Ofori Amponsah Returns With 9th Album

Contemporary highlifer Ofori Amponsah has already started promoting two songs off his upcoming ninth album and last weekend denied rumours that he had to pay singer Kofi Nti and ragga toaster Barosky huge compensation to get the two back on his promising new song/video, Khala, after their major fracas some four years ago.

In an interview with Hi Newspaper, Kofi Nti debunked rumours that Ofori was pushed by his distributor to get he and Barosky on his new album as condition for (the distributor) to do business with Ofori (All 4 Real).

“Ofori asked us to be on one of his latest tracks (Khala), produced by Appietus, when we met about four months ago at a Chinese restaurant. I later went to the studios, listened to it and realized it was the kind of song I could fit in, and then featured on that song and another one featuring Voltage”

According to Barosky “we are not necessarily back as group/trio. I have an album I'm still promoting. We have realized the three of us gel better and agreed to work together when necessary”.

So far the Khala song/video shows very positive signs of taking over the airwaves soon. Even then, All 4 Real has another potential hit of francophone feel, Ketepa, featuring Kofi Nti and S.K. Blinks, of 'Aha Yede' fame likely to solve the current highlife drought. Another song to watch out for is 'Chemistry', a song of similar style as hit song Cinderela. 'Chemistry' features Voltage.

Ofori Ampnsah, who has won more Ghana Music Awards within 3 years than any musician in Ghana grabbed four in 2006 and a record seven the following year. In 2008, his smash hit album, Odwo which featured Samini won 3 Ghana Music Awards.

Currently Kofi Nti (Theophilus Kofi Nti) is about packaging videos off his 'Akonta' and (November 2009 released) 'Yeko Yenim' albums for a DVD release later in the year.

Barosky (Issac Obeng Mensah) has 3 albums including 'Okyerewaba' and 'Efia Amponsah'. He blew up with his appearance on Kofi Nti's 'Rakia' and Ofori Amponsah's 'Otoolege' songs, and later released his 10-track album Okyerewaa Ba in 2007.

Kofi Nti on the other hand, released his first solo album in 2002 entitled Wake Up to a moderately warm reception. His second album featured collaborations from popular musicians including K.K. Fosu, and Ofori Amponsah.

Seeing the three great talents work together, nothing shows they will again encourage that ugly disagreement which ensued among them resulting in Barosky threatening legal action and allegedly demanding GHc25,000 cedis in compensation for raw deal purportedly meted against him by Ofori's Management company.

Ofori Amponsah is on his personal 4reez Westside Entertainment label. His DVD and CDs are marketed locally by Oseiwus Ventures. The much awaited Khala album hits the market on September 1, 2010.



Leila Djansi Eyes Becca for Her Next Movie
By Hi Newspaper
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U.S-based top Ghanaian director, Leila Djansi is planning to cast Afro pop diva, Becca for her next big flick tentatively titled Tulips- her third production in Ghana.

The director of AMAA winner “I Sing of a Well” and yet-to-be released “Sinking Sands”, which stars Hollywood actor Jimmy Jean and Ama K Abebrese, announced last year she would be shooting a trilogy starting with “I Sing of a Well”.

As she awaits the October release of Sinking Sands, she is already eyeing sweet singer, Becca (Daa Ke Daa)” as her ultimate lead in her upcoming movie, “Tulips”. According to a source close to Laila, the director “has seen the perfect character in Becca”.
The source, who was certain Becca would land the role also revealed that Nollywood screen goddess Genevive Nnaji was initially considered for the same role. Shooting of Tulip begins early next year.

Becca's management confirmed the rumour when Hi Newspaper contacted Mr. Kiki Banson, her manager. “Leila contacted us some time ago for the said role. We have agreed in principle on the terms of the contract and would shoot the movie when Leila indicates her readiness”, he said.

Becca's first taste of the make-believe industry was in 2007 when she starred as Cameroonian footballer, Samuel Eto Fils's girlfriend in the footballer's biography.


4Syte TV Invites Producers To Clean Up Nominations For 2010 Awards Show

By Hi Newspaper
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This Saturday August 21st, 4Syte TV will host producers of various music videos submitted earlier on for nominations, at its offices at Lartebiokorshie in Accra.

“This is to clean up the list and deliberate on changes expected in this year's show”. This was disclosed to Hi Newspaper, over the weekend, by Ignace Hego, boss of 4Syte TV, the popular weekend entertainment show on TV3.

The highly successful first edition of 4syte Music Video Awards (MVAs) in 2008 was mainly sponsored by Zain. At the time of this interview, Ignace was not ready to disclose the sponsors of this year's event. “It is definitely going to be a telecom outfit, but, which one; we will announce at the launch later in the month”.

