A2.O
MAGAZINE BUSINESS
FALLING CEDI DRAGS GSE DOWN
ENTERTAINMENT
MR COCOYAM
TABLE OF CONTENTS PAPPY KOJO
LIFESTYLE
HIJARBIE MTAILOR FORD GT There is only one boss. The { customer. And he can fre everybody in the company from BUSINESS the chairman on down, simply by spending his money somewhere { else. Sam Walton FALLING CEDI DRAGS GSE
BY: MASAHUDU ANKIILU KUNATEH THE Ghana Stock Exchange (GSE) is bearing the brunt of the weakening Cedi, which over the months has been losing value against major currencies. The currency’s value has taken a tumble against foreign tenders as the United States Dollar and the British Pound, much to the detriment of proftability at one of West Africa’s leading stock exchanges, with a cap of US$ 20.17 billion. GSE, one of the continent’s “young- er” bourses which started trading in 1990, is struggling for competitiveness against other African bourses. As of the time of going to press, the Cedi traded at 3.77 against the US currency. This year, it has depreci- ated 26 percent in value against the Dollar. On a year-to-date basis, the Ghana currency has depreciated by 15.5 percent as of October 2015, compared with 31.2 percent in the corresponding period of 2014, according to the Bank of Ghana (BoG). Moreover, some foreign currency bureau operators in the capital Accra attributed the sharp decline of the dollar and other major trading currencies to speculation in the market, while others are also blaming the BoG for failing to do nothing to arrest the situation.
In an interview, Accra-based analyst, John Opoku, called on the government to support the Ghanaian manufacturing companies by reducing the high tarifs on imports and exports. “If one changes $100 000 and buys a company listed, in the next six months what is “Fund managers the return one is looking at?” he asked rhetorically. “The price might not have changed or one would representing frms have experience some loses which is the exchange outside Ghana are loses which is largely due to the depreciation of the cedi, fund managers representing frms outside Gha- not buying which na are not buying which means we are not able to see means we are not some growth and see any appreciation of the price that afect the all share index,” said Opoku. able to see some He pointed out that depreciation of the Cedi was an growth and see any outcome of the performance of the economy. The International Monetary Fund projected the appreciation of the country’s economic growth would fall to as low as 3,5 price that affect the percent this year. In addition, the Ghana Statistical Service’s recent GDP report indicated the economy all share index” dropped from $48.6 billion in 2013 to $38.3 billion last year at market exchange rates. Opoku said the man- ufacturing sector was currently the worst performing sector on the stock market due to the several taxes government charges.
Manufacturing companies dominate the listings in the 38-company stock exchange. Therefore, if something can be done to ease the pressure which afect them to reduce their cost of oper- ation ,which is one of the thing the foreign investors are looking at, then their stocks will perform better,” he said. Opoku noted although the Cedi’s negative rating against major currencies was weighing down manufacturing companies listed on the GSE, its downslide was a blessing in disguise to banks listed on the bourse. The fnancial institutions, which are a minority in the bourse, are beneftting immensely. “The companies we see performing well on the exchange are the banks. This is because whether the economy is good or bad, the banks will always churn out proft depending on what product and what management they have in place. In 2015, at half year, the banks had made profts they accrued in the whole of 2014,” the analyst noted. BOG meanwhile absolved itself from the underperformance of the Cedi. The central bank blamed the prevailing situation on the huge consumption of foreign goods, cur- rency expectations and the structure of the country’s economy. Ghana currently consumes more foreign goods than local products. According to data from the Ministry of Trade and Industry, in 2013 alone, the country spent a whopping $1,5 billion in foreign currency on the import of rice, sugar, wheat, tomato products, frozen fsh, poultry and vegetable cooking oils, most of which can be produced locally. LOANS LEAVE GHANA ON THE EDGE OF BANKRUPTCY
BY: MASAHUDU ANKIILU KUNATEH IN spite of denials by fscal authorities, Ghana has been relegated to the unenviable group of heavily “We went to the market then without a World Bank Insurance cover because our macroeconomic fun- indebted poor countries (HIPC) as years of an insatiable appetite for borrowing catches up with West damentals were strong, our rating was very good and our debt was sustainable. Even though the global Africa’s second-biggest economy, and the prospects look dire after the country last week launched a $1 credit crunch was rife in 2007 and average LIBOR was 5,251. We only paid a little premium,” said the leg- billion Eurobond, its fourth, becoming the frst country in sub-Saharan Africa outside of South Africa to islator. In the case of the just-issued Eurobond, he lamented that Ghana’s Sovereign Guarantee was of no issue a 15-year bond, at a coupon rate of 10.75 percent. As a result, already searing under a declining value.He attributed to the country’s recent deteriorated ratings and debt unsustainability. economy, Ghana is expected to cough up $107.5 million a year for the next 15 years in interest payments Nii Emma, a PhD student of Development Economics at the University of Ghana, appealed to the govern- on the Eurobond. This is the latest in a series of borrowings that has the country in the HIPC bracket. ment not to misspend the money. Controversy surrounds last year’s issues as $1 billion sourced from the HIPC are a group of 38 developing countries, with the exclusion of Ghana for now, with high levels of international fnanciers could not be accounted for. “We want government to tell the Ghanaian people poverty and debt overhang. According to the United Nations and World Bank, any time a country’s public what actual use they will put the money to. The sad but plain truth is that the managers of the coun- debt hits or crosses 70 percent of its gross domestic product (GDP), then that country can be described try have been manifestly careless in