V.I.P Aims At Grammy?s

Now that they?re more than certain of (a) nomination (s) plus performance slots at the next Kora All Africa Music Awards Show later this year in South Africa, Ghana?s most popular music group now, V.I.P have more than a Herculean task ahead.

?We?ve been waiting for this moment since we hit rap pay dirt close to a decade now. And it was obvious way before the GMA 2004 that we were going to carry the night?, front-runner of the hiplife trio, Promzy, told ghanamusic on Sunday, a day after they won the day at Ghana Music Awards 2004.

Vision In Progress (V.I.P) started as a-five-member group: Promzy (Emmanuel Ababio), Prodigal (Joseph Nana Ofori), Lazy (Abdul Hamid Ibrahim), Bone (Tetteh Apedo) and Friction in 1995. Initially, they acted as though America had tasked them to represent real hip-hop in Ghana. And that was very evident in their dramatic action on stage and dress code (baggy jeans, tough and trendy work-boots and out-of-this-world hair-dos). Before V.I.P entered Ghana?s version of Hip-hop (i.e. Hiplife), they used to rap in English over typical hip-hop beats. Since their entry they introduced local rap in Hausa; then they combined it with the English flow, which they seem to have much grip on than any local group.

When they realised or rather understood the industry maxim: ?The Game Is To Be Sold, Not To Be Told?, V.I.P sat up and added some Twi (the most popular Ghanaian local dialect) lyrics to their songs; if that was the best way to appeal more to the music buying folks. All three members could flow very well in all three languages through deep vocalist Prodigal concentrates more in the Twi and sometimes ragga flow. Lazy does most of the singing and alongside Promzy do the English flow. Their debut album called ?Bibiiba?, which homes the hit tune ?Rana Sallah? was released in 1998.

Their sophomore album ?Yede Aba? (1999) produced such hit party cuts as ?Kuzo Muyi Wasa?, ?Oye Me Baby? and girl-telling ?Money Lover?. But just before this album, in 2001, ex-leader, Friction sadly quit the group after a brief in-house grudge over leadership. Later that year, the fourth member, Bone left for London to further his education on scholarship, and has since done just one gig with the group at the Ghana Independence Celebration Concert in London on March 6 this year. V.I.P would however tell you that Bone is still with them in spirit. No doubt in all their album cover art since he?s been away, Bone?s name is always seen on a thick stick the three standing members are seen wielding.

As a trio, V.I.P then changed their strategy, perhaps in a bid to make fans not realise their fast diminishing numbers. They introduced about five other dormant members (and sometimes even more) to the number anytime they mounted the stage. These other people never touch the microphone, but backs them up with entertaining dance steps and choreography. What makes V.I.P even more popular on stage is their way with choreography. Plus any new album released, they make sure to create a new dance style with it, which gets down so quick and well among their fans.

In 2002, they moved from their two-album-old Precise Music Productions to their current label Goodies Music Productions, owned by the insightful and business-minded duo of Isaac Abeidu Aidoo and George Oduro Boahen. They immediately released their third album ? ?Lumbe Lumbe Lumbe?. Two cuts ? the title track and highlife-spirited ?Daben Na Odo Beba? became instant hits. For the first time their album sales jumped up and the bad boys of hiplife began serious business again, replacing, to some extent large portions of their hip-hop stints for more highlife inputs in their song. A new-following joined in their fan base kept multiplied by the shows. So now, you don?t only see ghetto folks, but also sophiscated money-spending fun-loving folks in large droves at their concerts. V.I.P soon became a big-time household name in the hiplife world.

In October last year, they dropped what would become the most award-sweeping album in the life of Hiplife music, ?Ahomka Wo Mu?. The album won five awards for them including two of the big three: Song of the Year and Artiste of the Year, Engineer by of the Year. ?Ahomka Wo Mu? has most radio friendly tracks than any album they ever recorded.

The album can boast of such wonderful tracks as ?Ahomka Wo Mu?, ?Sisi Na Die Wom?, ?Sere Kakra?, ?Besin? and ?Ko-Oho?. At the Kora All African Music Show in South Africa later this year, V.I.P are billed to perform and by virtue of their winning the Song of the Year category at GMA 2004, the ?Ahomka Wo Mu? song automatically qualify them as nominee(s)

On the plans to bring on board the other members, Lazy said, on March 6 the trio performed with Bone at the Ghana Independence Celebration in London and they discussed this same issue. ?Sometime last week, we had a lengthier phone chat with Friction currently based in Holland about the possibilities of repairing our differences and coming together?.

Asked what the future looked like for the V.I.P, the group said that after the GMA winning spree, they now have their ?eyes on the Grammies?. What a tall order.

Come March 20th, the group embarks on their fist social responsibility programme with a general clean up in Nima.

Watch out for their future plans and how they plan to invade Africa when they launch their official website soon.