This is How The Interview Went:

#VGMA14: congratulations on ur nominations! How do u feel about being 1 of the new stars on the rise with ur 1st album

Cwesi Oteng: I feel awesome.been longtime coming.

#VGMA14: how has the whole experience been for you after releasing your new album?

Cwesi Oteng: Lessons from the first Album gave me much education to come back with afropop hits that made a big difference and got me here

#VGMA14: Who do you think is your biggest completion in the “artiste of the year” category?

Cwesi Oteng: R2Bees.

#VGMA14: how has the support from family and close friends influenced ur art?

Cwesi Oteng: famm is famm.Much Love.

#VGMA14: any other passions aside music?

Cwesi Oteng: yeah business,writing,real estate consultancy,yung ppl empowerment,preaching.

#VGMA14: we wish u all the best this weekend @ the #VGMA14…. Thanks for sharing this time with us.

Cwesi Oteng: Thank You and Welcome.I pray for a great spectacular show for your crew.All the Best.

Fashion entered my life in junior high school, when it suddenly became imperative that I own a Gant dress shirt, the kind with a loop on the back. These were deemed the ne plus ultra of cool — and the only place you could buy them was the Northbriar Shop of the now-defunct Dayton’s department store, at least in my hometown of Minneapolis. But, in 1963, spending $14 for a shirt seemed extravagant and profligate (at least to my parents).

Since then, I’ve decided that fashion is both silly and pointless. Fashion Week? I wouldn’t get within a mile of it — and the photos I see make me think that Hans Christian Andersen would be pocketing crazy cash from the annual parade of The Emperor’s New Clothes at those self-important tents in Bryant Park or behind Lincoln Center.

So I’m obviously not the target demographic for Matthew Miele’s documentary, Scatter My Ashes at Bergdorf’s. Still, I’ve watched documentaries about topics in which I had no interest — including one about the guy who won the first season of Project Runway — and if the movie is well-enough made, I’ll hang in there.

But Bergdorf’s isn’t that movie.

Ace Broadcast Journalist with the BBC World Service Radio, BBC World Television and presenter of BBC Africa Business Report Komla Dumor is one news personality flying high the flag of Ghana in an enviable way to a world audience.

Komla, known as ‘The Boss Player’ among his Ghanaian fans, turns 41 this October. He shot to fame in Ghana by hosting Joy 99.7 Fm’s ‘Super Morning Show’ to a discerning audience for years. He was awarded the overall best Ghana Journalist of the Year in 2003.

The Boss Player gave an insight into his career and personal life in an exclusive interview he had with television presenter, Eddy Blay.

How is life in London treating you?

Komla: Life is interesting and exciting, Eddy, it’s all about the work. I can’t say I’ve become a “Londoner”, because I spend most of my time in the studio or sleeping. I wake up and it’s back to the studio. But life is good. I can’t complain.

How’s the family? Three kids?

Komla: Yeah, the family’s doing incredibly well. Kids will be happy wherever you take them, so they’re good. They were still young when we moved up here, so they adapted well to life in London and they’re enjoying themselves.

Do you miss Ghana much?

Komla: Oh yes! I miss Ghana a lot, everyday! What I do for a living is fantastic. I love my job and the opportunities the BBC gives me. However, there’s no place like home. I get that nostalgia especially on the weekends when I know the boys in Ghana are having a good time somewhere without me. I miss that camaraderie that Accra is all about. But in due course I’ll be back home.

So it’s been seven years since you moved to the UK. Did you have any problems settling in on the way of life here?

Komla: Not really, because I’m here to do a job and that’s it. I remain focused on my work. Obviously, you build relationships in the communities in which you live in. I must be frank though, I’m all about the work. When I’m doing the morning news, I leave home at 2am in the morning and I’m on air at 5. I’m always thinking about the stories that need to be told and the journalism that needs to be done.

A couple of years back I was traveling once a month to a different African country to report. I went to 30-40 cities across Africa reporting for the BBC. I went all over Europe and the USA as well. I’m having a great experience but my focus has always been on the work.

What would you say is one of the best moments of your career?

Komla: You know the truth is, I am proud of some of the things I’ve done. I’ve been nominated for “Speech Broadcaster of the Year” in Britain. I have interviewed the good, the great, and some very fascinating people. I’ve traveled to some amazing places. However, I don’t know if it’s me or just the nature of the job, but I find myself thinking about the next thing that I need to do. I think the most important thing, as we are constantly reminded at the BBC, is that it’s all about the audiences.

The audiences have daily expectations. You look back at your last great interview as just a job. The next day you move on and try to deliver the same quality or even better. I tend not to reflect on those things, but I’m really proud of the work we’ve done with Africa. We have a new Africa TV program, a precedent. I was the first host of Africa Business Report, another precedent. Being able to tell the African story in a very different way than before is something I’m very proud of. As a matter of fact the BBC is very proud of that too, as they put a lot of resources behind it. Everyday you just try to be the best you can possibly be at what you’re doing.

What’s a typical day in your life like?

Komla: It depends. If I’m doing the morning European facing news, I’m up at 1:30 am. A car comes to pick me up at 2:30am. I’m in the studio from 3:15am, and I start meeting with the team to build the stories. I usually read the stories on my way to work to prepare, and when I meet with the team, nothing seems strange to me. It’s never a “so what are we doing” kind of scenario. You want to be a part of what is happening, so you get in, look at the stories, chat with the business presenter to find out what her stories are, discuss the stories in the papers, go to make- up then on to the set.

How long does make- up take?

Komla: I take the shortest time for make-up! (laughs) There’s no hair to do! Whoever thought I would say “oh I just use a bit of foundation”?! (laughs). There’s no argument, the make up team does a great job on me!

So what time does your day wrap up?

Komla: If I’m doing the morning, I wrap up at 8am. If there isn’t anything to discuss post the interview, or any support I need to give, that’s it. There are times I might be anchoring a different program, so I might stick around till the afternoon. But generally that’s how it is. Then the week after, it flips over and I do “Focus on Africa”. So for that, I’ll come in for midday, and it’s a similar pattern, with meetings and going through the stories. The challenge with “Focus” is obviously getting the material, the footage, because this is television.

It’s easier with European stories because the footage is available. But if you want to get a story out of Africa, you need to get a camera person there, etc. Therein lies the challenge. The show must be of the same content quality as any other program on the BBC. So a lot of work goes into it. The real tribute should go to the support staff. The presenter delivers these things, and it’s important that he knows what the subject material is and how to deliver it, but the team is essential. The success of the program is absolutely a team effort.

You’re obviously very passionate about what you do. What is it about your job that intrigues you the most?

Komla: Just being able to tell, and live a story. I like to travel, but traveling for its own sake is just sightseeing. Traveling and meeting people who under normal circumstances I wouldn’t come across is fulfilling. I’m not talking about just famous people or Heads of State, but ordinary people with amazing life stories, and being able to share those stories with the rest of the world. I love hearing something from such people and knowing that the audience will really be engaged by this individual. It’s all about the people I get to meet. There’s no glamour in it for me.

How’s the money?

Komla: (laughs) I can live.

So what do you do in your down time?

Komla: That’s a good question, Eddy, because it’s very hard for me to get any in my life with my busy schedule. But I spend any down time I have with my family. This job takes me away from them quite a bit, so it’s the quality of the time and not so much the quantity. The great thing about kids, as you know, is they appreciate the quality. The other day, I had a free Saturday, so I took my daughters out to learn how to fly a kite. Those are the things they will remember. I think I have about 50 movies that I’m about 20 minutes into because I fall asleep, wake up and go to work. I do like to read books and magazines that give my context of the stories that I’m about to run.

Your job allows you to be in touch with all that’s happening back home in Ghana. You haven’t been there in a while though.

Komla: Yeah, I have just been preoccupied with things here in the UK. But previously I was in Ghana fairly regularly, like every 3 months or so. If they gave me an assignment that took me to Sierra Leone or something, I would catch a plane to Accra and see my dad and my sister. But I do try to stay abreast with all that goes on in Ghana.

What do you think about all that’s happening in Ghana now?

Komla: Ghana is a fascinating story right now. The whole world is watching Ghana right now with a lot of interest. In terms of economic performance, and this is what the international media is reporting, not a personal endorsement, it has come a long way and it’s an exciting story to tell. The international media has been reporting this for several years now, running through the current and past administrations. The emergence of commercially viable oil is also very fascinating.

Is this emergence of oil a good or bad thing?

Komla: Well it depends on who you ask, and it always depends on how it’s managed. What is interesting to the international media is that here’s an opportunity for a country to transform itself. However, there are experiences from other countries very close by, that have transformed themselves but not in the right way, as a result of oil production. There are many examples where resource rich countries end up mismanaging their resources.

Whether Ghanaians like it or not, the country is still very much held up as an icon in terms of the management of the electoral process and democracy. The world is very interested in Ghana, and it gets a lot of kudos for it’s political and economic performance. But obviously the best judge of whether or not those praises are justified, are Ghanaians. Ghana needs to be seen within the context of what’s happening regionally, and globally, not just what we are doing in our own small patch.

Are you a perfectionist?

Komla: Not really, because nobody’s perfect and I do know that we all have our faults, but I am very hard on myself. I like to reflect on the work I’ve done even after the program is over. It’s about being satisfied that the product we delivered to the audience was good. Then I can go home and do what a daddy does. But if not, I tend to beat myself up a lot. I appreciate sincere feedback, and I’ve had some pretty brutal feedback in the past from people who are friends and I respect.

Like this one time the editor, who’s a friend of mine, said my delivery was great and fluent, but the program wasn’t. Now I could have been offended by this but I wasn’t. I went back, looked at the program and realized he was right, and noticed what went wrong. So now I think of ways to do it better. That’s what it’s all about and that’s how you learn, always remembering it’s all about the audience.

A message to your fans?

Komla: Well, Eddy, thank you for coming round. It’s very generous of you and thanks to the paper for having me. I have a lot of great friends back home that I miss very much. If I could drill down the message, I guess it would be that people should be ambitious with whatever they want to do. Along the way you’ll be hit by amazing frustrations. I’ve been hit with all kinds of things. But trod on!!Victory is certain, trod on!!

Jim Jones claims he was the victim of racial profiling at Newark Airport last week — when he was pulled over by 4 white cops, who ordered him out of the car while they searched the vehicle for drugs … and TMZ has the pic.

A rep for the “We Fly High” rapper tells us … Jones was at the airport Friday, waiting to pick up a friend (who asks Jim Jones to pick them up from the airport?) when he was approached by a police officer who told Jim he smelled weed coming from Jones’ car.

