Mafikizolo's ''khona'' Rules In Ghana

I have gone to different nightclubs, pubs, joints and other social places and gatherings and one thing is very clear; the song ''Khona'' is played almost everywhere and enjoyed by both the young and the old.''Khona'' is even played on many radio stations and television stations.

Mafikizolo

 In as much as most people do not understand a word in the song, anytime it's played, people try to sing along and dance to it. As a matter of fact, the song ''khona'' is a big hit in the country and I find it very difficult to understand why that is the case.
  
''Khona'' is a song by Mafikizolo which is an Afro-pop group from South Africa. Mafikizolo is made up of Nhlanhla Nciza and Theo Kgosinkwe. In as much as many Ghanaians enjoy the song, the song was sang in the Zulu language which many Ghanaians do not understand. ''Khona'' which features Uhuru is one of the tracks on Mafikizolo's ''Reunited'' album which was released in February, 2013.''Khona'' simply means '' there'' or ''at that place''.
 
As at October 4, 2013 at 10:50pm when I checked on youtube.com, I realized the ''khona'' music video had recorded 831,012 views just within five months. The music video has also been nominated in the 2013 4Syte TV Music Video Awards for the Best African Act Video award. This gives a clear understanding and picture of how accepted 'khona' has become worldwide.

I believe anything African should be embraced by every African. I am happy that ''Khona'' is enjoyed by everybody but I am a bit worried about a phenomenon that is creeping into our entertainment industry. I am quite certain that many radio presenters or Djs who play ''khona'' religiously have not been paid any payola to do so. Notwithstanding the fact that they have not been paid any dime, they seem to be promoting the song so much to the detriment of Ghana-made songs.
 
I stand to be corrected but I am forced to believe that many radio presenters or DJ's who are promoting ''khona'' are doing so much more than for  the Ghana-made songs for which the artistes have even paid huge amounts of cash as payola.
  
There are many artistes who have very good songs but do not have their songs played on radio but here we are, we promote a song from South Africa and leave behind our own songs. Is it not a disgrace? Is it the right thing to do? ''Khona'' is a nice song but I believe our priority should be geared towards promoting any good Ghana-made song first of all before we promote works from other countries.

Radio presenters and djs can continue playing the khona track but they should not forget to also promote songs of Ghanaian artistes for which they have been paid payola and even any good song from any Ghanaian artiste even without the payment of payola.  Let's love and promote our own before we do so for others.                                                               
                                          By  Elvis Rancey Baidoo

Our Industry Lacks Mentors: No Wonder We Can`t Go Beyond Better!!!

In any profitable industry the world over, there is always the need to get some people ahead of you who will act as mentors when the end seems too near. Unfortunately, in the entertainment industry in Ghana, there are no mentors so many of us suffer when we get to our peak.

 How can it happen that it is only in our industry that actors, musicians, dancers, fashion designers and what have you get to their peak and do not know what to do next, then out of desperation another new person in the industry will overtake them making their efforts over the years useless. This is one of the reasons why many in our arts and entertainment industry fail after hitting the top of their career.

Sarkodie`s signing of the Konvict deal came out for discussion last week and many were of the view that, if Sarkodie felt the deal was not a lucrative one, then there was no need going ahead to sign it. Such people congratulated Sarkodie for not signing but we at Flex newspaper respectfully disagree with those views on the following premises.
 
First of all Sarkodie needed that deal because he has done all he needed to do in Ghana and therefore nothing will be so new for him again in the music industry. Due to the fact that there is no record of any musician who has risen quickly like Sarkodie has done, he needed at least somebody in that area to direct his path and until he will get such a lead, Sarkodie will be there until another artiste overtake him from nowhere.
 
 The second thing is also that, the people around him might not have that expertise to push Sarkodie to cover different grounds else where, therefore the need for fresh brains and fresh directions is paramount.
   
We should not be deceived that what has happened to Sarkodie in terms of how successful he is in the music business has not happened to other people before.  Many artistic people have gotten to that level but because of lack of direction in their career, they plummeted again and today they are no where to be found. Which successful musicians can serve as mentors to our current crop of musicians, actors, dancers, radio presenters and even entertainment writers.