What impact has the MVAs had on the industry, Ignace hints “because of the MVAs, musicians are now motivated to produce more than just one music video per album unlike before. Today, Obrafour, Mzbel, V.I.P, etc have more than a video for their respective new album”, he said

“As for the production outfits, they are currently challenged, partly courtesy of VMAs, to bring out the very best pictures hence most of them have acquired state-of-the-art equipment. For instance, the new 7D cameras are very common at most production houses”.

Judges for this year's show are B.B Menson (M.D. Radio Gold), Ramesh Jai (Apex Advertising) and Ivan Quarshigah (Farmhouse). The TV Show will be hosted by Jeremie Van-Garshong, a regular host of 4Syte TV.

4Syte Music Video award 2010 is likely to come off on October 16 or November 20, 2010 at the Accra International Conference Centre. Watch out for exclusive interviews with the judges on 4Syte TV this weekend.


Miss ECOWAS Ghana Final On
August 27
By Hi Newspaper
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The 2010 Miss ECOWAS Ghana Pageant, an annual event instituted jointly by 702 Productions Ltd and the ECOWAS Commission to crown a National Queen who will represent Ghana at the International ECOWAS PEACE PAGEANT comes off at 7pm on Friday, August 27th 2010 at the Adae Kese Hall inside La Palm Beach Hotel in Accra.

The theme for this year's event is “Peace Building and Development”.

According to the organizers, “this is not just another beauty Pageant, this event was borne out of the idea of promoting Peace in the ECOWAS Sub-region by reaching out to the youth and bringing ECOWAS closer to the people”.

Auditions were held earlier on at the Golden Tulip to choose the ladies who will participate in the grand finale. “In addition to being beautiful; it was very important for each participant to have a good educational background, a pleasant personality and a great ability to express herself”, says the ceo of 702 Productions.

The winner and also the first runner-up will be travelling to represent Ghana in the international ECOWAS Peace Pageant to be held in Freetown, Sierra Leone. They will meet and compete with 28 ladies from the 14 other member states of the ECOWAS Sub-region.

Nigeria's Joy Obasi Ngozika, 19, won the last ECOWAS Peace Pageant held at the Polo Club Ground, Port Harcourt, Rivers State on Saturday November 14, 2010.

Sponsors of the show include Rice Masters (CCTC), Life Style Gallery, B Systems, Black's Secret and Star Nails. For more information on Miss ECOWAS Ghana, visit: www.missecowasghana.com or for ECOWAS PEACE PAGEANT: www.missecowas.com.


Emklan Motion Pictures Ready
To Hit You
By Hi Newspaper
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Okyeame Quophi's Entertainment Empire has added another subsidiary to his outfit called Emklan Motion Pictures, a film production unit of the group.

Speaking to Hi Newspaper's Nenebi Tony at the Emklan Studios at Gbawe, Okyeame Quophi, CEO of the group said, the group was an outfit committed to giving people total entertainment hence the decision to explore entertainment avenues to satisfy a vast array of clients.

Emklan Motion Pictures used to be Emklan Videos, known for producing the industry’s most pocket-friendly music videos. Quophi confirms: “As a musician myself, I understand the plight of my colleagues hence the need for moderate charges and most conveniently flexible payment terms”.

H e added that if a client was tight on budget, he could still give them quality video. To enhance the quality of works by both Emklan Videos and Emklan Motion Pictures, the group has acquired new state-of-the-art equipment.

For starters, Emklan Motion Pictures has produced “Yuda”, an Akan language thriller. The movie was produced by Stacy Amoateng and written and directed by Charles Afreh Mensah with Okyeame Quophi working on the soundtrack as well as editing. “Yuda” is the story of a prince (played by James Clark) who was told by a Fetish Priestess that he was to marry her daughter (Played by Portia Asare). He was ready to play by the plan until he meets and falls in love with the pretty Princess (Vicky Zugah) from their rival village. The story takes a twist when his bethrolled love kills the Princess. From the few minutes of the movie I watched, the story is well-told with loads of humour, melodrama, folklore and suspense. Okyeame Quophi did a perfect work with the picture quality and soundtrack. The songs were well-composed and well played to match the storyline of the movie. Janet Ackom of “Osofo Dadzie” fame, William Addo a.k.a Akpatse, Theophilus Annan and Kwame Amoo (of Hot FM Newsroom) are some of the other cast. Emklan Music, Emklan Events and Emklan are the other members of the Emklan Group owned by Hits FM Morning Show and TV Africa's Sound Splash host, Okyeame Quophi and his wife Stacy, host of “Music Music” on TV3.