This is part 2 of the interview with Richie, Asem and OJ Blaq. Check out the first instalment at this link.

Museke: What is the inspiration for the songs you write?
Asem – Inspiration is divine, someone might say, you look at your environment and write songs. God inspires you to see what you see around. What people say through conversation and when someone passes a phrase, you catch it and use in the studio. You use someone’s experience - life experiences.

OJ Blaq – It comes from around, reality, what happens in the world and the people in the studio. Everybody around would give you ideas, it’s like a family. People give pointers, Richie directs most of the works I do. Anybody around who is also musically inclined chips in, and if it works out, we take it. We don’t mind who talks, if it’s good for what Lynx is doing, it’s allowed. You see realities around. If you feel what you bring (that) something out, it would make people comfortable, then you use it.

Richie – It comes from within and without. Music is inside of me so I get some ideas from divine inspiration and some from my environment and people around me.

Museke: Richie, where did you learn to make beats and what are some songs you’ve done beats for?
It was self-taught. I started making beats because I was suffering to find producers who could make beats for the kind of music I wanted to do. I have this belief that with determination everything is possible. I started when I was 17.
I have done beats for Scientific (Till Africa unites), Heated up (Irene n Jane), Tinny (Incomplete), Okyeame Kwame (Wo so n Mmaa), Amandzeba and Irene and Jane (Don’t want to be lonely), Tiffany (How we do it), Asem (Gimme blow), OJ Blaq (Me kura mu), among others.

This interview was done at Lynx Entertainment Records studio at New Achimota, Accra, Ghana. Present were Richie (executive producer), as well as Asem and OJ Blaq, two other musicians on the Lynx record label.

Museke: Can you tell us about your background, family and education?
OJ Blaq – I was born Nii Akrashi in Accra, and am the only child. I attended Motown (Achimota) prep, junior high and senior high school, through out. I also studied some ICM travel and tourism courses in the UK. I have also taken some Ghana Institute of Journalism courses.

Asem – My real name is Nana Wiafe Asante-Mensah. I was born in Cape Coast, and my family moved around and got to Accra when I was 6 years old. I attended St. John’s basic schools in Achimota and then St. Peters Secondary School in Nkwatia (Eastern Region). I am now at the Ghana Institute of Journalism studying communication studies.

Richie – I was born Richie Mensah in Accra, both parents are Ashantis. My mum is Alberta Mensah. I have 2 more siblings, a brother and a sister. I atteneded Christ the King school and then Achimota.

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

Museke: What 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.

This interview was done at Asaase Ase studios in Dansoman, Accra, Ghana. Thanks to Tony for hooking this up. March 20, 2008.

Museke: Can you tell us about your background, family and education?
Samini: I grew up in Dansoman. I am born and bred in Accra. I attended Holy Family Catholic school at Mataheko, and then went to St Margaret Mary Secondary school. I have 6 siblings made up of 4 boys and 2 girls and I am the 4th born.

Museke: How did you get into music?
Samini: I got into music through personal inspiration and inspiration from other people. I also had advice from close observers that I grew up with. Before I got into secondary school, I knew he had the talent. After school, I started actively.
I had been doing stage performance in secondary school and even before that, especially after junior secondary school. I sang songs from Steel Pulse, Bob Marley, Beenie man, Buju Banton, etc.

Part 2 of the interview with Becca
Check out Part 1 here

Museke: What challenges do you face in the Ghanaian music industry?
Becca: When you get into the industry, what you need to know is that many people are watching you. You should be very vigilant, because you are considered a role model. The positive side is you get inspiration, people praise u, they like the work you do, you r encouraged, and you get the opportunities to do things
Because people are watching you, it gets really hard for you to do things that you wanna do. You should be careful. People will be talking about various things and spreadin rumours. It comes like that. The negative things and downfalls, they encourage me to work harder. There are always gonna be haters, they are like critics, they inspire you to work harder. I take criticism in a positive way.
You must find the right people and you’ll be okay.
For piracy, selling CDs is a bit hard. It is left for singers to come together and educate ourselves. We need to know how to deal with these things.

