attitude as a people. Let us all avoid violence and acts that can trigger violence this Election year.


Some say Ghana is a difficult place to live based on their own reasons but I believe those reasons would count for nothing if Ghana loses her peace.
Let us be fair and firm.
Treat your brother right because there is no place better than home.




Happy Republic Day, Ghana!!  

Part Two: The Achilles Heel Of Ghana Music

"The border between music and noise is always culturally defined" -Wikipedia.com

In our cultural setup, what then is defined as good "music"?? What is defined as "crap"?
And most importantly who defines what "good" or "crap" music is??

The appetite of Ghanaians towards music is undeniably phenomenal but is it fair to abuse this "gift"? Aside the menace of copy-cat artistes taking Ghanaian musical culture for granted, choosing Nigerian and American terminologies over that of Ghana, other factors cannot be ignored.

I refuse to mince words as my opinion of some Ghanaian artistes simply lacks innovation and is "lazy". Ghana has for long suffered from the low levels of commitment from singers and rappers alike. Also, Ghanaians must know that there is a distinction between Nigerian "Broken English" and Ghanaian "Pidgin English".
As much as I may chastize Ghanaians for copying Nigerians, they will face competent or even better opposition from Ghanaians if we find ourselves as Ghanaians. Instead of creativity, some artistes plagiarize from different artistes and make it theirs.

A very good example is Lil Wayne a.k.a Tunechi who started his career as a member of the Cash Money group Hot Boys. Lil Wayne was a good rapper but became even better when he realised what he was good at and stuck to it. Although his two albums Lights Out (2000) and 500 Degreez (2002) were not as successful (only reaching Gold status) as his first with the Hot boys, The Block Is Hot(1999, reaching Platinum), Dwayne Carter went back to do his homework and came out with a better rap style that moved him all the way to winning three Grammy Awards.

In Ghana, we've had artistes like Okyeame Kwame evolve to a more than laudable level in music. We've had artistes like Edem and Tinny breaking language boundaries in Ghanaian music. Kwaw Kese(who I'm particular proud of) made a statement about sticking to Hip Hop when "everybody ran" to Azonto music, which in my opinion is marvelous. As a public service announcement, I would like to state that, people particularly dancing to a tune doesn't make one a complete artiste. Real artistes who makes real songs always have a timeless imprint on the music charts.

I do not intend to condemn the Azonto craze in the country, but artistes have on many occassions settled for mediocrity since our music can be heard on the radio. It seems there is no desire to do the extraordinary since the ordinary seems to be making the waves. It is no wonder therefore not surprising that some Ghanaians choose foreign music over Ghanaian music.
Since we are on that topic, I would ike to ask if it is an intentional attempt to tag Ghanaian songs as cheap, as presenters and DJ's alike don't help matters. My earlier statements do not in any way mean that we do not have quality artistes in the country but I'm sure I'm not the only person who has noticed a funny trend. What am I rattling about?? In recent times whenever any international song is being premiered on radio or TV, you'll hear presenters giving appellations like "crazy, banger, hit-song, awesome, mind-blowing"etc to the song before its even played and would continue to play the song over and over again, no matter how ordinary the song may actually be. Unfortunately however, when it comes to Ghanaian songs, the best they can do is to say, "new song, new single" or at their best,"its a nice song or good song". It shows the low levels of enthusiasm in GH music which is very disheartening. This even happens in event commercials, where the international acts are "The Undisputed, The Sexy, The Ladies Man,The Unstoppable", for Ghanaian acts, there's not even much to be said. I'm however not surprised by this because thats the same way foreigners are prioritised in almost every endeavour.

Do I need to speak about "payola" which most claim is no more??
To Be Continued....

End Of Part Two.


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The Achilles Heel Of Ghana Music...

The Ghanaian music industry has for numerous years been trying to find itself and what it stands for. For decades, the Sub-Saharan nation has shuffled through various genres which are seemly defined by unknown strings in the industry, that is if there is a mechanism to regulate the music art that Ghanaians are exposed to.
Ghana has transitioned through High-Life,Hip-Life, Afrobeats, RNB,Rap/Hip Hop, Reggae, DanceHall and honestly, at certain points, unknown music styles crept into the Ghanaian music scene. Francophone music is not an exception and not a surprise due to the fact that Ghana is flanked on all sides except the south by African countries; where lies the Atlantic ocean.

However, a challenging and virtually disturbing trend I have noticed in Ghanaian music has to do with the insatiable need to copy any style that seems to make the charts. It has reached a point where I fear for the loss of Ghanaian musical ingenuity and originality. Most appalling is the shameful attempt of certain musicians to go to the extent of copying Nigerian lyrics in their Nigerian-coloured songs making it almost impossible to strike a distinction between certain Ghanaian songs and Nigerian music.
I believe it is imperative that Ghanaians do not lose their cultural musical content and style because we cannot copy the Nigerians and Americans more than ourselves. We are better as Ghanaians and more unique as such.
The tongue that criticizes should be capable of praise as well, so I would like to appreciate the likes of Obour, Okyeame Kwame, Kankam ((Cue) an upcoming artiste), and many more who still carry high the true flag of Ghanaian music. The likes of Kubolor, Lil Shaker, Sarkodie, Manifest and others, who use Ghanaian pidgin in their contemporary music.
The magnificent Kwabena Kwabena, Efya, Becca and others who make live band music a delight, with traditional African rythmes.