going to the bond market at this material time. “Notwithstanding, as highly indebted, making it difcult for that country to settle its debts on time. While not ofcial, Ghana government must not be callous in spending the money for after all it is the overburdened citizens of has fallen in that category with the country’s debt stock reaching an alarming rate of GH¢ 94.5 billion, this country who will have to pay back the careless borrowing of government when the time is due,” said representing more than 70 percent of GDP of ¢ 146.68 billion (US38.648 billion). Despite this, and the Emma. A renowned economist, Dr Mahamudu Bawumia, lamented that the increase in Ghana’s debt had shooting public debt, pointing to Ghana re-degenerating into HIPC status, Governor of the Bank of Gha- placed a major burden on public fnances with regard to interest payments on the debt Interest pay- na (BoG), Dr Henry Wampah, has stated categorically the country is far from that tag. ments on domestic and external debt declined from 7.5 percent of GDP in 2000 to 2.3 percent by the end Ghana exited HIPC in 2006. of 2008. Since then, interest payment has increased to 5.1 percent of GDP in 2013, and would reach 6.5 percent of GDP by the end of 2014. “The country’s current debt stock does not mean Ghana is now HIPC. It is only government that can de- “The increase in interest payments by 2.8 percent of GDP, between 2008 and 2013, has taken away critical clare Ghana HIPC,” Wampah said at a media conference, albeit unconvincingly. fscal space that was available to the government, and that was created as a matter of deliberate strategy “To go in HIPC is a conscious decision by a country. You can say that it (Ghana’s debt) has reached levels and policy choices,” said Bawumia. of pre-HIPC levels but you can’t say we are HIPC. “To go HIPC is a decision by government; it’s not auto- matic that at some level you should go HIPC,” the apex bank boss added in a cryptic analysis. The recent “The increase in interest payments by 2.8 percent of GDP, between 2008 and 2013, has Eurobond suggests expert warnings Ghana’s debt status could worsen were not heeded. Earlier this year, taken away critical fscal space that was available to the government, and that was created the Managing Director of the International Monetary Fund (IMF), Christine Largard, warned Ghana could as a matter of deliberate strategy and policy choices,” be taking on too much debt in dollars through the issuance of the Eurobond. She said the practice had the potential to further harm the country’s economy. Speaking on the sidelines of the ‘Africa Rising’ con- ference in Maputo, Mozambique, Largard said increasing yields on the bonds indicated investors saw the BoG statistics suggest the country’s external debt stock has increased by $1,28 billion between May and bonds as high risks. “Probably to those two messages [high yields and risks], the government [of Ghana] June and currently stands at $15.62 billion (GHc58.6 billion) representing more than 40 percent of GDP, should be attentive and cautious about overloading the country with too much debt,” she was quoted as while total domestic debt stock also increased by $53.33 million during the period. saying. Meanwhile, the country’s latest Eurobond, might have been oversubscribed, exceeding $2 billion Sampson Amoah, an Accra-based social commentator, lamented the country’s economic prospects char- at a coupon rate of 10.75 percent compared to a target of $1 billion. acterized by the GDP reaching its lowest in 14 years and the plummeting local currency. Minister of Finance, Seth Terkper, was upbeat. IMF, he pointed out, had predicted the country’s economic growth would fall to as low as 3,5 percent this year. In addition, the Ghana Statistical Service’s (GSS) frst quarter GDP report for 2015, indicated the economy dropped from $48.6 billion in 2013 to $38.3 billion last year at market exchange rates. “This represents an over-subscription of more than 100 percent, indicating the “We went to the The considerable drop in the size of the economy in 2014 was due to the exchange rate depreciation, high appetite for Ghana’s credit,” said Terkper. The Eurobond is however a series market then without which saw the Cedi decline in value by more than 30 percent against the United States Dollar during the of borrowings suggesting an avid inclination to loans, much to the outcry of the a World Bank Insur- period. The country’s economy has slowed sharply in the last two years, hit by a fall in global commod- public that is of the view that the country’s debt has now reached unsustainable ance cover because ity prices that have hurt its gold, cocoa and oil exports. “All this will have will have repercussions on the limit. The Member of Parliament for New Juaben South in the Eastern Region, our macroeconomic import-dominated economy,” Amoah said. Dr Mark Assibey-Yeboah, described the coup rate on the latest Eurobond as the fundamentals were highest in Africa. It is said to be the highest yield on a Eurobond issue ever paid by an African country. “It is embarrassing, to say the least. How can a country like strong, our rating Poland get a yield of 0,94 percent on the same day that Ghana issued the Euro- was very good and bond?” he asked. He added fellow African country Angola, recently postponed our debt was sustain- plans for a $1.5 billion bond to await better market conditions. Even Zambia, with able. Even though all of its problems, got a yield of 9.37 percent. Government has informed Parlia- the global credit ment that their indicative yield was in the range of 8,5 percent to 9 percent but crunch was rife in because the major credit rating agencies had downgraded Ghana to B1 or B-, six VISIT WWW.A2OMAG.COM levels below investment grade, the government could not venture into the mar- 2007 and average ket with the time-tested Sovereign Guarantee. Comparing the current Eurobond LIBOR was 5,251. We to the frst Eurobond of $750 million, Assibey-Yeboah argued, “The frst Eurobond only paid a little pre- issue with a ‘naked’ Sovereign Guarantee attracted a yield of 8.5 percent. At the mium,” time, our credit rating under President (John) Kufuor was B3 or B+. We aren’t in an information age, ENTERTAINMENT {we are in an entertainment age. { Tony Robbins Who are you? In the spirit of James Bond’s new movie, Spectre, I'm going to introduce myself as Asiedu, Kel- vin