MUSIGA Executives Visit British Musicians Union

As Part of the Twinning agreement between the Musicians Union of Ghana(MUSIGA) and the British Musicians Union(BMU), The President of the Musicians Union of Ghana has led a delegation of MUSIGA Executives to the United Kingdom on a 10 day working visit.

Already the team has held meetings with the General Secretary of BMU and President of the International Federation of Musicians(FIM) John Smith and the past Chairman of the BMU Executive Council Danny Langstaff  where a wide range of issues including membership

development, Collective bargaining, industry rate standardization, Collective management, UK musicians participation Ghana Music week 2014, among others were discussed.
The delegation has also held meetings with the coordinator of British Underground, a British Arts Council funded institution to grow and promote British Musicians around the world.  British underground will be sending a group to participate in Ghana Music Week 2014 and a Ghanaian underground group will also be invited to take part in the British underground festival in 2014 .  There is also a prospect to have collaboration between Ghanaian musicians and UK musicians under the relationship that is being established for the promotion of musical cultures of the two countries over a 3 year period.
The team has visited the MU East and South Regional Office where they were taken through the entire operational processes of that office and how aspects of them can  be adopted to improve service delivery to Ghana and members of MUSIGA.
The delegation will visit and hold meetings with PPL, PRS & Music Publishers Association of the UK.  Furthermore, the delegation will travel to Cardiff to participate in the ongoing WOMEX 13 Festival. At WOMEX, the team will join 2 other members of Musiga, Appiah Dankwa(Appietus) and Paa kwesi Holdbrook(Paa K) who were selected by Musiga to receive sponsorship from the British Council to participate in the   Festival.
The delegation includes: the General Secretary- Mrs. Deborah Nyameye Anaman and The Director of Special Projects –Fiifi Khan Agyarkwah (Rev).                                                                                     

Holy Ghost Arrests Actor Kwaku Manu, As He Starts Preaching On The Streets

A time will come very soon that all celebrities in Ghana will become men of God and will take to the streets to preach the word of God to lost souls in the world. After Lord Kenya, Ofori Amponsah and many others, the new celebrity to be arrested by Holy Ghost is popular Kumawood actor Kwaku Manu.

Flex newspaper reporters were in Kumasi last week and we have filed this report for our cherished readers. Information reaching us is that ace actor Kwaku Manu has decided to take to the streets to do what is popularly known as dawn broadcasting in his vicinity and areas close to him. This is because he has now seen God and has decided to change his ways of life. Listening to an interview with Kwaku Manu on Nhyira Fm, he told listeners that he has been a staunch Christian since infancy but because of his acting career, he lost focus at a point to pay attention to his blossoming career.
  
“In fact I am not a new person in God`s business. I started doing dawn broadcast when I was a child and I did that till I found my way into the acting business. Because I was busy during my acting days, I was not getting enough time to preach. Also I think God knows why he decided I wait until this time that he has made me who I am today. It is now clear that if I start doing the work of God, I will have a great impact on the people because of my stature in society and my popularity. I don't intend to start a new church like some people have done but I am just about to do the work of God more seriously than before” Kwaku Manu told Nhyira fm Entertainment Power House host Austin last week Saturday.
 
There are some people in the industry who think that if Kwaku Manu is really called by God, then he should take his new life out of the media since that might make people doubt his true calling for the work of God. For your information, Kwaku Manu is now a preacher on the streets.
                        by     Elvis Rancey Baidoo

Ghanaian Kissing Actors Are @ Risk (part 2)

