Here is part 2 of the interview we had with Batman Samini. Check out the first part here.

Museke: Which musicians would you want to collaborate with?
Samini: Busta Rhymes, Timbaland, Sizzla, Luciano, Kanye West.

Museke: We heard recently that you are quitting miming. Aside the obvious, why are you doing so?
Samini: Because playing music live brings the best out of you as a performer, and you express your feelings the right way. I won’t opt for anything else other than a live show. The best thing to do as artiste is that.
I have never seen Kojo perform with a CD, growing up I never saw Bob Marley performing with a CD, and they are giants so if I want to be a giant, I must come like that.

Museke: I’ve heard some of your songs in Dagaare, etc. We don’t hear those much, are you not pushing them as singles? Do you plan to collaborate with Northern artistes so as to help them get more into the limelight?
Samini: It’s something worth considering, doing music with people from the North. Done something with King Ayisoba (Champion no easy), and doing something with him for my album. The fact about which track to push is in the hands of the deejays. They decide on which one to play. BBC and VOA, that’s where I hear the Dagaare tracks that I do so if I want more airplay there I have to do more.

Museke: It seems all the hiplife labels are folding, are you still on a label?
Samini: I am on my own. Before someone produces your music, you are seen a servant, more than you being the product worth investing in, that’s where the problem is. As you grow as an artiste, you must redefine yourself. I thought I had finished two albums with him so it was time to push Samini Music. Tony (current producer who hooked up the interview) has been my all-time right hand man, personal manager.

Museke: Have you been approached by foreign labels?
Samini: We are in discussion with some people, don’t wanna mention names now. Jah willing, something will come out.

Museke: Where did Chana and AB come from?
Samini: AB is Ghanaian, Chana is from Cold Eye records which produced ‘Rain or shine’ and ‘Sexy’. AB did ‘Music’ with me. She’s working on a lot of demos, currently she’s still an artiste that we work with who’s looking for a producer.

Museke: What challenges do you face in the Ghanaian music industry?
Samini: Payola and piracy are the giant issues. There are promoters just not wanting to create the right environment, not wanting to pay you the right money or respect your worth but still wanna have you for their event. Media houses not paying royalties but rather charging artistes for airtime.

Museke: When is your next album coming out and what should we expect?
Samini: The next one is coming out by the first half of this year, working hard towards this one. I am featuring Faze (My kind of girl), have Steel Pulse (Rasta man) on there, have Etana (Africa unite) who is Jamaican, and was here for the Shaggy concert. The title of the album is ‘Dagaati’ – know your roots. Ayisoba is there too on ‘Do something before you die remix’, remixing the song from my first album.

Museke: You are winning our present poll on Africa’s sexiest male musician. Do you think you are sexy and how do you handle all the women chasing you? Are you married?
Samini: To be called sexy has to come from the person who’s watching so I can’t classify myself as sexy. Most of the female fans call me ‘sexy dondada’. I want the female fans to come because I target women with my lyrics. I don’t take any undue advantage of women. I got my 4 yr old daughter chilling with me, and am not married.

Museke: What is in the future of your (Ghanaian) music?
Samini: I see myself improving by the day and see my task getting bigger and bigger. While I sit back and look at what society demands from a music man. The albums are getting deeper and deeper, definitely deeper than the first two. It has more collabos on it, with international artistes. This time I had to spread out, I had been doing them the collabos with underground artistes. There’s more music in me than what’s out so everyone should watch out for more.

Museke: How can Ghanaian music expand and sell outside?
Samini: By restricting performances to live and making sure that we put out the art and culture; carry the roots and culture with us. No matter how hyper u wanna get the people, u have to carry some positive message with you. We must also spend more time spent on the work, the more expertise hired on the job.

Museke: Who is Jam Master Jay on the song Samini and tell us about Asaase records?
Samini: He is the Ghana version of Jam Master Jay, his name is Joshua.
I am currently working with Asaase Ase (under the earth) records, which is an underground label, I record most of the tracks with them. The resident guy here is called Rodney King. I have a partnership with bringing young artistes out. Down here we have Zionites, Oga-bi, AB, Akatuz, Brian, Xylo, Buddha man and a whole lot of them.

Museke: What is your role as the MTN icon?
Samini: I am the face of MTN, the ambassador. While I was growing up, I kept on hearing ambassador ambassador, I thought it was all suit and tie till one day Rasta man was called to be one. I thought it was for politicians. I realized there are different kinds of ambassadors, when I got the role. MTN had to affiliate themselves with me to connect with the youth, soo that the general public would also be connected to it. When they were coming to Ghana, I happened to be the face they introduced. I recorded the ‘Everywhere you go’ jingle for them, also being on the starter pack and scratch cards, and a number of responsibilities which would be earmarked and agreed on in due course.

Museke: Do you have any present engagements and works other than music?
Samini: I am into farming, all kinds of farming. I deal in livestock, and have farms in Breman, in the North, Ashanti region, etc. We do some mango, shea butter, cash crops. The name is Zion organic farms. I have always been interested in farming, the able man with strength has to work for food, and I believe in investing in farming.

Museke: What about movie roles, etc?
Samini: A lot of movie roles have come but I decided to hold on. I acted in ‘Fresh trouble’, a television series, but after that, decided to hold on. To all the new movie writers, I am concentrating on music. An elaborate movie on my story is gonna come, but it will be my own way.

Museke: I heard about you were gunning for this hip hop award in Nigeria?
Samini: We got the best African artiste, some of the nominees were Nameless, Freshlyground, Jozi, etc.

Museke: Congratulations. Do you have a website?
Samini: Yes. Saminionline.com

Museke: Give us your Parthian shot.
Samini: To all African youth, you should know your roots in these times, and to the masses out there, it is one love, spread it around. Until we meet somewhere, it’s one love always.