Asiedu. Thats my real name, but most people will only recognize my nickname "Mrcocoyam". Naturally people always ask me where I got the name from and to this day I still don't remember how I got it. It may have come from my high school days in Ghana, nonetheless it has stuck with me till now. Even my dad calls me that now, which I fnd incredibly amusing because he's always bemoaning my online vlogging antics. I grew up in Ghana for the major part of my life and only moved to America in 2010. This stage of my life has been very critical in developing my work, since my material is founded in the African culture for the most part. My Ghanaian background has given me the needed authenticity to develop my work and has undoubtedly being very useful in connecting with my African audience. Where do you get your material? “My Ghanaian background has given Most of my material come from me the needed authenticity to develop everyday things; my environment, people around me, conversations my work and has undoubtedly been and society in general. I’m more very useful in connecting with my Afri- satirical so I always look for the hu- mor in things happening in society. can audience.” Have you ever put up material and people don’t fnd it funny and instead turn against you? Off course, people are going to disagree with your humor all the time. Considering that most of my work is opinion founded you don’t expect everyone to agree with you. Its a tight rope to walk, but so far I’ve managed to keep my balance. What’s it like being famous? [How has it changed your life and how has it changed you?] Being popular is weird. Very weird actually. Especially since everyone who knows what you do ex- pect you to act reserved when they meet you and you have to convince them that its okay to talk to you. I suppose its only going to get worse, but I can assure everyone I’m still going to remain the same so feel free to say hello when you meet me. That is, if I don’t say hello frst.
How did all this start? What do you spend most of What do you spend most of your time doing when you’re This all started in my high your time doing when you’re not making people laugh? school in Ghana, St. Augus- not making people laugh? tines College, I was chosen to I play video games a lot. be part of my school drama Decisions. I’m a terrible deci- Recently I've been trying to team because of my sense sion maker and thats one thing go to the gym but we will of humor and eventually I struggle with the most. Hell, I see how that pans out. became President, writing couldn’t even decide what side- comedy scripts for the team. walk I wanted to use today. You are one of many examples that all you need is a phone and personality to have some level of success you have any advice for people that try to do what you do?
Just do it, its that simple. You never know what people listen to or are humored by so just do it. What was your frst job? How long have you been What couldn’t you live without? doing this for? First job was as an interviewer My family, Can't live without MR. COCOYAM for Marist Poll. We conducted I've been at this for about 4 their support. years now but its not consis- INSTAGRAM FACEBOOK YOUTUBE opinion surveys on politics and general issues in society. tent. Sometimes I take breaks COMEDIAN - HOST - GHANA for months or maybe a year and get back to it. Do you think english helps make your delivery of jokes funnier or twi? Twi is defnitely my strong suit since its my natural language but recently I've had to switch to English because my audience have been more international.
We saw a comment on one of your videos someone said you always seem to be eating in your posts why is that? Haha, I don’t think I’m always eating in my videos but if you noticed I freestyle all of my work. Its usually spontaneous so whatever I’m doing at the moment you are going to see it in the video.
Do you think if you had started this in Ghana you would’ve been appreciated? No. There are many Brilliant comedians in Ghana but they have never gotten the necessary platform to showcase their work. I have just been lucky I found myself with You tube earlier on. Being in America has helped my work a lot, because I have avenues that push my work, something I would have lacked if I was in Ghana.
Do people of other cultures get your jokes? Yes, Yes. Interestingly, now, I'd say only 10 - 20% of my audience are African. The rest are all over the world. I've got people from Tibet, Pakistan, Bangladesh and the most random of places on earth message me about my work. I'm surprised at that reach but I'm guessing it is so because I swayed away from African jokes and focused more on general topics. Since my best asset is humorous commentary and delivery, I fgured I could talk about anything, making it easier for everyone to understand. I'd say the only thing African about my work now is my accent. And I'm glad I have it because I wouldn't even get noticed without it.
Who is your favourite musician right now? Patoranking for Afrobeats because thats what I mostly listen to and Eric Hutchinson
What was your favourite cartoon growing up?
Tom and Jerry, thats all they showed in Ghana anyways. Do you have a particular comedic style, if you Finish this thought for us: In the will? Any specifc infuences? future I hope to ……. I'd say social commentary and sattire. KSM from Ghana In the future I hope to be infuenced me a lot with his work Ghanaian issues and everything I dream of. I can't Bill Cosby has also played a major role in how I think tell you what my dream is about things and being able to spot the humor in every about, but I hope God grants statement or situation. me that. MÈLAT
INSTAGRAM FACEBOOK TWITTER
SINGER - ETHIOPIAN Who are you?
I am Mélat, a frst generation Ethiopian American who’s parents immigrated from Ethiopia in the 80’s. I was born and raised in the beautiful city of Austin, Texas, the Live Music Capital of the world. Music has long been a part of who I am and writing has been my confdant for as long as I can remember.
When did you frst start singing?
I frst started singing as a very young child. I always loved my music classes and joined my frst choir at around age 10 and I was hooked.
Who are your musical inspirations?
My music inspirations, for various reasons, are Ella Fitzgerald, Frank Sinatra, Nat King Cole, Mariah Carey, Ethiopian singer Zeritu and of course, Michael Jackson.