Three weeks ago, two Ghanaian actors revealed (on anonymity) to Flex newspaper that   Ghanaian film makers don't screen them medically before casting them to play roles that involve kissing.
 Some people in our showbiz industry doubted the story simply because our sources debarred us from publishing their names. In fact, Dr. Cann, host of Happy 98.9 FM's Saturday entertainment programme' Showbiz Xtra' lambasted Flex newspaper Editor Samuel Atuobi Baah; remarking “Sammy you should not have done such a story. Some of the actors are angry at you.”   'The truth is one and cannot be hidden forever.'Unknown to Dr. Cann and others, many of our Ghanaian actors rather took keen interest in the story because their health is at risk. In case you don't know, list of infections one can contract through kissing are: HIV, Hepatitis-B, Warts, Swine flu, Infectious mononucleosis, Otitis media, Tonsillitis, Mumps, Chickenpox, Measles, Slapped cheek syndrome and the likes.    Following up on the same story, three celebrated Ghanaian actors have re-confirmed to Flex newspaper that our Ghanaian film makers don't screen them medically before casting them for roles that involve passionate kissing. Read what promising actress and communication savvy, Ebi Bright, told your authoritative Flex newspaper:

OSARFO: Do our film makers screen you guys before casting you for roles that involve deep kissing? EBI: What?! Eerrmm no. Funny, nobody talks about this at all. Most Ghanaian Film makers are very careless about our sexual health. I guess we're pretty careless about this particular issue. If you give me a role, once I think my co-star is relatively clean, that's it! I remember worrying about Hepatitis B but I vaccinated and then forgot about any other risk.
 OSARFO: Is this topic necessary to talk about?
 EBI: Absolutely! There actually are many diseases that I know can be transmitted orally including Oral Gonorrhea, thrush, warts, herpes and many other mouth and throat infections! This is a topic not only for actors but for the general public! Hmm... This is getting scarier the more we talk about it!!!
 OSARFO: would you agree with me that you took a deadly risk in the movies that you deeply kissed actors without knowing their medical status?
 EBI: Well yeah... With the profoundest respect to the very few I have kissed. They took a risk with me too! Let me simplify it by stating that we all took the risks. Fortunately, they've all been pretty neat, nice fellows who I call friends now, but that has nothing to do with the issue we're discussing. I guess we don't expect that our co-star has anything harmful to share with us on set, but with all intimate relations there must be the highest degree of discretionary protection. I thank you for asking, as now I don't see myself engaging in this kind of risk in the future.
  OSARFO: Have you ever unfurled this issue before any Ghanaian film maker and what was the response?
 EBI: Noo... like I said earlier, no one even thinks of this, and that's why it's so dangerous! We're almost like a family and you'd be surprised how protective and possessive we are about each other. Trust is pretty solid within the industry especially across sexes. I must state categorically that it is unlikely that the caliber of film makers we have today would dismiss this issue. I consider myself one of the most risk-taking and vocal actresses but I haven't raised this issue! Your feature is groundbreaking so I thank you in advance for prompting us and spearheading change because I know that the powers that be will respond promptly and positively to this.
 OSARFO: Do you know whether film makers in other continents or countries screen actors medically before casting them?
 EBI: I'm pretty sure that they do. People are pretty discriminating elsewhere generally. They are more informed and more vocal about things like this. We are also getting there, wait and see, because who can ignore an issue like this?
 OSARFO: Your last words on this issue……
 EBI: The saddest thing for me would be for people to reduce this issue to a lambasting of film producers. Everyone must share the responsibility. Actors, producers, policy and regulation makers as well, because there have to be standards and conditions for work, as in any other profession. I look at this as a prompting of not only the industry, but also public attention towards greater discretion in our general physical conduct.
 
Plump but beautiful actress Roslyn Ngissah told Flex newspaper “they (Ghanaian film makers) don't screen us, at least as far as I am concerned; no film maker has ever screened me before I was casted to play any role in any film. I agree with you if you say we are at risk but what can we do? This is an industrial issue we all have to talk about because it's crucial for our work.”

Speaking to multiple award winning actor Van Vicker, he said “this is a serious issue you want to write about. Those who are at risk are actors like me who kiss in almost every movie we are casted for. I once did Hepatitis B screening with my family when the Hepatitis-B epidemic hit our faces some time back. It was then that I learnt one could contract Hepatitis-B through kissing.