End Of Part One...

To Be Continued...

Vanity

Saturday, February 04, 2012

6:18 PM

Vanity, vanity, all is vanity

That which gives you an identity is but only a cloth of frivolity

For even the State cannot give immunity against this stupidity

Man is a creator of a false reality; always driven as the economic commodity

Sheepishly conjuring terms and catch-phrases

Busy officiating non-existent materialistic grand prix races

The so-called elite driving the sleek Formula One cars

So intelligent, they don’t realize there is no finish line

Speeding round like hungry hyenas; they circle the circus

But their noses point to the skies as though they are with no blemish

Pumping their chests out and calling it swag, a bit more like rag

Impersonating celebrities of unknown descent…

Intrigued by their never-ending flukes like attacked insects

They confuse pride with self-respect

They play down their failures and change not

But if you will still repeat the gesture of your defeat then where is your pride

Where is your pride when what people think about you makes your "pride"

Its like waiting for the sky to cease to be high and wide

No one builds your self-esteem but yourself and not the tide

The frantic chase for fame makes you lame

Hopping from people's lives like it’s a game

Its sheer daftness to think of life as the same lame game

Cuz what is a game when you have only one turn

You die or you learn,

Baby, you freeze or you burn

Lessons are learnt to cause change not to fake change for vanity

Or branded dignity but to promote maturity and integrity.

Lexis Quajo Manuel®

©  2012

What is true?? What is real??

What is true? What is real? Its all the same

Call it untrue, or a sinister deal.

Your emotions flew, or your wounds didn’t heal.

Its all the same.

A liar and an untrusted fellow wearing a halo.

Life is about conscience not virtue nor vice

Left or right, fall or rise

The mother of all this is conscience

It carries the weight of your pity and stupidity

It carries the story of your libido, chastity or promiscuity





What is true?? What is real?? Its all the same

Whether you are seeking favor or fame

Whether it is for you just a chess of loss and gain

I believe there exist not in this world the cast we put forth

There is no black and white; good and bad people

Life is no comic book to segregate between humans; a hero and a villain

Life relates to an "Abdul Salam" movie, depicting people of different sense of living

Unlike a Schwarzenegger blockbuster where we know who did the kidnapping

Its just a bunch of people raising their life standards to the ceiling

Life knows not the regular "Romeo" who meets the enchanting "Juliet"

It is much like the Greek prince "Paris" and the Spartan beauty "Helen"

A tale of love and betrayal, sacrifice and selfishness;  loyalty and war

A legendary tale due to its anti-climactic nature

I mean life is a Chelsea and Barcelona fixture

It is the day's climate that wins not the players, 'cause its still everyday football

So why not an everyday result??

This lesson was learnt in the hardest of ways,

So pause before you criticize the lesbians or gays,

For everyone has reasons and notions

So next time guide them rightfully

Express your reasons respectfully

That is called understanding sacrificially; Loving toughly

So what is true?? What is real?? Its all the same.

It is just a conflict of motives.


Lexis Quajo Manuel®

©2012

Alter Ego

 

I'm an expert on the less affectionate things

I have passion for the darker phenomenon

So attracted its more like a jinx

Unlike others I fail to blend like a chameleon

So I ask, "What is it that craves the darkness in me??"

"Where from the satisfaction gained when I see the adversary being hailed as the rosary??"

There, in my absurdity I kiss away the pending victory…

 Scraping the ink off history

I'm just applying my darker alter egos; doomy and gloomy

Confession is, you are listening to the prophet of doom

I smell it from a distance and I don't even need to zoom…

I don't give respect for free just because you are a goon

I would rather run from a twisted tongue

Even the son of the morning shivers to a conceited monk

For senseless is being proud of a proud nature

Despised even by the darker "me"

For loyalty and respect is accepted in every scheme

Revered and hailed in every kingdom

Rejecting these mythical legends casts you n a sitcom

These pieces of disjointed words are candies of wisdom…

NQM®

Dec, 2011.

Just A Poem

I know this is the worst time to write a poem…

But I cannot resent a genuine feeling…

This is the story of my life tormenting me like “Bio-Chem”

It is just a pint of understanding I'm seeking…

Like the bottom of my treasure chest is leaking…

Reeking of defeat when seeking emotional healing

The thought of this catastrophe sends me reeling to the ground…

She calls my nightmare a privilege rarely found

My breathe turns into a sound of a struck hound in bondage

Bonded by the heart and rejected by the head…

My young blood already feeling the hinges of old age

The irony of an unqualified love is like an old woman's cleavage to a youth…

Worthless as lyrics to the deaf; Senseless like a newspaper to an illiterate

Aches in the joints, screams of silence; echoes of arguments

A home of chaos and a land of absurdities…

Feels like I'm competing in “The World's Craziest” after auditioning for “Mr & Mrs Egocentric”

A heart venture looking like a bad joke… Now, its just the dignity of love carrying the “mafia” yoke…

Don't blame my conscience if my heart is broke

Wishing I wasn't the bearer of this ink… but its not my fingers but my heart ascribing this scroll…

NQM®

2011.