Showbiz and showboating go hand in hand and Beatz Vampire is sticking to the script. As one of the industry’s most sought-after producers, he confidently declares 2023 his own and believes none of his peers even come close heading into the Telecel Ghana Music Awards 2024.

Despite the prominent awards show just a month away–June 1, Beatz Vampire is already anticipating a clean sweep under its rebranded glory. His gaze is set on one of the night’s most coveted achievements: the “Producer of the Year” award. And with four hits credited to him under three artists in the previous year alone, it is easy to see why he is confidence levels are stratospheric.

Last year, the young producer was all over the place. His work on JZyNO and Lasmid’s ‘Butta My Bread’ was a mega success, bringing over 160M streams across platforms. The song’s popularity on TikTok also got under the skin of artists like Nigeria’s Ruger, who tried to downplay its quality and appeal. Beatz Vampire chased this down with equally catchy tracks like ‘Goodsin,’ ‘Likor’ and ‘I Lied,’ which garnered similar acclaim. 

Indeed, Beatz Vampire has a good chance of winning the award. Since the nominations list dropped, his name has been on the lips of fans who showed their support. The producer chimed in on his fans’ sentiments, saying: “I feel honored even though this was expected. I produced most of the biggest hit songs in Ghana last year, from JZyNO and Lasmid’s ‘Butta My Bread’ to Olivetheboy’s ‘Goodsin,’ Kidi’s ‘Likor’ and ‘I Lied,’ so it’s only right I am handed the award on that night. Big shouts to the rest of the nominees though.”

Of course, Beatz Vampire is no stranger to the hype around prestigious awards. In 2022, he was nominated “Producer of the Year” at the Ghana Music Awards USA and Ghana Music Awards France. His contributions over the years, like Jahmiel’s ‘Beautiful,’ P-Square’s ‘Jaiye,’ Shatta Wale’s ‘Hajia Bintu’ and ‘1 Don,’ Mr Drew’s ‘Mood’ and ‘S3k3,’ Lasmid’s ‘Atele’ and ‘Sika,’ among others, were super hits of their time. But this year in review is a special one. He believes after so many years of missing out, the award is coming home.

As the Telecel Ghana Music Awards (formerly the Vodafone Ghana Music Awards) draws close, Beatz Vampire stands on the cusp of glory.

Gospel singer, Kofi Owusu Dua Anto popularly known as KODA is dead.

He died on Sunday after reportedly battling a kidney disease.

Tributes, especially from gospel musicians started flying on social media on Sunday when they heard about KODA’s passing.

Some musicians expressed shock when they heard about the death of the gospel stalwart.

Among those who expressed their shock were, Empress Gifty, who posted on Facebook: “I hope it’s not true, KODA,” with crying emojis.

Speaking to Graphic Showbiz on Sunday afternoon, Gospel musician Nii Okai, a very close friend of KODA said, “I wish I could tell you another thing but that’s the truth. KODA is dead”.

He said it was quite shocking to him considering that KODA was doing very fine after going through treatment.

KODA, celebrated for his uplifting melodies and soulful compositions, was not just a singer but a producer who left an indelible mark on the Ghanaian music scene.

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The police in Lagos have recorded a breakthrough by arresting eight members of a vicious gang of criminals that specialize in subjecting their victims to several hours of anal sex after dispossessing them of their properties and cash.

The arrest, said to be one of the biggest successes of detectives recently, under the watchful eyes of Commissioner of Police, Adegoke Fayoade so far, was made in the highbrow areas of Lekki, Ajah and Ikoyi areas of the state and efforts are in top gear to round up fleeing members of the dreaded gang made up of young men between the ages of 23 and 40.

Giving details of the operational strategies of the gang, police sources said the young men usually perpetrate their evil acts by renting living apartments in the highbrow areas of the city after which they embark on search for their victims.

It was learned that they normally place notices in strategic areas of the city, advertising job vacancies and acting as estate agents.