This interview was done on March 11, 2008 at the house of Kwame Yeboah, a producer. It was set up by Kiki Banson of EKB Records.

Museke: Can you tell us about your background, family and education?
Becca: I was born on 15th August 1984 in Kumasi (Oseikrom). I am the 5th born in a family of 9 children.
I attended Golden age nursery, and then Morning star school in Accra till the end of Junior Secondary School. I then went to Alywin high in London. I came back to Ghana to join Wesley Girls High School and was among the graduating class of 2003. I proceeded to Croydon college, and came back to Ghana in 2006. I studied child care education.

Museke: How did you get into music and what was your first break?
Becca: I’ve always been singing. I did talent shows in schools, and sang in the church choir.
As for my big break, I met my producer, Kiki Banson of EKB records at a show. The show was being hosted by Reggie, I had gone there and I was talking to him (I am a friend of Reggie’s). Kiki met me and invited me to come and try singing in the studio. The first couple of days I didn’t go but went there on the 3rd day. That day we recorded ‘U lied to me’.

Part 2 of the Okyeame Kwame interview
Part 1 at this link

Museke: What is the inspiration behind the songs you write?
OK: There are two schools of thought. It is a combo of education and inspiration. The journalist writes his mind, and as writers, there is a social responsibility to radiate thinking in people through sarcasm, satires, etc. I don’t feel I’m here to amuse people, I must give hope through music. In Mesan aba, I said “wo tumtum sE oyuo”. Oyuo is very, very black. It is a small line but when you dissect it, it elevates our women. We are discouraging skin bleaching while we glorify fair women. This is an artistes’ job to bring a good image. Set our minds right as Africans.

This interview took place on one February weeknight (20th) in the presence of Okyeame Kwame’s fiancée, Anika.

Museke: Can you tell us about your background and family?
OK: I was born on a Saturday evening in 1976. My father is an accountant called Kwasi Nsiah Bota and my mother is Alice Nsiah Bota. I hail from Nsuta, and lived most of my life in Kumasi. I have 4 brothers (Stone, Kunta Kinte inclusive) and a sister.
I attended St. Joseph’s Experimental and am an old boy of Kumasi Anglican secondary school. I am presently schooling at Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology.

This interview was done in the presence of Kwame Karikari, Philipa's producer.

Museke: Can you tell us about your background, family and education?
Philipa: I was born in Kumasi to Mr. Fred and Mrs. Grace Baafi. I have 2 other siblings and come from Manhyia. I attended Kings International school and because I was brilliant, getting 1st positions and all, I ended up at St. Monica’s (Girls) Secondary School. I studied science there and from 1998-1999 was the head prefect. I released my first album in 1999 shortly after I finished Monica’s.

Museke: Talking about music, how did you get into it and what was your first break?
Philipa: I released Nyame honhom sane (God’s spirit come down) in 1999. One Father Manu at St. Monica’s produced the album. I had been leading the praise and worship team in school. I was the SU president as well as science club president.
My second album, Mogya no akasa (the blood has spoken), came out in 2002.

This interview was done on February 5, 2008 at Shatta Rako's office in Kumasi.

Museke: Firstly, how did you get the nickname Shatta Rako?
Shatta Rako: People started calling me Shatta Rako after my debut. Rako is from my initials – Rexford Amoah Kojo. Shatta means shooter, as a gun man. The full name is Top Shatta Rako – highest shooter. My Jamaican friends also called me Shatta Rako.

Museke: Can you tell us about your background and family?
Shatta Rako: My mum is from Winneba and my dad is from Apam. I was born in 1979, attended CRIG primary in New Tafo, Adisadel college in Cape Coast and then went to UST as part of the graduating class of 2003.

Museke: How did you get into music?
Shatta Rako: I liked music but didn’t think I was gonna come out with an album. I went on stage in form 1 at Adisco and did some rap (Azigiza Junior’s Medo wo Abena). I started taking it serious when he was leaving Adisco. Other performers at the time were T-Blaze, Scooby Selah and Spookie (now Wanlov da Kuborlor).We did various demos.