Big In Ghana Tour

 Hey, nobody should abandon me yet, I have not stopped blogging oo, I just don’t spend time behind this laptop often. It’s too bulky to carry around and I am always on the move. The battery does not even last, without power it stays on for just 4 minutes. Don’t worry, I will get myself a new Mac soon, okay?? Ah, but wait, I have been blogging all the time oo… yes, if they say tweeting is micro-blogging then it means I have always been blogging, anaa? If you don’t believe me, then follow me @mutombodapoet and see something. Anyway, just don’t forget about this blog because I am not stopping, okay?!!

I have been on tour with the FOKNBOIS, EFYA, YAA PONO and some other four artists. This tour is dubbed the BIG IN GHANA TOUR and I am very happy to be a part of this tour. Well, the truth of the matter is that, Mutombo Da Poet is not performing; neither is the Sankwas Bois because FOKNBOIS ditched us the last minute. It’s cool though.  Jokes!! Anyway, this is just not a tour, before this tour started, there were a series of auditions for artists in Takoradi, Tema, Kumasi and Accra because foknbois didn’t just want to go on a tour like what every artist will do, they wanted to add a touch to this tour by selecting four underground cats to join them. They winner at the end will get a prize package which I hear is worth like 20,000ghC.

In Takoradi, Anas was selected, in Tema, Ohene was chosen, in Kumasi this group called NT4 were called on board and in Accra, this humble soul called Bright was selected. I have seen all of them perform in Takoradi and Tema and have even had the chance to interview them, yes, interview them. Well, that is my role with this tour, together with @simpol_tinz, we go round interviewing people with regards to the whole tour thing and it’s been awesome. In Takoradi, FoknBois called us on stage to perform but we did not mind them kraa, we were in the crowd doing our thing. 

The Takoradi show was awesome even though it started late, the stage is massive and the sound has been on point even though there were some challenges in Tema, at the Chemu Park, where the second edition of the concert took place. In Takoradi, Gyedu Blay Ambolley surpised the Fokn Bois when they were on stage and I could see the look on Wanlov’s face. He was really surprised, we all didn’t know that Ambolley would be there. It was fun, charley!! Efya has really soared, I love the way she engages the crowd and is always on point when it comes to communicating with the band. As for Yaa Pono, I have no words for him. Dude has been killing it all the time, mehn!!!

Bavaria, the main sponsor of this tour should be congratulated for putting such a tour together and the nicest thing about this is the live band that backs each artist. The Afro Harmony Band has etched their name in the bosom of the Ghanaian Entertainment Industry and they are steadily climbing. This band is made up of young men, all in their 20s, I think, and they play awesomely well. I have performed with them a couple of times so I know what I am talking about.

In Takoradi, we interviewed most of the artists in their rooms early in the morning, they didn’t even know we were coming, I think that was fun but wasn’t really fun when we had to track wanlov down somewhere in town. Dude woke up early in the morning to just ‘roam’. We are waiting for the Kumasi and Accra version which will be this Friday and Saturday respectively. Will tell you about it but in the meantime, don’t forget that PY is the host for this tour…e dey bore me bia!!!

More pictures of tour on mutombodapoet.tumblr.com

Unplugged

I have not been well, I have to admit, sicknesses keep on coming and going but I still have ‘vim’. As for the vim, I will never lose it. But I am getting better by the minute, today I woke up feeling ‘easy’ and I know by noon or evening, I will be strong. I just need more sleep. Through all these mishaps, my mind is focused on one thing, my show tomorrow 18^th August, 2012 and I can’t wait charle!!!

Been looking forward to this show for a couple of weeks now and it’s almost here. Tomorrow, I am going to share with the audience, my experiences and words from when spoken word started for me. I will perform spoken words back to back and the audience will be involved throughout. This is going to be the most intimate show you have ever attended, and to tell you the basic truth, it’s going to be awesome!!

I will be performing with a guitarist and I hope you all know Kyekyeku and also a percussionist called Joe Black, we have been sharing ideas and all and because we want this to be ‘raw’, we don’t spend time rehearsing and rehearsing, we just share ideas and that is it. I don’t even know what to expect on that day and that makes it awesome. I am going to call random people from the crowd to come to the mic and this is something I am looking forward to, putting people on the spot. There is one person that I am looking forward to ‘bug’ paa.

Guess what? M3nsa and Wanlov aka FOKN BOIS will be there to support me and they will step to the mic , Yaa Pono and Lady Jay will also be there to support charle. It’s a Pidgen Music thing!!! I can’t wait to see everybody there and I can’t wait to have fun!! Everybody will get a copy of my spoken word album, PHOTOSENTENCES. It starts at 7pm and it will take place at Hush Lounge, in the premises of Labone Coffee Shop, Labone Accra.

More Vim!!!

Akosia.org

Been a while since I posted something here, right? Kindly forgive me and put the blame on tigo internet. Those people are failing me big time!! Anyway, I have little time to comment on their bad internet services. Let me move straight to what I really want to talk about today. But before that, I hope everybody is great even though the nation is still in a state of mourning. May our late Atta Mills still rest in peace.

I am volunteering for 4 weeks; it started on Monday 6^th August, 2012. I am taking part in this project with a Charity Organization in the UK called Akosia. You can check them out here-www.akosia.org. They are training the kids from the Street Academy in Jamestown, how to make their own film. And when I say film I mean FILM!! The kids are going through an intense training on how to produce their film, so the learn how to use the camera, develop a script, directing, acting and everything that is needed in order to produce a good film.

Janet

Not just that, this year, the focus is on sickle cell so they are being educated on this disease and everything that comes with it. We have already had a lady who has sickle cell to talk with the kids and so far, I can say it has been so good. I have always loved working with kids, I guess most of you know that. I am filled when I chill with kids so this has been a great opportunity for me. We are 3 days into the program and I am already seeing a whole lot of potential in these children, all of the 40 kids who are taking part have something special within and one of the kids that I love most is this pretty girl called Janet Botchwey. Akosia has been doing this project for a couple of years now and last year, M3nsa and Sam Kessie were a part of the 2011 group.

As the weeks come by, I will be updating you on what is going on and kindly do well to check-out the website www.akosia.org. Be a part!