What kind of music do you listen to today?
I mostly listen to old school jazz singers; a lot of Ella Fitzgerald, Nat King Cole and Frank Sinatra
What embarrassing songs might I fnd on your phone?
I fully stand by the necessity of these songs for our musical history, but probably my 99-2000’s music: Backstreet Boys, N’SYNC, Brittney Spears, Dream, Eden’s Crush, etc… A beautiful very poppy, very young moment in music!
Where would you most like to perform?
I’m blessed to have performed in 2 of my dream places, New York City and Los Angeles, and I think after that it’s a toss up between the UK (or anywhere in Europe!) and Ethiopia.
Who would you most like to open for?
I would love to open for Kanye. That would be top.
If you weren’t singing, what would you be doing?
I’d likely be running my own small advertising agency, working it into a multi-media corporation.
What genre of music can’t you stand to listen to?
None of them. Good music is good music, even if you can’t understand it. What hidden talents do you have?
I really enjoy DIY refurbishing old furniture. Painting, revamping, breaking it down and putting it back to- gether to make something new from an item that’s been around for a while.
Do you enjoy writing music and/or lyrics?
I love it. It’s my way of release and really understand- ing the root of my being.
Where do you get your material? Do you write all of your own music; where do you draw inspiration from when you write songs and what’s your favor- ite part about the proccess?
I get my material from real life. My life, my friends lives, current events. Really anything can inspire a song. For me personally, I want to have a true piece of my soul in the music. So I write honestly. I write some- thing that means something to me so that when you listen to a song you too can feel it and hopefully, you can relate to it. That way we can get through it togeth- er. The good the bad the ugly and the amazing. My favorite part is the very end, when it all comes togeth- er to make one body of work. Instruments, melodies, vocals, and lyrics making one piece of beautiful art.
What do you spend most of your time doing when you’re not making music?
Going to coffee shops, playing video games, hanging out with my cat, and working on ideas for my mer- chandise.
What do you struggle with as a person?
The fears and insicurities I’ve always held dealing with body image and people’s perceptions of me. It can be terrifying to not only put your image out in the world for nice and mean people to judge, but even more, since each song feels like a part of my soul, it’s like sharing a diary with the world.
I’ve been told that they “don’t see ‘it’” and that was at How important is image? How does your African background infuence What do your friends and family think about what you do? [Are they sup- one point my biggest fear, people telling me I’m not your music? portive?] good enough. It makes you doubt yourself. But deep Image is defnitely not ev- down, I know in my soul that this is what I was born to erything. I also believe your I grew up with a very traditional sense of life and a I can’t lie, it has taken a while for my parent’s to come around to this being my do. To share myself, my thoughts with the world and image is your frst impres- very strong respect for culture and tradition. With career of choice. They’ve always known music was important to me since I was a remind everyone that they too can do whatever it is sion. Make that frst impres- that, I fnd that my music needs to respect the toddler, and have always supported my attempts in the art, but as a professional they want to do despite their insecurites. Believe in sion mean something true to proverbial “culture and traidition” of all the genre’s it career, leaving everything else in the dust, was diffcult for them to accept. But yourself and don’t let anyone’s words and opinons kill who you are, not according touches. Make the best music possible to highlight as time has gone on and as I become more successful in what I do, my parent’s your drive. Drive yourself to practice, be paitent, focus, to anyone else’s standards the best of what is out there. Highlight and treasure and my entire family are increasingly supportive. My friends are the absolute best. and become the best. but yours. what makes music that moves people and touches They totally understand that I have a terrible time keeping up with them and see- them deeply. ing them because of the grind, and they don’t hate me! I love them to death. They have been supportive from the jump and I couldn’t ask for any better people to call my friends. ENAM BOSOKAH
INSTAGRAM FACEBOOK BEHANCE
ARTIST - GHANAIAN
Why did you start drawing and when did you notice you were talented at what you do and how long did it take you to develop these skills?
Three years ago I picked the pen and started drawing to ease off pres- sure after a hard day's work at the sculpture studio I discovered that I could draw at a very early age but little did I knew it is such a powerful medium of expression until a few years ago.
You predominantly use pen to draw why? Are you open to using oth- er mediums for your art?
I am open to other art media, however, my message now, "inspiration to the people" is in cool resonannce with the pen as a writing tool.
What do you expect from your artwork?
My works seek to get Africa and the world inspired.
Do you have any advice for anyone trying to do what you’re doing?
Do whatever you have to do with all passion, determination and ambition. Jason Gaisie, popularly known as “Pappy Kojo” was born on 13 February 1989 to parents Kof Badu and Rosemond Gaisie. He was born and raised in Takoradi, in the Western Region. He at- tended Ridge International School up until 2004, where he left for Italy to be with his mother.
Pappy Kojo showed his interest and love for music at an ear- ly age. He took part in locally organized rap shows where he would rap to Obrafour, Tic Tac, Reggie Rockstone, Lord Kenya etc. His biggest musical infuences however are Obrafour, The Shady Aftermath Camp and Michael Jackson. After leaving Gha- na for Italy in 2004, his love for rap music grew even greater. He began covering popular songs and posting them on his You- Tube channel. The rest they say is history.
FACEBOOK INSTAGRAM Tell us a little bit about yourself?
I'm a just a calm takoradi boy who loves to laugh and also loves music a lot .
How did you get into music?
I got into music a long time ago since the day I watched michael Jackson 's thriller ,and moonwalker .
Who are some of your biggest musical infuences?