You can see in the pic … four cops surrounded Jones while he was ordered out of the car and told to place his hands on the trunk. The cops searched both Jim’s person and his car.

Jim’s rep tells us … cops didn’t find a single piece of the green stuff — but still issued Jim a citation for driving without a license.

Jim’s rep says the rapper is furious over the incident — explaining, “He was searched for nothing more than racial profiling.”

A rep for the NY/NJ Port Authority tells us … they were unaware of the situation and are currently looking into it.

Growing Up In Kumasi

It’s an experience because Kumasi is home to a diverse group of people and some of the most eccentric people you will ever see. I basically came up seeing life from all angles depending on if I was living with my dad’s family or my mom’s family because these were like on the opposite sides of the coin. I definitely get my pride and guy-guy from the whole Kumasi-Ashanti culture and Bantama raised me to always throw the first punch so that even if I lose the fight, at least they will say I landed a punch first.

Learning To Rap

My cousin Rebel was the one that got me interested in making my own music, he was an underground cat who never made it past the demo stage but he inspired me to pick up a pen and pad. I started rapping Obrafour’s lyrics from Pae Mu Ka and decided to start writing my own lyrics after seeing two people battle in J.S.S. I realised how weak my skill was after my first demo so i decided to write at least 2 verses a day and practice my delivery at least 2 hours a day before recording again. I also hanged around Pocalos Studios and observed other people recording in an effort to get a hang on it. I also got a lot of practice from jumping on other people’s demos. My craziest day was when Okyeame Kwame came through; he was my idol back then, used to rap exactly like him. It’s funny I was completely frozen when I saw him that day and now I am on a song with him, crazy!!!

The Name Ko-Jo Cue

I had a problem with names and had all sorts of names till I settled on Jazzy Flo. Then my ex-manager, Tallal Sangari, the man responsible for my transformation told me I needed something with an identity to it that reflects where I am from so I decided to use Kwadwo which is the original Ashanti spelling but he was like the Fante spelling is more recognisable and easier for foreigners to pronounce so I changed the spelling. Then one day, Wanlov passed through his office and I was designing an artwork and he suggested I put a hyphen in the middle to make it easier to find in search engines (he probably won’t remember though). I added Cue later to make it easier to differentiate between me and any other Kojo who might pop up.

First Recordings

My very first 2 recordings ever were the worst. Then my next 2 showed an improvement but was still nowhere near good. I finally started coming into my own zone on my first mixtape. The Nathan played a very important role in providing the perfect start to my journey and people still love it till today.

First Performance

My first performance was at entertainment in high school with Wrong Medsin, my partner in crime back then. I got drunk to get rid of my stage fright and I forgot my lines when I got on the stage but the intro and the joint we performed was hard enough to get the boys hyped. It was too gangster for the girls so we got ignored by them.

First Video

I go way back with Jeneral Jay, he even rapped on my first mixtape. We had been trying to make a video for a long time but something always happened at the eleventh hour to thwart our plans for almost 2 years. The day of ‘The Flood’ was no different, we had a more detailed idea for the video but just when we were getting started our extension blew and we couldn’t use the lights. We decided to quit shooting and made some jokes about how I’m jinxed to never make a video. Jeneral saved the day with another brilliant idea that only needed us to shoot in a room with a green cloth, a chair and a red carpet. The whole team stayed up for 3 days straight and we ended up getting it right, his best video yet.

The CUE Ko-Jo Cue

The whole movement came about when I and three other friends decided to form a sect that could bring together all the young creative minds and talents to work with each other in other to help the continent advance and go through a mental renaissance of sorts. We started by pushing the agenda through music and this year we are ready to push it to the next level.

Before We Shine 2

This project has been in the works for over a year now, but I just had to re-work my plan a few times so it kept getting pushed back but I finally decided that the 2nd anniversary of the 1st instalment will be the perfect time to drop it. If you listen closely and scrutinize it, you will realise that the project has nothing but my truth and how it’s interpreted depends on the listener.

Future Plans

I have a lot of them but for now I will just let you know that the next projects are a joint street album with Klu, another joint album with Kay-Ara and then my final street album ‘The Shining’ will all drop this year. There will also be a lot of visuals and hopefully a High School tour depending on if it comes together better.

The 35-year old Glo Ambassador and host of MTV Base’s Big Friday Show talks to NET about how comedy has paid off and what he has been up to lately.

As at the time you started did you think you were going to become this big?

Honestly no. I just wanted to make people laugh. I just wanted to show the world what I had. I never knew it was going to be this big, but with time, I now realised that I can actually do this thing and that was when I started projecting. What I projected then is something bigger than what I am right now. What I will become is still a dream and I’m working towards that dream right now but from the onset I never knew I was going to get this far.

You now have a fan base all across Africa and basically the entire world, how does that make you feel as a comedian?

It makes me feel like I’m doing something right. Like I said I never knew I was going to make it this far. The first time I did an international thing was in Ghana. It was my first gig then which was like eight years ago. I did that and I never knew they were going to buy into my art and I had to deliver in English more which was more or less like the first time then. When I pulled it off I was impressed with myself and that gave birth to a lot of other gigs. I did some gigs in the UK and that gave birth to a lot of other gigs internationally too. One of the first major international gigs that I did was the Choice FM comedy club in the UK, dominantly white people all through and I pulled it off too. I think whatever I get now is what they call the best of all. It’s a great thing for your brand to sell, not just in Nigeria or Africa but even beyond the continent.

A lot of people will like to know how you landed the Comedy Central gig.

What happened was that, the first show I did in South Africa was called ‘Blacks Only’, in front of a massive four thousand people hosted by David Carl. It was a massive show. I did that and he called me back again because of how I did and he wanted me to headline the show. When I did the two shows people started paying attention to the name and the brand. Eventually I got called for a comedy festival in Pretoria. Everybody had their own days and I did mine which was awesome as well and that was how Stand Up Africa called me. I did the first one last year and a second one in February this year. When I was doing this one, I never knew the President of Comedy Central was there in the crowd. When I was done, I saw a white guy walk backstage and walked up to me, apparently someone had introduced me to him but I didn’t really get the details and he was like, will you like to do Comedy Central? And I was like, hell yeah man. That was a month ago and eventually I got the email and then this. No string was pulled, it was based on merit. If I had not done well in Blacks Only festival and the Stand Up Africa, I won’t be where I am.

So what’s Basketmouth bringing to the table for Comedy Central?

The Nigerian flavour; my kind of comedy is different.  It’s different from other kinds of comedians because I have always wanted to be me, original and myself on stage. I have worked on my brand for years to get to where I am right now. What I’m going to be bringing on stage is going to be different from what I have even done before. I want to give it my best; I want to make Nigerians proud. I am not just doing this for myself or career; I’m doing it for ‘Naija’. The same way the Super Eagles went to the Nations Cup, that’s the same way I’m going to the Comedy Central because I have to keep the flag flying and trust me, it’s beyond me. This is the first time something this massive is happening to my career and on a platform like Comedy Central which I have been dying to be part of.  Like I have always said it, that when I start doing comedy Central, that’s when I know I have arrived. So, trust me, this is more or less like the beginning of Basketmouth. Honestly, all I have been doing before has been rehearsals and warming up for what’s about to happen now because I believe that doing this gig is going to give birth to more. This time, I need to do my best and make Nigerians proud. I need to just get it right, so I’m bringing everything that I have to that table.

There’s been a lot of media buzz around your new car, so how customized is it?

I went to visit my friend, Bayo Adegeye, who was my first manager ever. I went to see him and his family in Belgium. His wife is white and the mother is the General Manager of Insignia and all Opel products. When we went to say hi to her, she wasn’t in the office so I went to the shop and I saw this car laying there and I was like, which car is this, and they told me and I said I like it and asked how much it cost. They told me they don’t sell it that way, that you’d have to order it and I said Okay, I want to order it. They took me to the office, they brought out the computer and they asked what colour I wanted. I was like, are you guys serious, anything I want you will put in this car? That was how it started, I told them everything I wanted, so they loaded the car as much as they could to my own satisfaction.

I didn’t go out of my way to buy a car neither did I fly all the way to Belgium to buy a car, it was just a coincidence that I just bumped into the car. It was also coincidental that I was the only person that ordered it from this region. When they told me, I was scared and asked what’s up with the servicing of the car? They told me that with the kind of engine that I have ordered, I cannot service it for the next three years and I said okay then give it to me because by three years’ time, definitely I go don change motor. It was just a coincidence and please don’t ask me how much the car costs.

I was just about doing that.

Please don’t

How much?

Fashola might be reading this, I don’t want him to start asking me for my tax but it’s quite expensive, let’s leave it at that. Trust me, it’s quite expensive.

Why do some comedians steal other people’s jokes?

I don’t agree with any comedian that will steal another comedian’s joke or jokes. I won’t support that because writing a joke is not as easy as it seems. When someone puts in everything; mind, time and punch lines to create a joke, you should respect that person’s creativity because you do not know how many they come up with weekly. I always tell people, do not bite from other comedians because that’s the only way we can all grow. When you start biting, the people you’re selling these jokes to, that is, the audience or clients, start seeing that this person said this joke and they have heard it before, automatically it kills the value of comedy.

What happens is, if I crack a joke and you go to an event and crack the same joke, the next client will then come to me because I’m more expensive than you are and in a situation where they have to go to the other comedian since he’s always cracking the same joke Basketmouth cracks then you are killing the business.  So right now, for me even if you want to steal a material just take the idea and do something different with it because trust me, one joke can have ten different punch lines.

Coming up with the idea is universal because people think alike which is the excuse of most of the comedians right now. It’s one thing we can’t stop so it’s impossible to stop. Even in South Africa and America it is going on like that, they do their own materials but not as much as we do it. In South Africa there was a time I saw a comedian doing another guy’s routine, I won’t mention names but whoever is reading it probably knows the story so the comedian went on stage and did another guy’s routine and the comedian that owns the joke went onstage and beat the hell out of this guy, so it’s not just a Nigerian problem it’s universal.

The comedians in Nigeria are all talented, it’s just that they’ve not been able to identify their strength and potentials. They are extremely funny because in America people write for these comedians, Richard Prior, as famous and as big as he is, people write for him. Nigerians, nobody writes for us. That is to show that we are even more talented than these guys. So, when you start identifying your strength and working on yourself, you will find out that you don’t even have to bite from other comedians.

A year ago you tried to resurrect your music career and all of a sudden nothing has been heard about it, what’s really happening?

