People have always had problems with my personality - Amandzeba Nat Brew

Those who know Amandzeba Nat Brew should have noticed his new persona by now- his new wardrobe- the blossoming mane on his head and lyrics.

Nat is now oceans apart from his NAKOREX days (made up of himself, Akosua Agyepong and Rex Omar) he didn’t look so ethno then.

They made pop music then and it was ok because it worked- two men and a little lady type match was not so common place when they had Ghana caught up in their version of new school Ghanaian sub genres. It was new, it was cool and fresh out of some funk they were toying with.

All that has changed, after the group disbanded – Akosua and Nat got married and had a truck load of kids (well almost) and Rex Omar went his way too. Everybody knows what followed. Amandzeba put out his first solo record after the breakup- Demara. An instant hit-album that took his act to a new artistic level with ballads like Dede along side protest cuts like Wogbe which legitimized the new sound he’s now famous for.

His recent effort Lolojuju had Nat sampling some 60’s Highlife plus an added ounce of indigenous lolo with songs like Dzo and Pioto

People appear to be embracing Amandzeba all over again- looks, music and all.

“People have always had problems with my personality but that is me, a son of the African soil. We’ve become more like a vulture copying everything from the West to the detriment of our own culture.”

Nat is all for trying out new sound textures and ideas, from either pop culture or some other alternative. But he also thinks that shouldn’t be cut and dry like that.

“There is a growing culture of laziness among the current generation of musicians who are ready to sacrifice their own indigenous rhythms because they find it difficult. About 80% should come from home and you can pick grassroots rhythms and pick the ear. And that is where our umbilical chord is coming from.”

Amandzeba said most of the young musicians are more enthused about creating excitement instead of dwelling more on the message.

“Excitement is taking over creativity,” he told Jive. “People are more interested in the excitement they create instead of churning out the message to the listening ear.”

Amandzeba, whose songs Dzo and Pioto frown on the increasing levels of lost identity and personal greed, said he’ll soon be unveiling his new album. But he fell short of leaking out the exact time.

“Most of my recordings get ready when I’m convinced it should come out then it comes,” he said. “When my inner call rings and say let’s go then I go.”