Multitalented Ghanaian musician and producer Paapa Versa has released a new video and single titled “Lights go dim” on Friday, 27th January 2023, featuring fast-rising rapper KooKusi.

The music video, directed by MRCMulti.me, depicts both artists struggling to pursue their dreams while fighting their inner demons. 

The incredibly soulful song, produced by Paapa and mixed & mastered by Jayso, holds an inspirational message for all dreamers. “A sentence can change a life. A song can ginger a tired heart. This song is for anyone struggling to smile lately, deeply wounded by someone’s words, or simply trying to recover a joy they once had” the artist says. 

KooKusi has chalked many milestones since the release of his debut EP “5 foot 3” last year, and this collaboration marks another step in his remarkable rise.

The release of this song leads up to the release of Paapa Versa’s third studio album, “Versa Villa”. The artist will host an album launch and concert on Feb 17th 2023 at the Virtual Hub in Accra, Ghana. 

“Lights go dim” by Paapa Versa is now available everywhere:

https://paapaversa.fanlink.to/lightsgodim

Website: https://www.paapaversa.com

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/paapaversa

Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/paapaversa

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/paapaversa

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/paapaversa

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@paapaversa

This Week’s Episode Features a Conversation With Ajebutter22, the 5 Hottest Tracks of the Week, Africa Rising and Dadaboy Ehiz’s Favourite Track of the Week!

Tune in to Africa Now Radio with Dadaboy Ehiz this Friday, January 27th at 9a London / 10a Lagos/Paris / 11a Johannesburg / 1a LA / 4a NYC on Apple Music 1 and broadcast on YFM Accra every Sunday at 2pm, YFM Kumasi on Saturdays at 3pm and YFM Takoradi on Saturdays at 6pm.

Cover Star Interview
Nigerian rapper Ajebutter22 joins Dadaboy Ehiz via FaceTime on Apple Music 1 to talk about his latest track, “Hear My Sound (feat. Melissa & Not3s).” He also discusses his new album, ‘Soundtrack To The Good Life,’ and his passion for working with emerging producers.
The Big 5
Dadaboy Ehiz shares the 5 hottest new African tracks of the moment. This week’s selection includes new tracks from Phyno & Olamide, DJ Neptune & Ruger, Zlatan feat. Seyi Vibez, Sjava, Q Twins & Mzukulu, and DJ Stokie & Dlala Regal feat. Mpura, Lebo Lenyora & Almighty SA.

Africa Rising 
South African soul singer-songwriter Lwah Ndlukulu is the latest artist featured from Apple Music’s Africa Rising playlist, a campaign which shines a light on the next generation of African superstars, and this week’s show features her singles, “Ngiyeza” and “Ithuba (feat. Siya Ntuli).” Listen HERE.

Dadaboy’s Song of the Week
Each week, Dadaboy Ehiz chooses his favourite track from one of Apple Music’s African playlists. This week he spotlights Rexxie, Naira Marley and Skiibii and their track, “Abracadabra,” from Apple Music’s Street Anthems playlist, showcasing the hits shaping Nigerian pop culture. Listen HERE (and find a roundup of all Dadaboy’s selections on Apple Music’s Dadaboy’s Playlist, HERE).

Tune in and listen to the full episode this Friday, January 27th at 9a London / 10a Lagos/Paris / 11a Johannesburg /  1a LA / 4a NYC on Apple Music 1 at apple.co/_AfricaNow and broadcast on YFM Accra every Sunday at 2pm, YFM Kumasi on Saturdays at 3pm and YFM Takoradi on Saturdays at 6pm.

Ajebutter22 on ‘Soundtrack To The Good Life’

The album is about enjoying, about having a good time and living soft. I started really making the album, doubling down, a few years – like, the COVID period – and the world was really bleak, man. Everywhere was sad, everybody was feeling really down and depressed, and I didn’t want to make music that was overly deep or had too many think pieces. I just wanted us to be able to take our mind to somewhere where we’re having a good time.

Ajebutter22 on Showcasing Up-And-Coming Producers

I was in charge of the sound, like this is the first album I executive-produced 100% by myself. So I went out of my way to find producers online, on like different digital platforms and guess what? You see some of the producers that are doing crazy things, they’re Nigerian and nobody knows, nobody has heard of them. Some of these guys have 1000 followers, no big name but they’re really good and I’m like you know what, I have to put these guys on. I have to show the world we have all this talent here as well.