Michael Jackson Obrafour Eminem
What do you think the current state of the music industry is like in Ghana?
It's Getting Better.
What’s the craziest thing you’ve experi- enced so far as Pappy Kojo?
I don’t think I’ve experienced any crazy thing yet lol
What are your fans like?
Very loyal and dedicated:
Who would you love to work with the most?
Lord Kenya
Name your top 5 artists dead or alive.
Tupac , Biggie , Eminem, Jay z & Lil Wayne
Do you go out a lot? If you do where do you go and what do you do if you don’t tell us what you do at home.
I don’t go out at all , only at the mall to watch a new movie or at home just chilling .
You have quite a few tattoos which ones are the most meaningful to you?
My grandmom’s name What's your music like outside of Ghana do you reckon it's gained any traction to propel you that What responsibilities as an artist do you think you have to the public? much further to international stardom? Can I answer this another time ? Lol Yeah of course my music is doing good in Europe and and in America . How important is the internet in this day and age for artists both successful and undiscovered? Do you think Ghanaian artists are fnally getting some respect in the country? It’s very important , you need it. Internet helps my career a lot . I believe the great ones do get respect. I hope so Do you think its possible for a kid now to tell their mom What inspired your dreadlocks? or dad that they want to be a musician and it'll be okay? Obrafour . Be whoever you want to be . Are you ever going to cut them off or is it What struggles did you have to deal with becoming like a Sampson thing where all your rap Pappy Kojo? powers are in there?
Not getting the attention cos I believed I have something Lol . I will cut them the day Obrafour cut off special that nobody has his . Mr. Eazi
Mr Eazi, real name Oluwatosin Ajibade born 1991, July 19th in Nigeria. Had his basic and secondary education in Nigeria and fnal moved to Ghana for university education. Both of his par- ents are Nigerian however his grandmother is Ghanaian and he has a family that resides in Asokwa, Kumasi.
Mr Eazi frst discovered his passion to make music when he moved to Ghana. Started recording music at PeeWee and Klu- Monsta studios, where he released the hit single Pippi Dance and also recorded his frst mixtape “About to Blow”. He went on to record Bankulize and later remixed it with hit producer Dj Juls. This new Bankulize mix propelled Mr Eazi to stardom.
FACEBOOK INSTAGRAM Whats its like being Mr. Eazi right now? Whats your process when you get into the studio? You're clearly a star in the making and with the amount of features you've done you should have a massive following but The buzz and response from my content is amazing and I have the producer put the beat on loop for close to 15 that doesn't refect in your social media why is that what are overwhelming. I feel it’s deservingly at the right time be- mins whilst I vibe to the rhythm. I don’t write music so you doing differently? cause I have worked hard for it and It’s been long coming. that’s the way I get into the mood. After vibing to the beat and tune, I enter the booth and drop some blessings on Most celebrities who garner a mammoth following at the beginning of How hard was is to get to where you are now? the mic. their career gain it through a paid online push. But my team and I be- lieve in gaining a hardcore organic following on social media. It takes a Took me over 12 underground singles and a mixtape to You travel a lot how does that affect your while, but we are here for the long haul so we are in no hurry. The music get here. Not forgetting the many unreleased singles work? will sell itself and the fans will come. stashed away in Klu and PeeWee’s studios. It’s been hec- tic but I endured because I was hopeful. The travel actually helps my work. I get inspired to Fan interaction is important what do you do to keep up with You've had two of the hottest songs out for a while now Bankuize and Skin make music by the sounds and sightings I encounter your fans? Tight and every single track you do the hook on you're killing it. How do you on these travels. And most of all, my travel is mainly feel about that? within Ghana and Nigeria so It’s good for my musical Apart from my daily reposting of fans videos, I also have a quarterly career in the sense that I am building fruitful partner- event called #69withEazi which I hold for only my core fans. 69 core It’s a dream come true. From hearing my music the frst time on Yfm, to now hearing my ships and relations across borders. For Eg: Most of my fans are given the opportunity to watch me perform live and interact music on almost every radio station I tune in. The attention and response is heartwarming. collaborations have been as a result of my frequent with me whilst I perform. We held the frst in December 29th and plan travel. to hold more in the course of the year. Whats your relationship with Juls? Do you like going out if you Who would you love You guys have a Metro and Future do where do you like going to work with next? relationship going on right now. and what do you do there? If you don't what do you do I love Kwabena Kwabe- Juls is my spiritual producer. I say this be- in your spare time? na’s music. Also I think cause I only met Juls for the frst time last I need to sit with Bisa year December, after making music with I am a relaxed, reserved,laid Kdei and have a prop- him close to 2 years. This goes to tell you back and eazi person. I will er studio session and how much chemistry we have as a team choose a day at the beach any- possibly come out with whether in sight or not. day over a night club. I love to a joint album. visit Aburi a lot just to cool of by the poolside and get inspired by the calm and easiness of nature. #LifeIsEazi
Where do you get more love from What kind of legacy do you Name your top 5 art- Nigeria or Ghana? expect to leave behind? ists dead or alive
Without any contending, GHANA! . The Fela kind of legacy. Mr Eazi FELA KUTI, DAMIAN Ghana is home and my music is inspired music should stand for some- MARLEY, BEENIE MAN, by Ghana culture and happenings. Only thing, and that should be love. AKON and LAGBAJA thing Nigerian about my music is my Yeah, Love is my religion. Zaga accent dat!