Funny enough, last month we were close to shooting the video with Sesan. What stopped us from shooting it, I’m going to be honest, was money (laughs). When he told me how much I was going to be paying, I was like, what am I going to do with the video? Let the video thing just go. After I made that choice, I realized, I could have just done this video because it wasn’t going to hurt me in anyway. I’m doing it for the fun of it, it’s not like I really want to make a career out of it. I just want to complete that journey.

If I have five children I will not train only one, I will train the five of them, which is what I’m trying to do right now with my talents. I have the flair and passion for events management and all that, I’ve a flare for rap music, it’s something I started with and my first love I like to do that too, comedy as far as I’m concerned, I think I’m doing well so I’m not saying I’m done with comedy but I’ve reached that point where I will not lose my followers which is the reason why I waited this long 14 to 15years to do it.

The truth is this, we have released some singles in the past that was lost. I did a single in the past with Faze, it came out but nothing happened. I didn’t push it because I didn’t like it. I did one with Darey, I pushed it and I did another one with Eldee The Don. Until I did with Wizkid I almost didn’t want to release it so it was like let’s just try and see how it goes and we did two singles and people liked it and definitely some people hated it but I’m going to release the album regardless so I have to complete that part of my journey and by the grace of God it’s going to come to pass this year.

You have done television, music and everything, do you think about going into movies like some American comedians have?

Honestly, I’m thinking of moving into movies but if I’m going in, I’m going in big time. I have been offered quick cash to come to movies, I didn’t like them and I tell myself, look, ‘Bright if you’re going to do this you should do it well because you have gotten beyond that point where you want to do something that won’t be good enough. I have been offered to come to a lot of TV shows in the past, but until MTV Base came, I didn’t want to do anyone. when they came and they showed me what they wanted to do, I loved it and I agreed to do it and now people are loving it and its unarguably one of the best shows right now.

If I’m going to do a movie, it has to be right and that’s the reason why I have been doing a lot of skits, not just because I want to use it to entertain people but to use it to exercise my acting skills. I have played almost all the characters in my skits. I’m working on something which I cannot disclose right now. I can only give you hints. There’s a foreign comedian coming to Nigeria soon and he asked if I was interested in doing a Hollywood short movie with him but in Nigeria, and we will shoot some of it in America. We are working on that, and so with God, before the ending of this year, you might be able to see it and I’m praying that it is good enough to hit the box office.

You are one of the most consistent comedians in Nigeria right now, what do you think are some of the key virtues or factors that have kept you going all these years?

The main thing is, changing with time because there are a lot of guys right now that are on fire so you have to redefine yourself. I redefine myself almost every week you know even every day because these guys they are coming out like every second so the only way I can stay fresh and relevant in the mind of people is by redefining myself, give myself a brand that the consumer will like to have. That’s the key. A lot of people don’t know that my kind of jokes are jokes that you listen to and not forget. Jokes I crack are mainly things that people do in their everyday life and I make sure every time I come out with my materials it has to be something that people do so that way, whenever they do it they will be like, oh Basketmouth said this thing.

God is 100 percent behind everything because everything that I do especially comedy is not based on what you think you have, it’s what the crowd wants to have. So, your success and everything is actually in the hands of your consumers, if they don’t find you funny that’s it. I try as much as possible to be relevant, to be that person that they want to always listen to. Most importantly, I’m my own competition.

I do things at my own pace and trust me, I have done a lot of stuff which I’m still not impressed with so that means I have to automatically do more stuffs that has to impress me so I’m just constantly battling and fighting myself which is the reason why I don’t watch myself perform because I actually irritate myself when I watch my performances and anytime I watch it, I’m always like, Bright you could have done better than that because I’m my own critic so that’s one of the thing that I do that has been able to help me get where I am and I don’t think I’m even where I’m supposed to be so I’m fighting myself to that point where I think I can do better than this.

So what are some of the challenges of being a comedian in Nigeria.

Trust me it’s hard o! because everyone expects you to deliver. For music, the 2Face, Psquare or D banj can go on stage to play the same song you have heard over and over again like a million times. You pay them and they go there to sing the same song and people will be happy but with comedy you have to go with something fresh all the time. If you go and crack the same joke, they will just be looking at you which means you’re under more pressure than any other person. Actors may not come on stage and start acting, the best they can do is to present an award or MC an event but we have to be fresh and consistently redefined so as to give out more which is the challenge…

Nigeria’s pop duo, P-Square of Peter and Paul Okoye were in Malawi last weekend, where they thrilled their fans with their electrifying performance and moving dance steps

Showtime Celebrity cornered Peter Okoye who provides insight into what could make him break up with his twin brother. He also talks about the making of their latest album, Alingo and their new plans to conquer the southeast African countries with their kind of music.

You are always on the road, how many days do you guys have to yourselves?

We have been trying as much as possible to create time for ourselves. But most times, we don’t get it. We need more time to rest because performing for 2-3 hours on stage is not usually an easy task. Despite the fact that we have been travelling over the world, we took a break in January, and right now, we have resumed business again.

Sometime ago, it was rumoured that your latest album, ‘Alingo’ was banned which was later refuted. How did you receive the news?

We heard about the ban. But when they ban a particular song, they are indeed helping to promote that song. By the way, if they ban a song from being broadcast in Nigerian stations, will they stop MTV, Channel O, Soundcity and other cable networks from playing the same song. It’s not possible.

What is the making of Alingo?

Psquare for the past five years hasn’t done any dance video and our fans expected to see something of that nature from us. So, ‘Alingo’ was just the first song we had even before the ‘Invasion’ album came out. We didn’t take the song seriously until when our fans started loving it. And before we knew what was happening, it caught fire. We have no choice than to give our fans a video.

P-Square You put in a lot of energies to do the video?

Yes, it was my own idea. When the song started picking up, we thought it is important to give our fans something they have never gotten from Psquare in the past five years. The last time we did something similar to this, ‘Roll It’ was over five years ago. It took us a lot of time and energies to produce the album. Our senior brother, Jude who is also our manager shot the video. Interestingly, most people didn’t know that the video was shot in Nigeria. We went to an abandoned warehouse situated some ten minutes away from our Lagos residence to shoot the video.

Sometime last year, you guys did a remix of Beautiful ‘Onyinye’ with Rick Ross, American artiste. You also got signed to Konvict Music, owned by Akon. What’s the situation like presently?

Our relationship with Akon is great. We have known Akon for over six year but we were not looking forward to working with him until last two years when he attended our concert in London. After watching us perform on stage, he developed interest in working with us.

Then, he was planning to open a branch of his Konvict Musik record label in Africa and he was in need of business partners who would help him coordinate the business. That was how we teamed up with him to establish Konvict Musik in Nigeria. We are representing Akon in Africa just as he is representing in America. That’s the whole idea.

It was also rumoured some time ago that you guys bought a private jet. Was it true?

There was nothing like that. I guess because it was included in our list that whenever we are going for a specific show, the organsiers must provide us with a private jet. We had a deal with a private jet company which always hire their private jet to us whenever we are in need of it. It’s like, we have a private jet at our disposal. I remember, I once tweeted that a private jet has been included in our list. That was how people started speculating that Psquare has bought a private jet. But we always travel with the jet all the time.

But do you have a plan to buy a private jet?

To be honest with you, the way things are going, we are planning to buy one. And it’s not because of the cost implication of hiring a private jet, but the fact that we want to meet up with our concerts.

What would you say, you haven’t done since you started your musical career?

I think we have virtually done everything. But I don’t want our fans to start speculating in respect of when would Psquare break into the European or American market. Africa is the next big thing for Psquare even though Americans are in dire need of our kind of stuff. They have exhausted everything they have to offer. For me, I will rather be a king in my own vicinity than to try to be a king in another man’s land. We have achieved everything except that we have not been able to structure the industry. The problem is that when we try to do so, some greedy fellows always frustrate our efforts. For me, I’m not complaining but I just feel it is important, we structure the industry for a better tomorrow.

Was a 35-man committee members inaugurated last week by PMAN Peace Initiative to restore peace in the troubled musicians’ house?

I’m not aware of it. In fact, I’m hearing it for the first time. The committee they claim to have set up, are they musicians or people they feel they want to use to pilot the affairs of the association. When we came into the industry, it wasn’t like what we are seeing today. Psquare was among the musicians that structured the industry the way it is today. we were among the first set of emerging musicians that started making money from selling our CDs. When they are setting up such a committee, what stopped them from involving people like us.

If they don’t carry people like D’banj, 2face and Psquare along, then, there is a problem. It means they are just wasting their time. This is not because we are successful in what we are doing, but it’s because the industry is driven by individual effort. So, if they are taking such a major decision that will affect everybody in the industry and they don’t involve us, then , there is a big problem. I’m not a member of PMAN, and I don’t have any problem with the association.

Are you not interested in the restoration of peace in the industry?

I’m not interested in PMAN because the past leadership of the association failed us. We don’t need to be PMAN members to succeed in our careers. The association hasn’t done anything for us. I don’t need them.

The peace Initiative is trying to unite the musicians again?

When they were setting up the interim administration, they ought to have started from the top and engage those musicians who command respect in the industry. There is no musician in Nigeria today who does not respect 2face. We can be bigger than him in Africa, but I have so much respect for him because he was among the younger generation of Nigerian artistes who broke even several years ago. It’s so disrespectful that an interim administration was set up without our knowledge. If they don’t get the three top Nigerian artistes; Psquare, 2fac and D’banj, then, they are wasting their time. I love our industry they way it is at the moment. We don’t want a situation where , in the name of association, somebody will start dictating the pace for us. The more good we are, the more we want to make more money for ourselves.

Which country would say is your largest market in Africa?

At the moment, it’s East Africa. Anytime Nigerians say, they are through with Psquare, will take our things and relocate to East Africa. But South Africa is a place where we have been working for the past one year building market for our songs. We took a break in January, this year, and between February and March, we have been to Zambia, Mozambique, Zimbabwe. We were in Angola two weeks ago and just last week, we stormed Malawi. So, our potential market at the moment is South Africa. We have built all these markets by ourselves alone.

The impression most people have about you is that Psquare is arrogant?

I think Psquare is very intimidating and we are not arrogant. When you saw me today, did I look arrogant? That’s a wrong impression people have about us. There is Peter and there is Paul. Peter is stubborn, bad and controversial, but they say Paul is quiet, cool headed and all that. But you see, you cannot steal from Peter to pay Paul. If you steal from Peter to pay Paul, you are indeed paying Psquare. I’m a very controversial person and I’m not expecting every news about me to be positive. Psquare is not arrogant, it’s just that the people are scared of approaching them, considering the way we operate. When you see Psquare stepping out, we look very intimidating. But the people who are very close to know that we are not arrogant. Beyonce could visit a shopping mall today, and the whole place will be shut down. That does not make her arrogant. It is her management that has made it to be so.

