Castro: The Destroyer

Castro Destroyer has been the real “show stopper” at several live concerts during the last eight months or so. Wherever he has mounted the stage, Castro has been the real toast of an otherwise dissatisfied audience.

The fact that he has performed at all the major entertainment events held in major cities in the country this year is symptomatic of the confidence that organizers have in his name which help to draw people to watch the events.

Although he could not readily re-collect the number of shows he has performed at this year, Castro told Showbiz last Tuesday that he was happy to have been on stage during the major entertainment programmes held at the Accra International Conference Centre.

“I am glad to have performed at the Beenie Man concert, the finals of the Nescafe African Revelation, the Ghana Music Awards and the Miss Ghana events. These are the major entertainment events so far and I am grateful to God that I excelled at all of them,” Castro said.

The increasing popularity of Castro has been gained through Toffee and Boneshaker two of the songs on his second and latest album titled Toffee. But for the twenty-year old singer and rapper, fame has been a long time coming.

He started by performing on the under card at programmes organized for big stars and it was at one of such programmes that he was spotted by hiplife stalwarts, VIP, who encouraged him to pursue a career in music. “For me it is VIP who really pushed me into the business,” was how Castro put it.

Following their advice he left the Two Prominent Men (2PM) project he had started with his friend Skido in Takoradi and came to Accra to look for a recording deal in 1999.

Through that he met one Agyengo who introduced him to Jeff Quaye (Jay Q), a sound engineer and the rest is history.

In 2003 Jay Q recorded the hit compilation titled Platinum on his Q Lex Entertainment record label and he featured Castro with the re-mix of George Jahraa’s Srademan.

Frimprince Music Production later added that song to a few others to produce Castro’s debut album titled Damages. This was followed with his second Toffee in late 2004. He describes Toffee as bringing him twice the popularity that Damages brought him.

“Damages introduced me to the people of Ghana, but what Toffee came with can be described as rather very massive.”

Castro was born in the Western port city of Takoradi to Aidoo Tagoe and Lydia Tagoe and christened Theophilus Tagoe.

He was educated at Snap College before which he schooled at the All Saints Junior Secondary School both in Takoradi.

According to the artiste, his Showbiz name “Castro Destroyer” emerged from the fact that all the songs he comes out with become a hit.

“It is because my songs cause damage, they virtually destroy the system whenever I come out. You will realize that all the songs that I have featured on have become hits.”

Castro cannot remember the number of artistes whose works he has featured on though he knows the number exceeds twenty. Some of them are Buk Bak, 4x4, Triple M, Mzbel, Dr Poh, Pope Skinnie, Paa Solo and 2 Toff. One of his biggest problems now is how to say no to his many colleagues who invite him to feature on their songs.

Much as I want to feature for my fellow musicians, it must not be too much to lower the standard.” Castro said the view that some people have about his music as being profane is not true because he tries as much as he could to come out with clean songs.

“My greatest desire is to make good songs while avoiding profanity and abusive language. I think the time is past when musicians sing to insult each other, we must desist from it,” he added.

The hiplife artiste said he does not look up to anybody because that would not make him original. “Everybody has their style, my is to sing and dance at the same time to entertain people who pay to watch me perform. Others have their own and I don’t have to look up to anyone to do what I do.”

Castro said he together with two other artistes Shiloh and Screwface are preparing to release a ten-track album together under the name Cashface. He explained that they were not forming a group but just collaborating for this album after which they will all go separate ways.

Castro Destroyer hopes go back to school very soon to improve on his knowledge. He also wishes to set up a record label to bring up “people who have more talent than I have but cannot have people to help them come out.”

Castro is currently on Anane Frimpong's Frimprince Music Production label and managed by Darlynn Amess of Amess Entertainment. He said he was grateful to his producer, manager, Jay Q and Agyengo for discovering him.

“AIDS is real and people should be careful what they do with their lives,” was his parting message to his numerous fans.