How important is it to give back to the What is the end goal for What do you think of the environment that made help mould your career where do you music industry in Ghana? you? want to be? It has seen a sudden growth Aside God’s unfinching mercy, I will say, Everybody want’s the Grammy’s. and I foresee a much bigger 90% of my success was made possible by However I need to start from uplift in the arts and the rev- the DJ’s in Ghana. I owe it to them so much somewhere, so at the moment enue’s stemmed from exploit- and I have not forgotten any of them. Mr I’m obviously eyeing the new ing the art. We look forward Eazi will be back to give them a treat. artiste of the year at the VGMA’s. to bigger shows, bigger col- Wish me luck. laborations and partnerships.
You have a very interesting look your manager de- Do you write all your songs and do scribed as Afro-Urban what's that inspired by? you care if other people write songs for other artists? I am inspired by everything African, however there is still a trait of urbanization in my style. For example I never go any- I don’t write, however I make my own where without my straw hat, and African print pants. How- music. And I don’t mind if other people ever I will be seen wearing these with the newest Nike air write songs for other artists. All na hustle maxes or Yeezy boosts. That’s me being African and urban at or? Some are good at singing, others are the same time. No matter how trendy I get It’s hard for me to good at writing. So its fair completely deviate from the African in me.
Your skintight video has to be one of the music videos of the year what was it like flming that?
The logistics around Skintight video was nerve wracking. The cost was through the roof too however with a video producer like Asihene and a strong management team like Meister Music, everything went eazi till we dropped it. A few months later my account was hacked and the video was deleted along with all the views it had racked up, but well God has bigger plans for Eazi. So we picked up ourselves and kept running. #LifeIsEazi AARON YEBOAH GRAPHIC DESIGNER- AFRICAN LENSE - GHANA Can you tell us a bit about yourself?
I was born and raised in Ghana, West Africa. As far as I can remember, I have always been capti- vated by the visual and audio artistry found within flms, various genres of music, photography and various respective disciplines of art, design and creativity. They were an eye opening escape for me that allowed me to experience and explore a visual journey that changed my perspective of the world.
What are your strengths in the design world?
My stronghold is editorial and graphic design as well as creative direction. It is a natural growth, I am still learning and exploring. I see my self as a student of creativity.
What are your weaknesses in the design world?
My weakness I believe will be adjusting to social media. I know it is a great platform but I try my best not to get into the numbers game. We live in a digital age where everything is fast paced, and it is hard for genuine work to be valued and sometimes respected. My focus is to touch people’s heart and get their attention, not for them to just like, reblog or follow.
What software do you use for your work?
I mainly use Adobe products: InDesign for editorial work, Photoshop & Illustrator for graphic design.
How well do you take criticism?
I learn and discover things everyday and I am open to criticism, I do not mind criticism. Everyone has their own respective interpretation or perspective.
What characteristics good designer from your point of view? What kind of design projects interest you? What kind of companies have you worked with and if you haven’t who would you like to work Genuineness. Staying true to who with? Are there any companies in Africa you’d like to work with? you are and not be blinded by what A lot of projects. As long as the project has sub- others are doing. Using creativity as stance and creating a platform for communication. Currently, I am working on in house projects like African Lens as well as commissions from creatives. I a tool to inspire, educate and empower. I also love beautiful and well dsigned aesthetics. am open to work with any company in Africa. What do you want to accomplish on this feld?
My purpose is to change the status quo and push creative boundaries. Working on mak- ing 2dots Space a creative force in Ghana, Africa and beyond. 2dots Space is devoted to establishing a creative platform open for expression as well as helping and guiding creatives. Having projects like African Lens, curating exhibitions, providing creative direc- tion, plus other creative endeavors, I believe will help the amazing talents and creatives out there. In general, art, design and creativ- ity can change lives, create careers and give creatives, especially the youth, a voice and a platform to express themselves.
Why did you decide for a career of a graphic designer?
Graphic design is an aspect of what I do. I have a strong passion and connection to Art, design and creativity, it has always been a part of my life. I believe I am a great visual taste-maker when it comes to art, design and creativity. I believe I have a strong eye for great work, talent and skill. I analyzed my life and decided to pursue a creative career. I like how I can use design to present things in a creative way and also to inspire people. Create a forum for communication, to beable to help and give direction to creatives and talents establish a platform for creative ex- pression.
Tell us about your African Lens project?
African Lens is a publication that celebrates and showcases African photographers in the motherland and the diaspora. I wanted to cre- ate a staple for African photographers (mostly young photographers) to tell their stories and express themselves. Since most stories told in Western media about the continent of Africa leaves negative connotations, African Lens hopes to shine a light on the beauty, rich and diverse culture of Africans both in the motherland and migrants to foreign land. My vision for African Lens is for the publication to stand the test of time. Be a staple for African photographers to share their stories. Whats is your process when you work?
It depends on the kind of project I am working on. I cannot specifcally say how but every aspect of it is a natural process. Each process is different but one major factor is having clarity and a peace of mind. The perfect working mode to me is to have good music on and have a natural fow.
The challenge for me is always going beyond what is con- sidered standard. I go by my gut feeling and what is visually appealing to me. If it is not right it is not right. I make mistakes along the way and learn from it. Most of the time, the mistakes lead to better ideas than what I had previously.