How is life without your mother?

It has been hectic. We haven’t decided to do a new album at the moment. But while she was alive, she was always with us in the studio. We don’t know how we are going to do it this time around. She was a minister of God before she passed on. She had her own Church which Paul and I built for her. Anytime, we want to release a new album, she would pray on the album for almost a week before we got it released into the market. Her church is still functioning till date and her prayer partners are still there. Once in while, we do communicate with the leadership of the church and it was our desire to see the church continues to function after her death. Wherever she is today, she will be happy that the church is still functioning because it’s a monument for her.

But did you guys really know what happened to your mother?

People must always speculate . It got to a point, I said to myself that those people who are accusing us of being responsible for our mum’s death must be ignorant of how close we were to her. We didn’t want that rumour to distract us. In fact, when people are insinuating such things, the best advice is for you to block your ears and never allowed it to distract you. I’m human, and I don’t except people to say positive things about Psquare all the time. Psquare have made its worst mistake in the past, and nobody noticed it. We are not perfect. And we know why people were accusing us of being responsible for our mother’s death. It’s because we are successful in what we are doing for a living. Even in my Igbo nation, once somebody starts to progress, his kinsmen will start to associate his riches with money ritual. We have overgrown such insinuation.

We have seen great musical groups split in the industry. Will Psquare ever split some day?

Like I said earlier, each time, people look at Peter and Paul, they conclude that we are perfect. But they don’t know that I fight with Paul the same way he fights with me. We quarrel and fight with each other the same way you quarrel and fight with your siblings. The only thing that matters most is that we don’t bring such quarrel into our business.

I always tell my friends, the only person who will tell us to split is our mother but she’s no more. Even if she were to be alive, would she allow us to split? The day we are going to make up our minds to split, it will be an open decision. May be, when I say I want to retire or Paul says he wants to continue with his career in music. That does not mean that I wouldn’t give him my support.

What has kept two of you together?

Of course, we are blood brothers. And we always think of where we are coming from. Our parents never had anything. They were not rich people. If Paul say today that we must split, I will only look at him and laugh. Sometimes, I’d swallow my pride to ensure that peace reigns between two of us.

Have you tried to intervene in those popular split in the industry?

The best way I can intervene is to keep Peter and Paul together. Let them watch and learn from us.

But he’s your twin brother?

It goes beyond brotherhood. The Jacksons split. There was this group that wanted to split some time ago, I intervened and made them see reasons they should remain together no matter the odds. Yes, money might be the cause of the split. But I don’t share money with Paul. That’s the way we have been working because we never had anything from the out set. I’m not saying this because you are interviewing me, between Paul and I, money has never been a problem.

Have you had any cause to date the same woman?

Every woman wants to hang out with Peter. This is because everybody knows that Peter is more outgoing than Paul. But I doubt if woman can cause a problem between Paul and myself. Money would have been the devil that will cause a problem between us than woman. Any woman that wants to cause between us is wasting her time.

How did you grow up with Paul?

Our growing up was fantastic. I’m the person who was always on the stubborn side. Then, I would go out there and cause some stir, and they would put the blame on Paul because we are twins.

P-Square

We were always wearing the same clothes. I and Paul grew up doing things together. It has remained like that till date. That’s the way our mum trained What Paul does not like today, I will not like either. May be, this is what has been holding together.

Have you had any cause to date the same woman?

Every woman wants to hang out with Peter. This is because everybody knows that Peter is more outgoing than Paul. But I doubt if woman can cause a problem between Paul and myself. Money would have been the devil that will cause a problem between us than woman. Any woman that wants to cause between us is wasting her time.

Recently it was rumoured that you are into oil and gas business?

Yes, it’s about to kick off. My music is doing very well in the market, and investing in other areas will help to boost my pocket. Which is not a bad idea.

Every successful man wants to continue to invest in other areas of life. Are thinking in that direction?

Psquare is not only involved in music alone. We are into real estate business. We have been doing it for a long time now.

A business man who is keeping his money in the bank, what’s he keeping for, without investing it. We also do banking business, but real estate pays us more.

Psquare as a product of talent hunt show

We know that Psquare is a product of talent show, ‘Grab the Music’. We also know that when you emerged the winner, you went home without anything. But these days, winners of a reality TV show usually go home with mouthwatering prizes. So, looking back, how would you comment on the new trend?

When you win a talent show, what comes first is ego. You have millions of naira around and a brand new car at your disposal, the world is in your palm At this point, you are building yourself to the next level. I don’t say the winner should not have the car, but he should not let the car to distract him. At the time, we won the talent show, we were given a keyboard which is still in our house till today. The keyboard was just N80,000,00. In fact, that keyboard, is part of the instrument in producing most of our albums. The keyboard has made millions of naira for us. My piece of advice is that when you win such a competition, think of where your are coming from and invest your money wisely.

Every successful man wants to continue to invest in other areas of life. Are thinking in that direction?

Psquare is not only involved in music alone. We are into real estate business. That we have been doing for long time now. We do a lot of businesses which has made us to be more focused. A business man who is keeping his money in the bank, what’s he keeping it for, without investing. We also do banking business, but real estate pays us more.

Recently it was rumoured that you are into oil and gas business?

Yes, it’s about to kick off. My music is doing very well in the market, and investing in other areas will help to boost my pocket. Which is not a bad idea.

Although becoming an actress was a dream she had been nursing since her childhood, the desire remained a dream until she met Leila Djansi of Turning Point Productiona few years ago at a film festival back in the UK.

Ama, who never gave up after being turned down at several auditions had to convince Leila to earn her the first role in the movie Sinking Sands.

Today, the outcome of her pursuing her dream has resulted in various high flyer awards and recognition beginning with the Best Actress in leading role at the African Movie Academy Awards in 2010.

Since then, the talented actress has not looked back.

For one whose name, Abebrese, translates as agony and anguish, it is quite interesting to note that she has been successful and continues winning awards in her relatively short career.

The awards include Best Actress at the Zimbabwe Film Festival, and several nominations including Best Actress at the Ghana Movie Awards , Favourite West African Actress at Screen Nation Awards -UK and Best Pan African Actress at Nigerian Entertainment Awards.

So what could have accounted for such a feat within this short period after spending most of her growing years in the United Kingdom where she built successful career in broadcasting only to return to her homeland country to pursue her long cherished dream?

The talented actress told Showbiz last Friday that it is a known fact that many Ghanaian artistes living in the Diaspora find it difficult to break through back home because of identity problems, accent and the exposure to different cultures which tends to be a major challenge but she ignored that as a hindrance and came down to Ghana.

Probably for individuals like Ama, combination of hard work, dedication, and a resolve to have her fair share of fame in a land she comes from, worked the magic.

“I have heard several people argue that I don’t deserve the awards that I receive but I want it to be noted that receiving an award has got nothing to do with the number of movies you have featured in and this is where I think that people get it wrong. It is quality that people look for not quantity as some people think. It is a wrong conception that needs to be erased” she said.

The actress said that she feels fascinated when people perceive her to be a “newcomer” in the industry remarking that “ You see, most people think that I am new in the industry but they have no idea how I have hustle to get to where I am now. Even now, some people still see me as an outsider when it comes to Ghana Movie Industry but I know what I stand for and what I hope to achieve as well”.

Currently, she has three movies to her credit namely “Sinking Sands”, “Ties that Bind” by Leila Djansi’s Turning Point Production and “Elmina” from the staples of Revele Production but Ama believes that she needs more challenging roles to reveal the other side of her.

“Everybody knows that I am not a quiet person but I have always played ‘softer’ roles. I go all out to have fun and get what I want but as an actress, I have to interpret my role so I put in my best to bring the best out of me. Maybe, playing a block buster movie with all the shootings all over will show the other side of me. I am looking forward to play such a role, what do you think?” she said amidst laughter.

Ama said that her ultimate dream of influencing the society positively has been a major factor in the selection of the scripts and productions she wants to be part of.

“I don’t believe in quantity but I believe in quality so even if in my career span of twenty years as an actress, I do just ten movies which have an impact on society, I will not be bothered. I want the projects I am involved in to affect the society positively and not just for the fame.

“I quite remember in a conversation with a colleague actress of mine, she could not remember the titles of some of the movies she has been in involved in. She could only remember four out of the about fifty movies she has starred in. That, I think should not be the case at all. I should value what I do.

“Personally, I love the acting craft so I take a particular interest in it and just don’t do it for fun. Again, I believe that whatever I do, I can do better or best so I don’t settle for anything”.

When asked if she would want to feature in a movie by Shirleyy Frimpong Manso’s Sparrow Production, this is what she had to say “Why not? If it is a good project, I won’t mind at all. I don’t want to select productions based on names but the quality and I must admit that I will love to work with Kwaw Ansah who I have idolised since infancy because he is a great movie maker not only in Ghana but globally”.

She said that even though she receives offers from producers outside the country, she is yet to receive a script from a Ghanaian producer and jokingly said “Maybe, their budget cannot accommodate me. Anyway, I know that some of my people are really making good money”.

She believes that her influence as an actress should not end in Ghana and Nigeria as has been the lot of most Ghanaian actresses but they must endeavour to extend their influence globally. “I will very much love to be on a South African, Kenya and Tanzania productions. I don’t think that we have to limit ourselves to Nigeria because we can go beyond that and I am looking forward to capture the hearts of Africa”.

The 20-something year-old lady who professes to be a staunch Christian says that she is still praying to God to grant her the man of her dreams to settle down soon and hopes that in the next five years, she would be happily married with kids while enjoying her award of her an Oscar prize which she is working towards.

She holds a B.A in Media Arts and Drama from St, Mary’s University College and in order to keep fit, she boxes at the gym to release stress. “I release my tension, stress and frustration on the boxing material every morning and I love to eat good because I love to eat”

Currently, the Head of productions at VIASAT 1, Ama Konadu Abebrese has had the privilege of interviewing international artistes like Akon and Ziggy Marley. “ I believe that I am growing into a better person so my admirers should be on the watch for the new Ama Konadu Abebrese”.

Okyeame Kwame is saying that you can be part of the fun by using your phone, camera or any device that will record you and your friend(s). Create your own version of the‘handshake’ and Azonto dance’, then post it on YouTube and drop the link on the Coca Cola Facebook page.
Remember that the best ‘handshake’and Azonto dance’ person(s) will get the opportunity to win mouth-watering prizes as well as feature in Okyeame Kwame’s next video.
Let’s get down to business!