Ajebutter22 on His Time Away From Music

Me and BOJ dropped ‘Make E No Cause Fight’ volume 1 and 2 up until 2019, so I didn’t feel like I wasn’t making music, and in 2020 was like the COVID year so I didn’t really feel absent, but yeah I also withdrew a little bit from the music scene, because I was focusing on some things on the tech side.

Before it was a lot easier because I was working in a company as an employee, and now I’m a CEO. It’s crazy doing that, being responsible for people, actually being the main man. It’s like being from a player on the team to being the captain. I’m the captain now, so it’s not easy.

Ghanaian Gospel artiste, Manuel Bless, has released a new single titled “Superman”, an Afrobeats fusion faith based song full of praise to oneself and the creator who made him. (more…)

Music comes to musicians and songwriters through different means, as some get their lyrics while in the bath house, period of fasting, driving or at prayer meetings, others get theirs through dreams.

Over the years, artistes have shared their intriguing stories of how they got inspiration to write their songs.

Interestingly, fast-rising gospel musician, Nii Menz, known in private life as Anderson Nii Kwei Mensah has revealed that his new song dubbed “Nea Ote Me Mu” is a dream come true, a song he received in a dream.

According to him, the song was revealed to him in a dream,” it was around 2am one dawn, I was deep asleep, but found myself singing in a dream, I immediately woke up, I liked the melody and began to write verses for the song in accordance with the title revealed to him.”

Nii Menz added that he was very happy after writing the two verses for the song and proceeded to the studio to record the song to fulfil God’s revelation to him.

Touching on the message, he said “the song simply means ‘He that is in me’, the bible makes one understands that He that lives in us is greater than what we see outside.”

“If you have God living in you there is nothing one cannot do, and going by the direction and guidance of God, one can reach higher heights,” he said.

The gospel musician charged christians not to underestimate the power they carry because God created man in His own image.

Nii Menz said, even though it was not easy to mobilise resources, he decided not to give up, but to ensure the gift from God did not go to waste.

He promised of good songs and hard work in the years ahead, adding that gospel music has what it takes to lift Ghana music.

The song which was produced by Zapp Mallet is available on all digital platforms and comes with a video that was directed and shot by Good Luck pictures.

US-based, Ghanaian musician and entrepreneur, Kwame Ralph is out with a hot new single titled,“Onua Mensu”. This is the first single from his expected upcoming album. “Onua Mensu” is currently streaming on all major platforms via: https://kwameralph.hearnow.com/onua-mensu#nt_stats

Kwame Ralph is the owner of the record label Greedy Fella Records, based in Atlanta, Georgia in the U.S. He also owns and operates Smokin’ Ace Productions, a full service music and video production company, which provides talent management, and publishing services.

Kwame Ralph’s love for music started with drums as early as 11 years old, and he would play the drums for the Teen service at Bethel Methodist Church, in Community 8, Tema.

He later fell in love with the bass guitar during his high school days at Akosombo International School, and he never looked back.

He started producing beats for himself and other artists in college at Clark Atlanta University in Atlanta, Georgia in 2007. He collaborated with his roommates Calvin Foster (Skil’d Verse) and Delali Alexander (K.D) to form the group “Ghana’s Finest”, and they worked on their very first music projects.

By 2010, Kwame Ralph had found himself as an artist and solidified his style and sound and a producer, and he started making music as a solo artist.

He suspended his music production from 2013 to 2017 to attend medical school at Medical College of Georgia. However, his love for music would bring him right back to it very soon.

Read Also: Kwame Ralph, the young Ghanaian providing limousine  and luxury chauffeur services for Ludacris, Keyshia Cole, Colin Kaepernick and more

His long time friend and music associate Skil’d Verse encouraged Kwame Ralph to get back to producing so that they would work on a solo album for Skil’d Verse.

By the end of 2022, the album for Skil’d Verse was completed – 12 songs, all original material, and all produced by Kwame Ralph.

This sparked Kwame Ralph’s interest in producing his own album as well, starting with his first single, “Onua Mensu”.

To capture the authenticity of old school Ghana highlife music, Kwame Ralph travelled to Ghana in November 2022 to record the music for Onua Mensu, live in the studio, with him on the bass guitar along with 7 other Ghanaian instrumentalists.

Even though he has worked on numerous projects over the years, this is his first official release, and from the looks of it, there are many more to come.