Kontihene's Darkness Comes To Light

Sitting in a car in Kokomlemle, near Joy FM, at first it seems like Kontihene doesn't have much to say. In person, the 25-year-old hiplife artist is shy, and tries to laugh off questions about his personal life. But when he"s behind a microphone it?s a different thing.

"When I was growing up I was the quiet type," he said in an interview with The Saturday Statesman this week. "On stage it?s a different subject all together?. I don?t care what it takes for me to have good show, I have to put my shyness aside and come out with what you have to do. It?s just like a t-shirt, you put it on and take it off."

However, Kontihene eventually opened up to what is currently going on in his life. His latest and fourth album, entitled Esum meaning darkness, is new on the market and is expected to officially launch soon.

Though his popular albums have made his name well-known, the musician started out like anyone else.

Emmanuel Appiah Boateng, also known as Kontihene, had his primary education at Matters of Ugander in Kumasi and continued at Opoku Ware Secondary. He then moved to the Thomas Nelson Community College and is now at Hamphire University in the US studying business administration and commercial law.

As a growing kid he saw the "music thing" very attractive. At a tender age of 8 he developed a passion for music after hearing the piano being played in school. But coming from three in his family, and being the only the boy, his parents wanted him to work in his own office. Still, Kontihene believes he can combine both education and music as he is doing now.

Fast forward to the start of his music career. Already, he has three albums to his credit, the first being Nyankunton in 2002, second Nsoroma in 2003 and the third Awriah in 2004. He can play the saxophone, rap, and choreograph routines.

He is credited as being the first artist who helped introduced jama into Ghanaian music circles through his debut hit, 'Aketesea?. It subsequently won him Ghana?s best song in 2002 at the Ghana Music Awards.

He is also believed to be the first hiplife artist to be featured by the renowned highlife artist Kojo Antwi on his ?Me die ne woa? song and the Musicman himself helped him record his second album (Nsoroma).

Some of his popular songs include Effeh, M?adamfo pa beko, Adwoa, Migizigi, Nkomo de, Rekpete, Africa Mama and Okwaadonto. The multiple award winner and a man of many talents said, as the saying goes, " behind every successful man there is a woman," and there is a woman in his life. When he mention her he looked happy with a smile on his face, but his shyness returned and he was hesitant to describe her.

He will however openly describe his latest album ? as a classic, because it took him three years to complete as he blended schooling and writing lyrics together. "It is hectic," he admitted.

Esum the new album has nine hiplife tracks including poppy, bervely, nana wo hene, gyina pintin to mention but few and with a jazzy track, that makes it 10. Artists featured on the album are Kwabena Kwabena, K K Fosu, Nana Agyeman, Dela, to mention but few. Kontihene being a strong Christian believes God will be helping him achieve his full potential.

"I don?t even think I?ve been able to use even one per cent of my creativity," he said. "And I am working harder. All that I need is strength, an intervention from God, so that I can achieve greater heights."