Read Part 1 of the interview here.

OMG!Ghana: Who would you say has been very  instrumental in your career?

Flowking Stone: Even though we handle our own finances now, people like Okyeame Kwame, our own family, Mr Root Eye, and a lot of stakeholders we can’t finish mentioning.

OMG!Ghana: Can you remember all your raps you have ever done?

Flowking Stone: Too many to be remembered

OMG!Ghana: Since you released ‘Simple’ which made a hit and even grabbed an award with it, Ghanaians have not had any massive hit from you like that one. What is happening?

Flowking Stone: Before ‘Simple’ were songs like ‘One gallon, Odo fever, Flashe, DondooftKwabenaKwabena, Runthings’  which were all major hits. Dealing with my brother’s recovery and industry’s politics at the same time re-iterated that. God’s time is the best.

OMG!Ghana: it reached our rumour desk that you went to ‘Sarkodie’ to make a remix with him on one of ur tracks and he snubbed you. How true is that? We were told that, Okyeame Kwame advised you not to go but you refuesed.

Flowking Stone: I see Obidi as a brother, so I find it difficult to believe He would not be on our song if its not for a good reason.

OMG!Ghana: Sarkodie chose you as his number one rapper that he listens to. How did you feel about that?

Flowking Stone: I respect his honesty because I also respect his hustle.

OMG!Ghana: It is been circulated that You and Sarkodie don’t see eye to eye till Sarkodie disclosed you as his number 1 rapper and He listens to your songs. How true is that?

Flowking Stone: Really? I hold nothing against Sarkodie and we’ve never had a quarrel.

OMG!Ghana: Has Bradez ever plan of featuring any of the Accra based or Tema based artistes like R2Bees, E.L, Edem, Asem, Sarkodie, Manifest, D Black, Khaaki, Eazzy?

Flowking Stone: We featured Asem and Richie on Flashe. We’ve featured D Chryme, Stonebwoy and Edem on our new album. We had D Black and Cabum on ‘Me do me Ghana’, We recently had Kwaw Kesse on Wossop Remix, and lots coming.

OMG!Ghana: We have Eno, Lousika, Efya, Eazzy, Raquel, Becca , Diamond and a host of ladies in the industry but your have done nothing with none of them. Why?

Flowking Stone: I have a joint with Lousika, Raquel, Shee and other wonderful songstresses.

OMG!Ghana: Recently, You released The Machine Gun Flow 1 and it has over 4000 download only on your Hulkshare page, though we are in an Azonto era. How do you feel about that?

Flowking Stone: I feel people are beginning to appreciate the power of rap with rhythm, style, flow, theme, sensible lyrics, attitude and Punch-lines at the same time and I respect Ghanaians for that.

OMG!Ghana: The tittle says ‘Machine Gun Flow 1’, does that mean we are going to see a lot more of the machine gun flows?

Flowking Stone: Exactly. Lots of different flows ahead. No sleeping

OMG!Ghana: What is the next line of action for the Bradez? Anything in the pipeline?

Flowking Stone: I think the next song from Bradez to be released will be ‘Awaawaatuu’ by ‘Appietus’, followed by ‘Nana Ama’ produced by ‘Richie’ and ‘I dey’ which has 9ice from Nigeria.

Regarded as one of the most handsome dudes on the Ghanaian movie scene (Ghollywood), the TV show-host, radio presenter, actor and meteoric master of ceremonies (MC) started from Groove FM, where he did his national service, moved to Choice FM and later the Metropolitan TV (popularly known as Metro TV), where he hosted the show, Links and also hosted the popular Show Time on Ghana TV (GTV). He attended Achimota High School, and did his Sixth form at the Accra Academy School before he left for Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, where he studied painting. He moved to London to study Banking and Security. Well known for his role as Kwame Mensah in Mnet’s series, Tinsel, his movie run includes Life and Living it, Choices, Scorned, Six Hours to Christmas, Sinking Sands, Deleting Bisi (2012), Perfect Picture, Three Virgins, Be My Guest and Flower Girl (2013), Run Baby Run, and Single and Married. He shared his first moments with DANIEL ANAZIA. 

What is the first thing that comes to your mind when dressing up?

Clothes are definitely something that you wear and not something that wears you as a person. Fashion, for me, should be easy and also be able to make statement. If I were to describe my style, it would be smart, casual, sophisticated, and rich smelling. I think the fragrance is a very big part of anyone’s fashion style; it’s not just the clothes. So, I look out for comfort, but stylish statement making outfits.

Your first love fashion piece

You definitely find me in T-shirts and blazers with good trouser pants to go. But a tie and a nice shirt are an addition to the swag on special days.

Your first choice designer

I’m stuck with Mai Atafo for his attention to details. He makes me look always on point in my outfits.

Your most expensive accessory

A Fossil watch; it cost a thousand, three hundred dollars, which, I think, is too much to spend on a watch.

Your first choice food

I love African dishes and there are so many because I have spent time in Ghana, Kenyan and Nigeria, and I have got my taste in each country. But there is nothing like the naija Eforiro; I could do it with anything — from plantain to rice.

First time on board a plane

I was aged seven and the experience is something….

Your first love (woman)

She is beautiful, and I must say, she is favoured to have me… My mum is my first wife; I get my compassionate side from her. I love and respect women; thanks to her (mother).

What’s between you and Isio Wanogho?

Isio is amazing and she is everything that speaks fashion. As a model, she is beautiful, sassy and ravissant. It was nice working with her, even though at the end of the day, people said all kind of things about us. Someday, I will shell the karnel and tell details of our chemistry.

Your first impression about Nigerian girls

It’s a three-letter word, H-O-T.

How do you manage attention from your female fans?
I would simply quote a popular Italian actor, Rudolph Valentino, who said; “Women are not in love with me but with the picture that they see of me on the screens. I’m merely but a canvas on which women paint their dreams.” So, I would tell you that it comes with the job but as an individual, I am just like any other guy and I manage it just like any other guy.

What is the first thing that attracts you to a lady?

There are a number of things. It must be someone that I can click with; someone who understands, considering my kind of job. Oops! Sorry ladies, Chris is currently in a relationship with someone very special.

OMG!Ghana: Good day Flowking Stone and how are you?

Flowking Stone: Good day God’s grace

OMG!Ghana: We would like you to tell us a little bit about you and bradez as a whole.

Flowking Stone:My name is Kwaku Nsiah Boamah, July born. I am A Biochemistry graduate from KNUST, Prempeh College old student. My Half Kunta Kinte is called Kwaku Nsiah Amankwah, University of Ghana -Legon, Prempeh College, and  July born too.

OMG!Ghana: How has the journey of Bradez been like; from 1 gallon till now? How many tracks have you done not including your mixtapes.?

Flowking Stone: The music journey started since 1994 when we won the first rap competition Kidafest organised in Kumasi at Adehyeman. We went ahead to win several competitions at poolside, cultural centre, city hotel now called Golden tulip etc. I went on to be the entertainment prefect for Prempeh College. After school we recorded our 1st single called ‘Weina y3 fr3 no odo no’ featuring Nana Fynn and our Godfather no. 2 (Root Eye currently the MC for TV3’s music music) in 2003. We released our 1st album ‘Efiri Fie’ in 2005; which had hit songs like ‘one gallon’ featuring our brother Okyeame Kwame and Shee, also had ‘Odo fever’ which we featured  Root Eye. Then we went on to release our 2nd album called ‘The Breakthru’ which also had hit singles like ‘Simple, Flashe, Runthings, Dondoo’ which had Kwabena Kwabena .

OMG!Ghana: What challenges have you faced especially when your half, Kunta Kinte was sick?

Flowking Stone: I had to play the shows alone and play it so well that people wouldn’t feel the absence of my brother. People expect two of us when they hear Bradez so the moment the name is mentioned they expect to see two people, but God been so amazing, HE filled me with extra energy, strength and favour which helped me give out the best performances eyes have ever seen even when I did it alone though the chemistry with my brother is something very great.

OMG!Ghana: How have you been able to combine school with your music career especially when you read Biochemistry?

Flowking Stone: Doing Science and almighty Biochemistry has been the most difficult part of it all, but whilst I was on campus in KNUST, I studied more and used music to release my stress since it’s easier to create music than to answer a Biochemical question.

OMG!Ghana : Who do you see to be threat in the industry?

Flowking Stone: Honestly, I have a lot of respect for all the hardworking brothers and sisters in the game, but I feel there’s no one like the Flowking, I’m unique by my own standards. I am the King of what I do.

OMG!Ghana: How many underground artistes have you helped so far since you came into the music industry?

Flowking Stone: Uncountable, I can’t count the number of free features I’ve done. It’s priceless when you talk of the number of directions I have offered to up and coming artistes. Plus very soon artiste to be released by RAPFAM entertainment.

OMG!Ghana: A bird just whispered into my ears that you are single. When are you getting married?

Flowking Stone:  hahahah, I’m not married butt not that free though.

OMG!Ghana: What is the amount you take for a show?

Flowking Stone: It keeps changing, depending on the motive of the event and what we can achieve by playing those shows.

OMG!Ghana: What is the amount you took for your first show as a professional artiste?

Flowking Stone: After winning the 1st rap competition in 1994, our price was a well wrapped ‘Rich Tea Biscuit’; but professionally, I think it was a butter we did with Luv FM at Miklin hotel in Kumasi.

OMG!Ghana: How do you see Ghanaian music of late comparing it to then and in the years to come.

Flowking Stone: I said it 2yrs ago that by now Ghana would have at least two musicians make hits even outside, and its happening now. In the next few years Gh music will be doing even far better than now.

OMG!Ghana: Do you think Bradez can still be in the system in next 5 or 8 years to come like your Bro okyeame has been consistent?

Flowking Stone: Even Okyeame Kwame at a point in his career came down, till he made some drastic professional changes to be where he is now, I think people would need to wear the thickest sun glasses to see our future because it’s So bright.

OMG!Ghana: What is the most surprising news you have heard about yourself or Bradez as a group?

Flowking Stone:The news of Kunta Kinte’s death. Funny enough, He was just lying beside me in my room (hmmmmm Gh for You).

OMG!Ghana: Being undoubtedly the last men standing in Kumasi, what do you do to promote artistes in Kumasi?

Flowking Stone: Since our finances is not big enough to handle some expenses now, I try as much as I can, to do more features and collaborations for my brothers and sisters here without charging any fees, also I direct and plug some of them into our connects.