Would you consider yourself a team player? Who worked on the project with you? For now, it’s just me. I do everything myself. I have however started a new initiative 2dots Collective, working and collab- I curate, design and publish Afri- orating with creatives. So far, I have collaborated with Lon- can Lens. don-based photographer Tiffany Phan. Are your parents supportive of I worked with her to design her debut street photography book. what you do? I also collaborated with artist Ojo Agi, presenting her series ‘Daughters of the Diaspora’ in an editorial form. As well as Yes. I am lucky and blessed that designing an editorial for photographer Eric Gyamf’s ‘The Old my parents are very supportive Ladies’ Of Gambaga Witches Camp’ project. and they understand my vision.
73XX Coming from a royal family I grew up around what the western world calls magic, & I suppose my brand is a physical manifestation of what I believe to be a genetic marker of such. In my village, I often get confused for a voodooshi, that being a bride of a god, voodooshi's seen to live outside of the hypocritical and misogynistic fear laced morality that christian mission- aries forced upon us as they stole our children in the night. Nudity, in my culture, has always been ascribed to the divine, to the closest relationship with God one could have. I have never seen it as something to be afraid of, & the fact that it is immediately sexualised has little or nothing to do with my ultimate purpose. I desire my brand to be an anchor of spiritual history & culture that thrives in spite of the poison Babylon continues to feed us.
- Frank Selasie
All I’m trying to do is survive and make good out of the dirty, LIFESTYLE nasty, unbelievable lifestyle that { they gave me. { Tupac Shakur HIJARBIE
This Hijab wearing wearing Barbie dubbed (Hijarbi) in the space of 2 months has quickly grown to become the darling of insta- gram and an inspiration to Muslim females around the world. The popular child’s toy was given a make over by Haneefah Adam who also happens to be a medical scientist and lifestyle blogger.
INSTAGRAM Haneefah Adam - 24 - Nigeria - Life- style Blogger - Medical Scientist
Why did you start dressing your barbie in a Hijab?
I started dressing up a doll in hijab because I haven’t really seen one in a hijab before. I saw that gap and decided to explore it.
What has been the response you have re- ceived every since Hijarbie took off?
It has been really huge. A lot of people are showing support and love the concept and idea. It’s been a hit with the parents too as a lot of people want to purchase it. A lot of peo- ple too wished they had it to play with when they were little.
Have you been overwhelmed by the sud- den social media fame of both Hijarbie and yourself?
It has been overwhelming as I am not very use to it. There is a lot of people to respond to. But it’s been super fun as well and I’m enjoying it.
You’re a lifestyle blogger , a medical scien- tist, and the woman behind Hijarbie where do you fnd the time?
I think when you love all the things you do, they don’t seem like work. So it’s easier to juggle your passion with your academy back- ground.
Finally do you have a message all the wom- en and little girls who have seen Hijarbie and been touched by it?
I’m glad with the amount of people that are actually infuenced by it already, I hope we hi- jab wearing girls still continue to be portrayed in a positive light! Africa’s leading cosmetics company Ghandour Cosmetics released its new fragrance Scent of Africa, in Ghana, making it the continent’s frst step into the luxury fragrance industry. The launch event was held at the beautiful Kempinksi Gold Coast Hotel in Ghana’s capital city Accra, and it attracted some of the fnest celebrities Africa had to ofer.
Every table at the launch had replica bottles of the fragrance, and accord- ing to Ghandour, the gold bottle for the female fragrance represents the beauty and elegance of the modern African woman and the silver male bottle represents the distinguished and powerful African man. Supermodel Oluchi Orlandi and Ghanaian/French footballing legend Marcel Desailly are both brand ambassadors for the fragrances.
According to Tanal Ghandour, founder of Ghandour Cosmetics, “Scent of Af- rica represents the success and richness of Africa. Both Oluchi and Marcel are true African success stories who have ascended to international icon status in their respective felds. Tese two were selected as brand ambassadors because they refect our vision for Scent of Africa not just because of their achieve- ments but also because of their commitment to give back to their homeland as philanthropists and entrepreneurs.” CLIENT INTERACTION:
With FaceTime, Skype, Google Hangouts, and various other means of video communication we’ve become very accustom to using virtual meeting software as vital tool for customer interaction. Subpar lighting, unreliable serivce providers, and spotty sound quality make it cumbersome to handle sometimes; if done cor- rectly with halo lense it could very well redfne standards for face-to-face interaction.
IMPROVED CUSTOMER SERVICE:
You’ve been there, them moment’s where some- thing has just gone wrong and you can’t fx it so you call customer service and oral instructons just aren’t working for you. Well, you can ofcial- ly say goodbye to those frustrating moments be- cause Holo lense will not only allow you to hvae a face-to-face interaction with your customer serivce person it will allow them to draw in your environment allowing you to have a visual guid to where the problem is.
IN PERSON 3D MODELS:
In Ironman when Robert Downey Jr.’s charatcer Tony Stark is in the lab cooking up new designs for his next suit you can see him interact with his virtual creation; much like what the man in this cover video is doing right now. You can play with your next dress design, your next real estate de- sign, your next, automotive creation the possib- lities are endless.
LEARNING:
A Hololens for every student is bound to im- prove: grades, reasoning, and attendance! With Hololens as a learning tool students world wide will experience the class room in a manner you only dreamed of back in your day. The beauty of what this technology does for students simply by removing physical danger means teachers can be more adventurous with their subjects.
