X-Doe turns TV presenter

Hiplife guru X-Doe has appeared out of the blue doing something he claim is the genesis of his long over due comeback. X is currently a presenter on a new TV market show “Hello Ghana” aired on TV3 very Saturday 1:30pm.

“Hello Ghana” is a 30 minutes TV market show which gives businesses an opportunity to advertise their products.

The show also screens both foreign and local music videos and exclusive shorts from some of our rich tourist sights. He presents a new segment introduced on the show titled “Street Joke” where he speaks to ordinary people in public places like markets, drinking bars, lorry stations, canteens, churches, schools about certain national issues such as the current energy crisis, the redenomination, the national identification program, the national health insurance scheme to mention a few.

“You see these are all serious issues but you will be surprised to know that there are thousands of laymen in the streets who do not have the slightest idea about all these pressing issues and that is what I intend to change”. He said. “Hello Ghana” is a program laid by Uni-Marketing Services and its geared at educating the public and to show them the right product to buy.

Born as Richard Kwasi Siaw Afrofi to a noble family in Akropong-Aperedi (Akwapim) in the Eastern Region, X-Doe has always made clear his intentions to do music in the house since his childhood. If you tell Akwesi to sit here for five minutes don’t even try checking whether he is still there or not because you won’t find him there. He is very fast and smart” a family member told this reporter.

X did not deny the fact that he was troublesome has a child but explained that maybe it was because his parents and siblings didn’t want him to be who he wanted to be. They didn’t understand why their son Kwasi Siaw refuses to go church sometimes but always tries to go for rap competitions and always agrees to go to church on condition.

He grew up at the Kaneshie Central Market Area a real ghetto as calls it and had always wanted to be a rapper because he believed he could express himself well with it, than any other type of music. He rattled words on any beat he heard, he became addicted to it with time and has become part of his life. In 1996 he released his first album “Daavi Medekuku” the album that made the name X-Doe a household name. He played at all the big shows, had all the money and made his presence felt in the industry.

His second album “Maba” released in 1999 was a controversial one which triggered a reply from his partner and friend Chicago also titled “Wo beko”. That was the first time in the history of hip life for two artistes to openly battle each other lyrically with their individual albums yet both were successful. This was followed by “Gogo wo ho” in 2000.

After the release of this album and just when hiplife was gaining grounds he left Ghana for Canada. Asked why he took such a decision X-Doe said he wanted a change of environment and learn more about how music is done in other parts of the world. In Canada he stayed in Montréal and Toronto.

He also moved intermittently to the States for holidays and to witness live performances from big shots like Elephant Man, P. Diddy, Snoop Dogg, Eminem, Jay Z and several others. Being away for almost six years he returned to Ghana in 2005 and to his surprise hiplife has become the biggest thing been played on radio, in clubs, at parties and even at political gatherings.

Comparing when he left and when he returned, X said everything seems different because on radio he left behind names like Fiifi Pratt, Tommy Annan Forson, Gabby Agyetey, Kofi Dickson, B.B Menson, Kwame Sefa Kayi, DJ Abio, Loving Cee and in the hiplife scene left behind the likes of Reggie Rockstone, Nana King, Obrafour, Buk Bak, Jay Dee, Pricky, Sony Bally, Yoggy Doggy and others. He said even though some of the old folks are still around making it in their respective fields, new breed of stars are running things now in the media, on the music scene and everywhere.

He pointed that out as the reason why, he has still not released an album. He believes he has to stay back for a while, study the way things are been done now and come out with something that will fit the time.

As he still laid back X-Doe has featured on songs like “Beware of Dogs” by Tic Tac, “Akroma” by Nana King, “Fa me” by Adam and many others most of which are yet to be released. He has also performed on shows like Akon live in Naija (Nigeria) with Nana King, Jay Z live in Ghana, street carnivals and other big shows.

About when his next album will be released he refused to comment about it. He only said “It will be like the second coming of Christ keep waiting in patience”.

The father of two lovely kids Dillmond Kwateng Siaw (9) and De-Shana Siaw Afrofi (7) promised his fans he will not let them down. If you see X-Doe on TV remember you read it first in the Weekly Fylla.