OMG!Ghana: How many awards have you bagged so far and other achievements?

Flowking Stone: With a lot of nominations, we’ve been honoured to receive Ghana music award most popular song of the year 2010 and also West African song of the year 2010 at the Museke African awards.

OMG!Ghana: Which female celeb have you had crash on?

Flowking Stone: I think it’s better to keep her name in that coconut of mine.

OMG!Ghana: We barely see the Bradez pre-release hype their songs before release as other artistes do, what is wrong or do you want to strike with surprise?

Flowking Stone: Really, I think ‘Wose Sen’ and ‘Me do me Ghana’ had as much pre-release hype. I would also take this opportunity to thank all the blogs and websites promoting our music, God bless u guys.

OMG!Ghana: Do you smoke or do any drugs?

Flowking Stone: No

OMG!Ghana: Your Brother and partner, Kunta Kinte’s sickness was attributed to the fact that he used to flirt with ladies a lot, what do you say about that?

Flowking Stone: Jesus was crucified for a lot accusations, what do u say about that…

In Part 2 Of The Interview, Stone Talks about his threats in the Ghanaian Music Industry, The way forward for Bradez and Leaks A Secret Project They Are working on

The outspoken member of the Christian rap group ‘FOKN Bois‘ is scheduled to headline a Valentines day event live in California, USA tomorrow. M3nsa left the shores of Ghana yesterday in a 12 hour journey to Obamaland. His itinerary seems to occupy more than just music, one interesting filla is the musician is scheduled to see off his sister as she weds on Friday in San Diego.

Get all the scoop on the event via facebook page here! When OMGGhana.com contacted the rapper he expressed his excitement by saying :

Off to LA! got gig on Vals day (thursday) in Santa Monica, then marry my sister off on Friday in San Diego… Good times in the hood

Chika arrived the venue of our interview looking every bit like a movie star. With minimal but flawless make up, she was smartly dressed and ready to chat. Before the interview began, we had a small talk and our conversation veered into how almost everything she does makes the news and the controversy that often trails it. She explained that it came with the career and wasn’t averse to answering such questions. By the time we were ready to start the interview, she was ready to start with the controversial questions.

Trending Topics
During the Christmas period, pictures of you holidaying in Dubai surfaced on the internet. How was your vacation?
It was fabulous. It was a well deserved vacation and I had fun. I’ve travelled to Dubai and America severally but this trip made me discover Dubai, Miami and Washington DC. I had a tour guide take me to a lot of tourist attractions in the place. It was really wonderful.

Did you go on the trip alone?
I went with my manager for my Dubai trip but for my Miami trip, I went with my sister.

You made the news some time ago when Kim Kardashian retweeted and replied one of your tweets. Was this a big deal for you?
I think she knows me (smiling and batting eyelids). I think she knows Chika Ike as a Nigerian actress. Honestly, when I got the reply from Kim I was wowed. Kim is someone I like very much. I like her fashion sense, her business sense, and the way she handles her fans. She is someone I can relate to in the entertainment industry because she understands being out there, being in the public eye. A lot of us don’t understand it but she understands how to handle things. When she retweeted at me, I was like “Wow!” I was hoping the tweet didn’t come from a fake account but I checked and it was a verified account and I was really happy.

Your last birthday party created a lot of buzz for a couple of reasons. Firstly, why did you decide to hold it in Enugu along with a trade fair?
I normally don’t celebrate my birthday often. I’m not the kind of person that throws a big party every birthday but this time around, I had a business and my fans in Enugu had been asking me to come to their state and showcase Fancy Nancy. So I thought to myself, Why not do my birthday and the Fancy Nancy trade fair together and also give them a 50 percent discount which is a huge one? So that’s what I did.

A lot of people disbelieved your age and for a while, it was a trending topic on Twitter and blogs. Why do you think you had that kind of response?
I think it’s for two reasons. One is I got married at a very young age. Being married in most African societies means that you are mature, quite old. I was 20 when I got married. Another thing is I think I have achieved so much for my age so people would doubt that I’m 27. I think a lot of celebs also have that issue; people think we are older than our age. It is how it is.

How did the controversy about your age make you feel? Were you hurt by the negative comments?
It didn’t really hurt me, it made me laugh. I saw it in a positive light. I felt that people thought I’ve achieved so much for my age at 27.

You later tweeted your WAEC Certificate where your date of birth was clearly shown. Why did you feel the need to reassure people that you were telling the truth? 
What happened that day is I had been looking for my WAEC certificate for a long time. And then suddenly I remembered that I scanned some of my documents and saved them in my email box so I was really happy when I found it. I just wanted to start a conversation on Twitter, asking people about their WAEC results and before I knew it, it went viral. I saw it as funny that people thought I was dumb because I made good grades. Do they think actresses are dumb? I’m happy that it actually cleared the air on my age but that was not what I really intended when I tweeted it.

I notice you’ve upgraded your website and on it, you mentioned buying a car for your mother as one of your highlights of 2012. This made the news some months ago when you actually presented the car. Was this deliberate?
I didn’t put my mother’s car gift out there. I put it as my DP on Mother’s Day and the next thing, people started calling me to congratulate me. I felt that I should have let her wear a better dress in the picture if I knew it was going to get to the internet (laughs). She was just wearing her night gown and tying a scarf. It is now that I understand the strength of the BlackBerry so if I don’t want anything out there I won’t put it out. It was a personal highlight but it was already in the public.

The release of your yearly calendar usually gets mixed reactions. Were you at any time bothered by the negative comments and why did you decide to rebrand with a traditional style this year?
My yearly calender is a tradition I started to usher in the new year. Honestly the mixed feelings from my past calender didn’t really bother me because I totally love every bit and I did them at certain stages in my life. Every year comes with a new concept. I just thought that I should promote cultures in Nigeria this year and I totally love it.

Some time ago, it was rumoured that the Senate President bought a car for you and helped sponsor your Abuja store. What do you have to say about this?
No, David Mark did not buy me a car, neither did he help me with my shop in Abuja. I know him as the Senate President but I don’t know him personally. But hey, he is the Senate President! Who wouldn’t want to know him personally, but too bad at the moment I don’t.

Marriage & Moving On
I understand this is a sensitive topic but could we talk about your marriage. How long were you married for?
I was married for about five years.

The end of your marriage brought up a lot of speculation with people insinuating different reasons in the media but up till date you haven’t really come out to say what went wrong. Why are you quiet about it?
I’m a very private person and I keep my private issues to myself. As an actress, there are some things I don’t want to let out. My marriage is a very sensitive topic and I don’t really like to speak about what I went through.

The major rumored reason was domestic violence and this is something a lot of women face in their marriages. A popular blogger once advised that you tell your story so that other women can learn from your experience.
Maybe when the right time comes, I’d talk about it. There is something I’ve been avoiding saying but I’d tell you. I’m separated and I’m working on my divorce and very soon I’d get a divorce. Even if it’s so hard to believe, I’ve decided to let bygones be bygones and move on without him in my life. Both of us are still on talking terms and I’ve also learnt to forgive him. Maybe when I’m done with my divorce, I would be able to talk about it. I’m going through a lot of emotions right now and it’s still very fresh.

I quite understand. Do you think getting married at a young age was a disadvantage or had anything to do with the way it ended?
I think it has to do with so many reasons, one of them might be being young. Some people get married that young and have been able to make their marriages work. But if you’re young, you’re young. There are some things you’ve not experienced. You might not be able to stay calm when you’re supposed to stay calm, understand when you’re supposed to understand or leave what you’re supposed to leave. Also, I think these days, a lot of people are not happy in their marriages. I have a lot of friends who would have left their marriages but because of the African society, their in-laws, what people will say or other factors, they stay. We’ve heard of a lot of deaths caused by bad marriages and before the death, there would have been signs, things that have been happening leading up to that. I think it has to do with age and so many other things like compatibility and not being true to yourself in the marriage. Everybody has a limit. There are some things in marriage that you might not be able to stand. Some people’s limit might not be my limit; my limit might be somebody’s starting point.

Have you moved on and are you willing to try again?
I’ve moved on but marriage right now is not at the top of my list. I’m still trying to get myself together. I don’t want to make the same mistake twice. I have to understand the person I’m going to be with. There are so many things involved.

Charity
Tell me about the Chika Ike Foundation. What is the main target of the foundation?
It focuses on children on the streets and I love education. I call my charity project Educate A Child because I think educating a child is one of the greatest gifts you can give him or her. I started my foundation in 2012 on Children’s day. I threw a party for about 3000 children and we gave them school bags, lunch boxes and notebooks. What really touched my heart was the way they were so happy. We’ve done some other giveaways in Enugu, Asaba and in the north. It’s an African foundation and we’re going to other African countries, not just Nigeria.

Recently, pictures of you at a widows’ giveaway organized by Pastor Matthew Ashimolowo surfaced online. Are you a member of his church and why did you decide to be a part of the project?
I’ve known Pastor Matthew Ashimolowo for seven years. He is like a father to me. He is someone that whenever I have something to talk about, I go to him and he gives me genuine advice. He called me up to support the widow’s giveaway at Osun state. Normally I don’t like to travel far by road, I get really tense but I am a sucker for charity and I had to be a part of it.

Fancy Nancy
You have a business in Abuja but you live in Lagos. How do you cope with the demands of running a store far away from where you live?
It’s not been very easy. It’s been extremely stressful and it’s not just Lagos and Abuja, we shoot movies in Aba, Enugu and other places. When people come to my store, they ask to see me. Honestly it’s been very challenging and stressful but I’ve been coping fine.

Why did you decide to open a store in Abuja rather than Lagos?
I have a lot of friends in Abuja. Secondly, when I went to survey the market in Abuja, I realized that what I wanted to do is not very rampant but the Lagos market is saturated already. Also, Abuja people like jewellery a lot.

Acting
Let’s talk about what brought you into the lime light. How did you cut your teeth into the acting profession?
In 2005, I went with my sister to audition for a movie and after a while, they called me that I got a scene in the movie and my sister got ten scenes. It wasn’t even a speaking role and initially I felt bad but I gave it my best shot. Things just picked up from there.

Nowadays, a lot of people get lead roles at the beginning of their career but you have had to climb the ladder. How has this affected your career?
When you start gradually, you tend to appreciate where you are right now. When you crawl before you walk and then you fly, you’ll appreciate your roots. But some people are just lucky. Everybody wants to start big but I appreciate my small beginning. It has taught me to be patient and to never give up.