ENTERTAINMENT:
This is where the Hololens will shine the most especially with the XBOX in Mirosoft’s corner; just imagine playing games with the Kinect, HOW MICROSOFT’S HOLOLENS WILL XBOX, and Hololens. Tomb Raider is about to get a lot more exciting. CHANGE THE WORLD TECH ESSENTIALS FOR ANY BUSINESS
Yamaha YAS 203 Sound Bar: GHS 982
The Yamaha YAS 203 packs amazing sound for its price, with excellent audio depth for surround sound movies and very good music playback. The speaker also comes with a ZutaLabs Pocket Printer: GHS 794 host of features like bluetooth and DTS decoding. Square: FREE This portable printer moves across a sheet lay- A miniscule credit card reader that attach- ing fat on a table and prints out the document. es to your smart phone or Ipad is a great You connect from your phone or laptop using asset and free when you register. Wi-Fi.
Microsoft Surface Book GHS 7,503
The Microsoft Surface Book is the frst full functioning laptop in the Surface line; ultra-thin, meticulously crafted, with incredible screen resolution. This is the ultimate laptop according to Micro- Lenovo ThinkPad Stack: GHS 477+ soft. Surface Book transforms into three dif- The ThinkPad Stack includes a Bluetooth ferent confgurations, adapting to the Intel Compute Stick: GHS 596 speaker for videoconferencing, a power charger for phones and tablets, 1TB of stor- way that you work and the places where age, and a Wi-Fi access point. Each com- you create. It should ft well into any This all-in-one thumbdrive computer is worth considering. You plug it into the HDMI port of professional’s work and play lifestyle. a monitor or television and then boot into Windows 8 or Linux. ponent is stackable and you can mix and match the ones you want to use. They all use the same power source. HOW TO BECOME A YOUTUBE STAR LOVE YOUR FANS
It’s imporant to interact with your fans after all they are the ones that you drive up the charts. Take re- BY GEORGE A. OWUSU quests, have Q and As so they get to know you a little better, and give a shout-out from time-to-time when you notice someone write something nice in your comments; and remember Twitter, Facebook, DON’T BE ANOTHER COPY CAT and Instagram are your friends your activity on social media is just as important as making vides.
A lot of people starting out on YouTube look at what’s popular online, and copy paste which is a terrible WORLD’S HIGHEST PAID YOUTUBE STARS way of trying to gain an audience. Imagine seeing diferent people do the same thing over and over again evntually it gets boring, people that tune into your channel will start to notice your lack of creativi- ty and eventually stop watching. PewDiePie - $12,000,000
YouTube Star Rosanna Pansino is a perfect example of an ideal YouTuber, her videos are: cute, full of PewDiePie has nearly 40 million people subscribed to his “playing vid- energy, super creative and she has that adorable personality that keeps her fans coming back to her eogames with your bros” channel, the Swedish star, who goes by Felix channel everytime she uploads a new video and all she does is bake cakes. The most common thing I’ve Kjellberg in real life, is very private and doesn’t grant a lot of interviews seen copied on the video streaming service are MAKEUP TUTORIALS. You can spend hours on YouTube so when news broke he made over 10,000,000 playing video games I’m and fnd struggle artists just sitting infront of their laptop talking and applying makeup which is rather sure he was pretty bummed to have his privacy taken away from him. boring. Leyla Rose’s makeup tutorials are one of the best on YouTube I’m a guy and even I catch myself watching them from to time. BE CALM STARDOM ISN’T INSTANT Smosh - $8,500,000
Anthony Padilla & Ian Hecox, have been friends since they were One thing a lot of people do is underestimate how much kids in Cali, and as they grew older transformed themselves to work it takes to reach the top of the YouTube charts and have Smosh, a comedy act that hit big for their live-action skits based millions of people tuning in every week or month to see on Pokémon games. what you’ve been working on. You basically have to be your own production company: flming, editing, and re-recording sound. It’s a lot of work which is why it’s important to dedi- cate proper time and efort into it or else the lack of quality shows. Fine Brothers - $8,500,000 TOLU OGUNMEFUN [CLICK HERE] “YOUTUBE CAN PAY YOU ANYWHERE FROM $0.80 Benny and Raf Fine frst drew notice—and a Daytime Emmy Award— TO $5.00 PER EVERY 1,000 VIEWS FROM ADVERTS” for their React video series, in which they flm people watching over-
INVEST IN EQUIPMENT source - quora.com the-top videos from the likes of PewDiePie and rapper Nicki Minaj. How meta. Now they are moving from the very small screen to the A laptop with a webcam and a built in microphone will only take you so far and when I say far I mean small screen: In 2014 Nickelodeon debuted React to That. your just Facebook friends. Depending on how fancy you want your video to be you’ll need: lights, cameras, a decent computer , software to edit and create special efects, and a green screen. If you’re not trying to be too technical all you’ll really need is a decent camera, proper lighting, editing software, and an original content ideas. YouTube star Tolu Ogunmefun aka [Don’t Jealous Me] is a perfect example of Lindsey Stirling - $6,000,000 moving from laptops to full production and special efects. His early videos were 6 years ago with his Part Letter video series in his bedroom and if you look at his channel now he is making full proper episodes Lindsey Stirling plays violin and dances at the same time and it’s pret- for his fans with better production value and writers. ty amazing to watch. Stirling started posting her performance videos in 2007 and after failing to be signed to a major record label; now they’re all begging to sign her. BE CONSISTANT
On YouTube you’re techinically your own network. That means you need to have a schedule; and depend- ing on the content and length of your video you can get away with posting videos a month at a time but if their short and your content doesn’t require a lot of logistics try shooting for once a week. *This list was generated from Forbes WWW.A2OMAG.COM