Empire educates musicians

As part of activities marking its first anniversary, Empire Entertainment, headed by Nat Kwabena Adisi, aka Bola Ray, organized a day’s seminar for musicians and other stakeholders in the entertainment industry at the Alisa Hotel in Accra on Wednesday.

The seminar which was under the theme: Entertainment In Ghana Today, educated stakeholders on the lapses in the industry. It attracted a large number of Ghanaian music and movie stars as well as the media.

Among them were Amandzeba Nat Brew, second vice president of the Musicians Union of Ghana (MUSIGA); Kweku Kyei Darkwa (KKD), internationally acclaimed MC and CEO of Finest Production; Benny Moro, vice president of Ghana Film Producers Association of Ghana; Kojo Bonsu, CEO of Agoo Magazine; and Verus Nartey, Editor in-chief of Muzic Biz.

Speaking on the topic: ‘Business In Entertainment’, Mr. Kojo Bonsu called on musicians to desist from acts that seek to undermine their activities and progress.

He however tasked the stars to honour time agreements with event organizers, and make sure they sign contracts rather than verbal agreements.

He advised that the players in the industry engage the services of lawyers, publicists, business managers, chorographers, costume designers, among others who could help them to make work become easier as well as bring a lot of income into their pockets.

Mr. Bonsu said, “I believe every good musician should employ a good lawyer.”

A lawyer, according to him, should be the one to sign contracts and agreements as well advise a musician on any business he does.

He further stated that Ghanaian artistes should try as much as possible to come out with songs that have choreographed dances, which would help boost sales of their albums.

Mr Bonsu was of the view that managers of Ghanaian artistes do not even know how to put in proposals for business on behalf of the artiste.

He therefore advised the managers to work hand-in-hand with lawyers and as well put in place proper accounts and the day-to-day incomes and expenditure for artiste.

Mr. Bonsu told the musicians not to wait for event organizers to organize shows for them. Rather, they should get their own crew to organize tours.

Touching on dress codes of artistes, Mr Bonsu advised that Ghanaian artistes should learn to dress properly when they appear in public and on stage to perform.

Citing Amendzeba as an example of someone who always wears African prints, Mr Bonsu advised the artistes to get their own designers do design dresses for them.

On his part, Kwasi Kyei Darkwa, aka KDD, who spoke on the state of entertainment in Ghana, blamed radio DJs and presenters for the woes of Ghanaian artistes, saying that the entertainment business has become a game played by DJs for the benefit of certain producers. He suggested that radio DJs or presenters who collect payola should be arrested, but his suggestion raised mix-reactions.