What were you doing around the time you started acting?
I was studying for my Diploma at Unilag before I went on to get a degree.

You mentioned earlier that you were quite young when you got married. Were you already acting at that time or did you start acting afterwards?
When I went for my first audition, I wasn’t married. The time between when we had the auditions and when we got called was quite long, about 7months. I got married in 2006 around the time I started acting.

What was growing up like?
Growing up was fun. My parents are disciplinarians. My Mum is an Evangelist and my father is a very strict man. When I told him I want to be an actress, he didn’t like it. In those days it was difficult to convince parents unlike now that mothers even call me to help their daughters get into acting. I grew up in a large compound where I had a lot of kids to play with.

Is your sister still acting?
No, right now she is in America. She is more into pageantry; she has participated in a couple of beauty pageants.

What should your fans be expecting from you this year?
A lot of charity; it’s my giving back year. A lot of movies too. Also, people complain that I hardly attend events. I get a lot of invitations and it’s not intentional that I don’t attend but I have a lot of work. I think I would try to attend more events this year and hopefully, I might just produce my movie this year.

It was great chatting with Chika and from BellaNaija.com, we wish her the very best!

Chika Ike in ‘White Chapel’

It’s just last summer when Snooki gave birth to her first baby with fiance Jionni LaValle, but already she wants to expand her brood. The “Jersey Shore” star reveals her desire for another baby when giving an interview to Cosmopolitan.

“I already want another baby,” says pint-sized Nicole “Snooki” Polizzi, 25. The mother of little meatball Lorenzo adds, “Jionni and I are building our house right now, but once it’s built, then we’re going to pop them out.”

Her maternal brooding seems to rub off on her co-star JWoww. “I was like, ‘Screw the marriage. I just want to have kids,” the fiancee of Roger Mathews says. “I just really love Lorenzo and I think I need to give him a friend. He’s just so cute and she makes it look so easy, too.”

When quizzed in a separate interview with E! News about what advise she can give to mom-to-be Kim Kardashian, Snooki replies, “I only just hope she relaxes and just enjoys being pregnant. I just hope she doesn’t push herself, because I know she likes to work.”

She also sees Kim and beau Kanye West as a perfect match. “She’s with the perfect guy,” she comments. “I feel like they’re meant to be. And she’s always wanted to have kids. They’re going to be great.”

When asked about whether or not they should let the camera following them and the actual birth, Snooki says, “That’s up to her. Look at me, I had cameras following me the whole time. But that’s really up to her.”

Snooki and JWoww are currently on a media tour to promote their TV series “Snooki & JWoww” which is entering the sophomore season.

10. “Bernie”
Richard Linklater made a deviously droll tabloid docudrama, in which Jack Black infectiously plays a sweet-natured small-town Texas undertaker who turns out to be the most cunning of sociopaths.

9. “Flight”
This is Denzel Washington as you’ve never seen him: stirringly troubled and neurotic as a veteran airline pilot, whose hot-dog heroics rescue a crashing flight, even as the event slowly cracks open the door to his hidden alcoholism.

8. “Argo”
A rare thriller that has great fun while touching a raw political nerve, Ben Affleck’s film achieves a heart-in-the-throat suspense as it tells the wilder-than-fiction tale of six American diplomats who escaped Iran in 1979 by pretending to be a film crew at work on a cheesy sci-fi movie.

7. “Killing Them Softly”
Andrew Dominik’s scuzzy gem of a hitman drama didn’t connect with audiences, but it was like a Quentin Tarantino film written by David Mamet back when he was good, full of outrageous verbal power duels, all anchored by Brad Pitt’s menacingly magnetic performance as a mob enforcer.

6. “The Perks Of Being A Wallflower”
One of the only high school movies that gets everything right, Stephen Chbosky’s rapturous adaptation of his own novel is the story of a shy, smart kid who discovers that friendship is the secret romance of teenage life.

5. “Zero Dark Thirty”
Kathryn Bigelow’s electrifying docudrama about the hunt for Osama bin Laden is bold enough to say that so-called “enhanced interrogation techniques” really work, even as it pays gripping tribute to an eagle-eyed CIA analyst, played by Jessica Chastain, who spent years going in for the kill.

4. “Room 237″
Rodney Ascher’s amazing documentary is about Stanley Kubrick’s “The Shining,” or rather, all the mind-boggling hidden meanings that film geeks now ascribe to it. It’s a veritable Kubrickian “Da Vinci Code” that’s really about the power that conspiracy theory now holds over our thinking.

3. “Silver Linings Playbook”
In David O. Russell’s exhilarating high-wire act of a romantic comedy, Bradley Cooper plays a man with bipolar disorder who can’t see past the shards of his broken marriage, even with Jennifer Lawrence standing right in front of him, ready to dance. Talk about disordered vision! Cooper’s performance has the beautifully unhinged quality of a man trying to outrun his own pain.

2. “Amour”
At once a love story, a horror movie and the greatest drama of old age ever made, Michael Haneke’s tenderly devastating tale of what happens to a Parisian couple when one of them starts to slip away is a tale of what love really is, and what it may, at its most secret moments, demand.

1. “Lincoln”
Steven Spielberg’s grand, immersive movie stays true to the Abraham Lincoln of our dreams and profoundly humanizes him, too, thanks to Tony Kushner’s staggering screenplay and Daniel Day-Lewis’s miraculous, “here’s Abe Lincoln and you’re standing right in front of him” performance. It’s one of the rare historical dramas that makes you feel as if you’ve stepped right back in time.

Branding is very important in the music industry. A good crafted brand is what sells. In order to stay
on top of the game. It is very important for an artiste to be identified with a unique name. A name
that can easily be remembered by fans and any one else.

Sensational singer, popularly known on stage as Blaq Out signed to UK based record label Issy Wizzy
has made a quick change to his name. Though not expected, I see this as a good move that will go a
long way to contribute to his success. Quick search on google will produce a result of several other
Blaq Out which is not good thing.

The Ghanaian Music industry has seen many artistes changing their names; from the then Batman to
now Samini, Daddy Lumba to DL, Abortion of 4×4 to Coded and Yaa Pono to Proverbs.

The news of Jay Quayson’s (Blaqout) name changes first broke out as a rumour so I had do a fast
link up to the him to confirm and get the information from the horse’s own mouth as well as get my
facts right.

Fiifi Adinkra: What inspired you to do music and not acting, modelling or comedy?

Jay Quayson : Music was all over me. I grew up in an area where music was predominant. In my family, I had all my siblings doing music and deep down within me, I felt the zeal to become a musician.

Fiifi Adinkra: How did it all start for Jay Quayson?

Jay Quayson : It all started during my school days at Nassiriya Islamic Basic School, in Takoradi, Ghana. I was a member of school choir and did a couple of performances.

Fiifi Adinkra: Why the name the change of name from Blaq Out to Jay Quayson?

Jay Quayson : Actually, Blaq Out is a great name. Had that name from my fans due to my complexion. I have a dark skin. Jay Quayson is in honour of my family. I love my dad and the whole family so much and I know I am a great musician and will be one of the greatest songwriters and singers in the near future.

It would be very appropriate for people to call me or address me by my family name. For the world
to see how great the Quaysons are.

Fiifi Adinkra: Its obvious you feel great about the change of name?

Jay Quayson : Oh yeah. No doubt I feel so grateful since it my real name.

Fiifi Adinkra: Don’t you think the change of name will have a negative effect as well on your fame
since your fan base keeps increase at a fast rate?

Jay Quayson : Oh no! Not at all. Due to my versatility, creative and my unique voice fans are able to recognise my voice easily.

Funny enough, I thought about the whole issue over with my fans before coming out publicly with
it. Amazingly, about 90% of my fans supported and recommended Jay Quayson especially the ladies
saying it’s a sexy name (with a big smile on his face)

Fiifi Adinkra: Rumours has it that you debut album is still in the studio cooking when should fans
expect it?

Jay Quayson : Very soon, somewhere in the middle of this year. Jay Quayson hitting the airwaves like never before.

Fiifi Adinkra: 2013 promises to be a good year for you, what’s the secret behind your success and
where does the inspiration come from?

Jay Quayson : First of all, I must give thanks and praise, glory and honour to the Most High God, there wouldn’t be Jay Quayson without him. The secret behind my success has been hardwork and determination. Not forgetting my management, Issy Wizzy for their support.

Fiifi Adinkra: Did you feature any other artiste on the upcoming album?

Jay Quayson : Yeah, I featured a whole bunch of great talents. Castro, Ruff n Smooth, Stonebwoy, E-Nice of Echo fame among others. Am still in the studio working on more tracks for the album, hoping to have other voices on it.

Fiifi Adinkra: How many songs do you have to your credit now?

Jay Quayson : As a songwriter, it actually difficult to do a count on the number of songs I have as at now. I have 3 albums in the pipeline waiting to be released. I have over 48 singles are done and waiting to hit the airwaves.

Fiifi Adinkra: That amazing, I believe you have a host of featuring too. Your hook on BB’s “Asorte” is what called for my next question. How many featurings so far?

Jay Quayson : If my memory serves me right over 20 songs out there has the voice of Jay Quayson on it.

The endless list includes:

Ruff n Smooth – Injection

Guru – Emaa Kuo & Woedimewu

Macho Rapper – Obaaye

Diojo – Joggle My Number

Rozay_GH – Facebook Love

Bra Qweku – Twa Wonaase

Enuanom – Ngozi

Fiifi Adinkra: As a songwriter I believe you’ve written songs for a lot of artiste. Can you kindly
point out some of them?

Jay Quayson : [laughs] Fiifi you dey disturb ooo’ Well, I wrote, Guru’smind blowing “Maa Guo”, Tiffany’s hit song
“Begye Wo Last One”, did most of Gifty Osei’s award winning songs, E-nice’s “Don’t Go there”,
Rozay_Gh “Facebook Love” among other hit songs which I wouldn’t like to disclose.

Fiifi Adinkra: I must confess, I didn’t know you featured on Guru’s “Emaa Kuo” and I believe it not
only me.

Jay Quayson : [Laughs] Yeah Fii, many Ghanaian do not know this. My trademark is my unique voice and style of
singing. Fans got to listen carefully to my songs and they will easily identify this uniqueness.

Fiifi Adinkra: 2013 just started, what should fans, Ghanaian and our brothers in the diaspora
expect from you and your management?

Jay Quayson : Lots of surprises. Cos we’ll be taking GH Music to the next level.

Fiifi Adinkra: What do you mean by “Taking GH Music to the next level”. We keep hearing this
from artiste every day and yet the industry is at a standstill?