At that time, I had kissed an actress in a movie for almost 2 minutes so I screened to known my medical status as far as the disease is concerned. I can't mention names but I believe in other film making countries, some A-list actors would require film makers to screen them medically or vice versa just to know the medical fitness of the actor for a role. Especially roles that involve stunts. I personally don't tongue-kiss in movies but many others do and even go over boards.”

Flex newspaper is still compiling reactions from our film makers. Now that some actors have come out boldly, we promise to bring reactions from the film makers too regard this topic; Should Ghanaian film makers screen actors medically before casting them for roles that involve kissing? Keep reading Flex newspaper, Ghana's most authoritative and credible print media.

Dancehall Artiste Fontomfrom Shuts Samini and Shatta Wale Up

The Dancehall scene in Ghana is heating up and finally receiving its due recognition possibly as a result of the controversies surrounding some of its key members.

Samini has claimed that he reigns supreme when it comes to Dancehall in Ghana but Bandana aka Shatta Wale thinks otherwise. Bandan's 'Dancehall King' song has been described as one that would finally prove to Samini that the former is really the King, while fans of Samini think he has carved a niche that will take years for Bandana to carve.
 
This led to a nasty 'altercation' between the camps of both artistes and as we speak, there's still some tension.
However, veteran Dancehall artiste Fontomfrom seeks to correct the misconception created by his fellow artistes. He believes both Samini and Bandana do not deserve the crown due to their behavior. In his words:
 "Kingship is for leaders not people who act like kids". Fontomfrom also said "Kings are chosen by the people so they should stop claiming the crown for themselves".
 
So when will the debate about who the dancehall king  come to an end? Well, listen to Fontomfrom's new song "Facebook Badboy" and find out for yourself. Perhaps he deserves the crown.

Flex newspaper

Blakk Rasta Takes Up New Social Responsibility

From the beginning of this crusade which is being championed by top reggae musician and radio presenter Blakk Rasta, many thought he was only doing it as a content for his Taxi Driver reggae show on radio, but after carefully following him and his activities on air, it is clear Blakk Rasta is up to something very positive.

He is indeed pushing the agenda of getting the right people with legal powers to come behind the former stars of the future candidate Ramzy to “fight” for his freedom. Take it or leave it, what the award winning reggae musician and presenter is doing will surely yield some positive results because more influential people and legal brains in the country follow his programme religiously (apologies to Lawyer Tabiosori) hope I got to name right.
 
Now this is what Blakk Rasta is doing with his large platform in the capital. During one of his programmes, he conducted an interview with mother of the incarcerated musician and he did the honourable thing by recording the interview. Blakk Rasta gave the woman an opportunity to send her plea to the president of our land John Dramani Mahama to come to her aid in giving his son a presidential pardon like it was done for his fellow jail mate called Jerry. Now Jerry is walking around town a free man because he was given a presidential amnesty but when Ramzy and his family tried an appeal, his case was aggravated abruptly. He was given an additional 10 year jail term to the years he has already served. How pathetic:  and this is what Blakk Rasta is aiming for an intervention we are sure.

Fortunately for the woman, Blakk Rasta is treating the recording of the plea on his programmes like a jingle. It will shock readers to even know that he sometimes uses the voice recording to mix some beats and knowing his versatility as the number one reggae presenter in the country owing to his numerous awards, he does it to perfection which brings a feeling of both laughter and pain. In doing this, it results in a serious campaign that he might not imagine himself. If you think that is the only action Blakk Rasta is taking to help vulnerable people in the society, then wait till you read this one too.
 
There is one woman who was maltreated by a church and its head pastor (names left out because we hear some legal tussle has started over that broadcast) and again Blakk Rasta gave the woman that fine opportunity to expose the pastor and his evil deeds. Listening to the woman who had gone blind because of what the man of God did to her, it was crystal clear that she had never dreamt of being in a radio station, but there she was speaking on one of the most listened to shows in the capital. Blakk Rasta was doing this in the name of getting some right thinking members in our society to come her aid.
  
What else can we say, we at Flex newspaper is describing Blakk Rasta as the voice of the voiceless and an advocate for positive vibes. Congratulations to Blakk Rasta for such beautiful initiatives. Hope you will start another campaign for Shaka Zulu as well