Sources said desperate job and accommodation seekers who respond to their adverts would be taken to their apartments usually situated in one of the booming estates where they are subjected to all kinds of torture with a view to forcing them release their account details after which they would be forced into several hours of anal sex by members of the gang.

According to sources, their operational method is to roam around with exotic cars including high flying SUV’s. They place fake advertisements in strategic areas of Lekki, Ajah, Banana Island and even Ikoyi after which they also scout around, looking for fine and healthy-looking men.

As soon as they succeed in getting a victim, they drive the person to their apartment where they torture him for hours. While torturing their victim, they would extract all information about him including his financial status.

“As soon as they are in possession of those personal facts, they swing into action by proceeding to his house or banks to empty his money and other valuables. The second round of their operation is to subject their victim to hours of anal sex which they take turns to have their fill. They usually record their exploits on video and later relax to view it while enjoying their loot.”

It was gathered that their criminal exploits were blown open after they succeeded in cornering and maltreating a relation of a mobile police officer. The enraged officer was said to have gone to one of the police stations at Lekki to lodge the report.

Based on this development, the Commissioner of Police, Adegoke Fayoade gave marching orders to his special squad to round up the criminals without delay.

The Special Squad, it was learned, succeeded in penetrating the gang and rounded up seven of their members including their oldest member said to be a lawyer.

Crime Guard learned that during interrogations, members of the gang who were looking unruffled stated boldly that their victims were healthy looking young and old men that will satisfy their sexual urge through the anus.

“They reportedly shocked detectives when they confessed that they had been operating for over three years and that they choose highbrow areas where they could easily track well nourished and endowed men.

Police sources said: “They were boasting to us about how many healthy looking men they have abused through the anus. They said they reject men that are not looking health, stating emphatically that they have no business with women. After their arrest, we confined them in separate cells so that they would not descend on our male suspects inside the cell.

“However, few days later, one of them raised alarm that the oldest member of the gang who claimed to be a lawyer was having same affair with a member of the gang. When we accosted him, he said the relationship had been going on since they have been operating as a gang.

“Our greatest problem now is that some members of the devilish gang have escaped and we strongly suspect that they must be carrying on with their devilish criminal acts wherever they are.

“We are spreading our dragnets and we are sure that very soon, we will round all of them up. I must state that if not for the swiftness with which our Commissioner directed the operation, many men in Lagos state would have been endangered species by now.”

Former Aids Ambassador and actress Joyce Dzidzor is gearing up for the release of her latest single Tatata featuring Ivorian Legendary musician Freddy Meiway.

Scheduled for release on April 10 the song recorded by King Dee, mixed by Donguy and mastered by Franz talks about broken heart and how to come out of it. Speaking in an interview with Joyce she said Freddy will not just jump on any song if he is not okay with it “How many musicians have been able to feature him on a song. It was not easy getting him on the song but finally we did and I am so grateful for that.

Asked why she went in for Meiway she said she has so much respect for him and even got a tattoo of him at her back said that her latest tattoo at her back.

“Meiway songs helped me her come out from depression. His music was a therapy for me when I was going through severe depression in 2019 in Hamburg and I tattoo him at my back to celebrate his achievements as an artiste for the past 35 years” she said Asked about her next project and collaboration with other Ghanaian musicians Joyce said that will only depend if this project goes well.

“ I have a lot of plans for my music career but that will depend on how my latest single goes. If it goes well and accepted by Ghanaians it will give me the energy to continue my music career and feature other musicians” she said. Joyce has been doing music for more 15 years now and has backed musicians like Highlife musician Gyedu- Blay Ambolley and singer Sherifa Gunu.

She was also a member of Dela Hayes Women of Colour band. She pleaded with musicians in Ghana to acknowledge backup singers for their contributions they play. “It is only few musicians who come out to acknowledge who backed them in a studio but I have backed a lot of musicians in the past and they know it. It is just right that they acknowledge our contribution we play so that we can do fill happy for a good work done. When that is done, other musicians who probably liked what we did on other songs can employ us on their projects. That has been my worry for sometime and I wish it could be addressed” she said

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