Jay Quayson : My music is already making it big in Europe, US and Africa especially South Africa. One of my videos is now on Europe’s mainstream TV stations. It’s also on channel 232, Ben TV, Clear and receiving massive views on youtube. That what I mean by taking GH music to another level, being on the same platform as the big names in the world’s music industry.

Fiifi Adinkra: Any last words for your fans?

Jay Quayson : First of all, a very big thank you to all my fans and everyone who has supported my career. Lest I forget, I don’t have fans, I have friends because we are one big family. I thank them for believing in
me and also encouraging me to bring out the best in me. I say Happy New Year to all of them and I promise to be obedient, and humble to their constructive criticisms.

Fiifi Adinkra: Its been great talking to you

Jay Quayson : Anytime bro, I dey for you.

mauvie

The Ghanaian radio drive time has been in the firm grips of men for a while with only a few women hitting hard at that time of the day. OMG!Ghana’s Mawuli Pomary’s searchlight fell on one lady who is arguably the best female on the drive time, Mauvie Hayford of X fm (95.1). In a chit-chat with the sassy presenter, Mauvie made a couple of revelations you should read! OMG!Ghana presents MAUVIE……

OMG: Who is Mauvie Hayford? …And what does Mauvie mean?

M.H : I’m a very simple girl blessed with a morally sound minded family. They are my support system here on earth and without them there wouldn’t have been me. I like to specialize in whatever I embark on and my flaw is that I appreciate good quality in all things and that can be a problem sometimes …….yes I’m a perfectionist (smiling). My name means ‘Little Princess’.

OMG: How was growing up like?…through school,at home and now as the ‘queen of drive time’?

M.H :  Growing up has been a rollercoaster ride but I wouldn’t change a thing because it has made me who I am. In school I was extremely shy and because of that I have very few friends. Although my biological father was never present in my life God gave me a wonderful replacement in the person of Mr. Kwame Kuting-Aboagye and his beautiful wife, my mother the late Mrs. Esther Aboagye may her sweet soul rest in perfect peace not forgetting my three awesome brothers I love to the bone Kobby, Khudjo and K.K. The best mum in the world is my biological mum Susan Ayittey of Xouzzanna Designs. She lived abroad almost all my life so you can imagine how spoilt I was. (Like most kids with parents abroad, I travelled a lot and had things kids abroad enjoyed). I’m my mums’ only child and my Biological dad’s only daughter. Papa was a rolling stone (laughing) and he laid his wild oats.I have 5 half brothers I recently met. I believe my line of work now was premeditated by God because I worked for one of our nation’s stations as a teenager but had to travel to go further my education. In 2008 I moved back home with my beautiful daughter I had in Barnet, London. I still believe the move was God orchestrated because although I decided to go on a road trip in Ghana I couldn’t because my 1st week saw me walk into Atlantis Radio where I was instantly hired. The owner popularly known as Big J clearly saw potential in me but you know the devil will always challenge Gods plans (Nsu obua kraaaa). Before I go any further please allow me thank all the people who had my back Anastasia Korsah-Brown, Jerry A, Kwame F and Jon G the Supremo who’s always got my back and to those who haven’t warmed up to me yet, I hope at the end of this interview you’d have a change of heart (laughing).At present my home is XFM 95.1 and I sometimes feel I cannot fill the shoes of “queen of the airwaves” when I don’t own a tiara yet (laughing)

OMG: Any Bitter Childhood Experiences?
Bitter childhood experiences? Nahhhhhhhh! not now that I am more matured and understand why I had to go through the process to becoming an adult. But I must say I was a special child, the kind that needed a lot of attention(smiling)……….I remember I loved my dad so much as a child and the few days he spent with me made me yearn for him the more but unfortunately he had a better agenda. One thing that hurt me back then growing up was when he promised to come see me on my birthday and he never showed up. That messed me up for a very long time as a growing child and I’d like to say to people please if you are not ready for a child please use a CONDOM. As a parent it’s your obligation to make sure the child has what it needs. Even animals know that. As a child I hated being in the kitchen because, of my 3 brothers (laughing), they’ll kill me for this statement. Yes hard to believe but I was a little tomboyish but thank goodness for all the beautiful mums and aunties in my life Aunt Thelma, Tamara, Lori etc, so in a nut shell I am not bitter about my childhood. Actually, given the chance I’ll do it all again x100.
OMG: So why the ‘Talk Fraternity’ ?

M.H : Wow, interesting how you put it “talk fraternity” (winking). I hate the sound of my own voice sometimes but presenting has made me realize it’s not so bad. I love my listeners so much because even when I doubt myself they are there to boost my ego by telling me what a great job I’m doing and how sexy I sound. I wish everyone could have that experience. On a really bad day I look to God for spiritual guidance and my 3 Fs (Family, Friends & Fans) because they never let me down. Honestly I thought I’d be a customer service trainer for life because my last real job was doing that In America which I loved. Putting smiles on people’s faces makes me feel fulfilled. I don’t know if that makes sense but I love that.

OMG: You are one of the few ladies who host drive times……what goes into it?

M.H: The Xpress Lane is not an easy show but I like doing it. It entails a lot of research that’s why I have a lot of sleepless nights, but for now I wouldn’t trade it for the world.

OMG: Why did you leave Atlantis Fm?

M.H: Why did I leave Atlantis?…………hmmmmm everything happens for a reason. If I have to go into it, I’d sound bias so maybe you could ask big J and his “PARTNER” .Hahaha

OMG: How many shows do you host now and what are they?

M.H : I host 3shows now.
The Xpress Lane is the name of XFM’s drive show and it’s aired @15:00 – 17:30 Mondays – Thursdays and ends @18:00 on Fridays
The X Factor is where I “metamorphosize” (yes it’s a word in my dictionary ) into a Relationship Guru giving people advice about all the different types of relationships we have in life @18:00 – 20:00
Lastly I have the Mauivator (Motivator) which airs every Saturday mornings, where I interview successful people in the world and the aim is to motivate young people to work hard. That’s @07:00 – 08:45

OMG: What would be’the mautivator’s’ greatest accomplishment in life?

M.H : My greatest accomplishment………..jeez, it changes almost every year. But right now, my dad is very ill and I’d love to see my dad get a kidney transplant so he can stop going for dialysis every week. I would love to help the sick although I ain’t a nurse or doctor but that’s making me very teary right now. Moving along!

OMG: Who would you like to interview on any day?

M.H: I’d love to interview God any day if he’d give me a chance I have a lot of questions for him (laughing).

OMG: Interesting, Are you married?

M.H: I told you I’m single why are  you trying to make me feel bad hahahahahhahahaah

OMG: Hahaaa…..  So what do you do if you are not on radio?

MH: When am not on radio, I try to sleep………….

OMG:  Will mauvie one day establish her own radio station?

M.H: Who wouldn’t, I would love to own my own radio station one day but I know Accra is choked now……………….yeah am researching  #wink

OMG: Will mauvie enter the music or movie industry anytime soon?

M.H:  Music/ movies Hmmmmmm I don’t know for now but the right opportunity hasn’t come yet. As you know I love all kinds of music. My late mum believed in my voice so much she pushed me to enter our church choir…….. oh actually loads of choirs but I never really did anything about it. One day I actually did a duet with the Late Ola Williams and after the service a lot of people encouraged me to choose singing as a career but you and I know in Ghana there’s politics everywhere. The pastor’s daughters also wanted to sing so how dare we take their shine hahahahhahah. With movies my mum calls me a drama queen if that’s a criteria then I’m waiting for a script ASAP. Hook me up oooo Mawuli .

OMG: Sure I will….. Are you planning on engaging in any social responsibility or any foundation?

M.H : I have tried so many times to help with some charity organizations but I guess I am not rich enough to be taken seriously. For now I will give the little I can but when I’m well established I would definitely help on a much bigger scale. With a foundation am still doing research on something I’m very passionate about and I promise you Mawuli, you’ll be one of the first people to know.

OMG: Are you a strong Christian? and where do u worship?

M.H: I believe in God so much, it ain’t funny…………Sorry to disappoint some people but I am still not comfy with the speaking of tongues, as a child who was forced to speak it by our youth pastor it has left me scared for life. God forgive me but I wish I could acquire it spiritually rather than being taught how to speak it like it was on the school curriculum.

OMG:Hahaha…… Are you snobbish as is thought of many celebs?

M.H:  With the issue of being snobbish…………..well if I am approached in a nice way, I see no reason why I should be. But obviously if someone approaches me disrespectfully he/ she will see my evil side and please I am not a celeb.

OMG: What is your take on the recent spate of gays and lesbians in Ghana especially now that Prez. Obama has approved of it ?

M.H: I am not going to sit here and judge people who are gay because I am not perfect either, I have my flaws but it really isn’t something that should be out in the open. It’s very foreign to me and I don’t mind being friends with them but I don’t think it should be endorsed openly like Obama has. All across the globe, children are confused because of it………trust me if Sasha (Obama’s daughter ) went up to him and said she was lesbian, Obama would die. Most politicians do and say things to win peoples votes.

OMG: Will you join politics in the near future?….say an M.P or even President?

M.H: Only God knows the future so I can’t say I’ll never do politics although I am not a fan right now. Who knows………maybe in the future when nepotism has been eradicated. But your question is tricky. Who wouldn’t love to be President? I would be the most honest President though (laughing)

OMG: What is your message as we approach Election 2012 ?

M.H: • My message has been said over and over so sorry guys I’m going to sound like an echo in your ears. There will never be war in Ghana. We only have one Ghana and even foreigners are trooping in to enjoy the peace we have here. It’s up to us Ghanaians to maintain it. If we don’t they’ll come in and ruin it for us and abandon us when **** hits the fan. I want to encourage everyone who has registered to vote. Good citizens, if you do not vote you are only making it easier and possible for corrupt officials to win. I strongly believe that Politicians should be changed as often as a baby’s nappy for the same reasons (CLEANLINESS) …………..I would love to see our leaders preach and lead positive examples for the youth to follow. It’s not the voting that is democracy; it’s the counting…… I anticipate a non-discriminatory, crystal clear and peaceful election AMEN. (Manu esi) meaning my mouth has end (laughing)

OMG: What message do you have for up and coming presenters?

M.H: So many doors will be closed in your face but never give up. But I have to warn you there are sharks in this industry and if you don’t prepare yourself physically, financially, mentally and spiritually they’ll devour you. Dare to be different. All the best of luck MUAH MUAH MUAH

OMG:Well Thanks Mauvie for your time,you seem nicer than I was told you are (smiling).All the best Miss!