I’m The ‘Olele’ Of Hiplife – Reggie Rockstone Prepares For Back In The Day

Reggie Rockstone, the godfather, pioneer and originator of the hip-life genre in Ghana has confirmed to NEWS-ONE he would once again be rocking the stage to entertain guests at the ‘Back In The Day’ concert slated for the Accra International Conference Centre on Friday December 6. “I mean yeah it’s been forever since I last performed on stage but the name of the concert says it all ‘Back In The Day’ and the fact that Bola Ray is my friend and we are also having Naughty By Nature, back in the days legend, represent live in my home country, I’ve got to be there. I’ve known these guys since way back and the nature of the concert just tells it all why I would be there,” Rockstone told NEWS-ONE.
Rockstone made the “I am the Olele of Hip-life” comment when NEWS-ONE reminded him how long he has been doing music and asked whether he could still hold his own as the electrifying and firebrand performer he proved to be over a decade and a half ago.
He explained further: “You see good music never dies. That is the difference between selling food and selling music. That’s why I tell the young ones to put a lot of good ingredients in the songs they do so it turns out good and stays around for a long time or forever.
“Honestly I must confess I am not really going to the concert as a performer although I would be performing and all that. I am MC for the show and would be dropping my performances in between and all this gives me some nostalgic memories and feelings.”

Also on the bill for the night would be Obrafour and Reggie Rockstone

Mali's coup leader Sanogo charged with murders

                                          Amadou Sanogo was a middle-ranking officer when he led the coup

Mali's ex-coup leader has been charged with "murders and assassinations", the justice ministry has said.

Armed troops went to Amadou Sanogo's home to take him before a judge, after which he was remanded in custody.
He had repeatedly been called in for questioning over the deaths of six soldiers during an army protest in September but failed to appear.
The March 2012 coup plunged Mali into chaos, allowing Islamist militants to take over territory in the north.
The al-Qaeda-linked insurgents were ousted from the major towns in the north with the help of France and West African troops earlier this year.
The BBC's Alex Duval Smith in the capital, Bamako, says people seem relieved at the general's arrest, seeing it as a sign that the newly elected civilian government is finally showing its teeth to the military.
'Tears of joy' Gen Sanogo, who was a middle-ranking officer when he led the coup, was taken away in handcuffs from his home by about 25 armed soldiers for questioning.
The justice ministry confirmed he had been charged with "murder and assassination and complicity in murder and assassination".
The former junta leader was also charged with kidnapping, a judicial source told the AFP news agency.
Gen Sanogo toppled President Amadou Toumani Toure, accusing him of not doing enough to combat a Tuareg-led rebellion in the north.
As well as prompting the Islamist insurgency, the coup also caused a rift between pro-junta soldiers, known as green berets, and those loyal to the former president, known as red berets.
Our reporter says that in the past few months the former coup leader had been elevated to general and moved to the former residence of President Toure.
This created an impression among Malians that he was being protected by the authorities, she says.
A collective of wives, widows and parents of 23 Malian red beret soldiers who disappeared in the month following the 2012 coup welcomed the news of the general's detention.
Their spokeswoman, Aminata Diarra, told the BBC: "For over a year we shed tears of sadness. Today they are tears of joy."

Roro Fires: Mark Okraku Mantey is a hypocrite and fool

Blood brother of Morris Babyface, Roro has fired some serious shots at music producer for making remarks about his brother on Peace FM last week Thursday.
The quite coveted musician came out recently to say he has sleep with over 200 women including gospel musicians before switching to gospel music. Read below how Roro backed his brother.
“Yea pple go like okraku mante de3 he speaks his mind paa well we gona speak our mind too. He’s a hypocrate and a fool for da kina comments he made about morris on peace fm today. Does he knw da souls bein saved cos of morris’s testimony he always wana twist watever he hears. I know why he hates ma bro but he has me as well to hate.why is he no more workin wit zapp mallet hypocrate.he shuld push me and see?”, he posted.

Six arrests in football match-fixing investigation

Six men have been arrested by officers from the National Crime Agency investigating alleged match-fixing in English football.

At least three footballers are reported to be among those held across the country, but the BBC understands that none is linked to professional clubs.
The NCA said the focus of the operation was a suspected international illegal betting syndicate.
It is thought the suspects are being held by police in the Midlands.
The NCA was launched this year to fight organised and serious crime.
It said it was working closely with the Gambling Commission and the Football Association.
A spokesman said: "This is an active investigation and we are unable to provide further detail at this time."
Newspaper probe The FA said it has been made aware of the arrests.
In a statement, it said: "We have worked closely with the authorities in relation to these allegations. The FA will make no further comment at this time due to ongoing investigations."
"The Gambling Commission said it had provided advice, intelligence and expertise in supporting the investigation and continues to liaise with the NCA and FA."

Sellas Tetteh On Ismaily Radar

The 2009 World Under-20 winning coach has been contacted by the Egyptian side following the elevation of their coach to manage the Pharaohs. Ghana coach Sellas Tetteh is a front runner for the vacant coaching position at Egyptian side Ismaily. The World Under-20 winning coach has been contacted by officials of The Mango Boys following the appointment of Shawky Gharib as Egypt coach on Wednesday The president of The Yellow Dragons Mahmoud Abou El-Soud announced during an interview with reporters that the coastal club are in talks with Tetteh, who won the hearts of Egyptians when he led the Black Satellites to win the 2009 World Youth Championship. Signals being picked from the Ismailia side indicate that the former Rwanda coach would welcome the offer. The ex-Liberty Professionals coach could be the first west African to lead an Egyptian top flight side if he accepts the job. In 2013, he was once again in charge of the Ghana U20 side and placed third in Turkey.

Source: Goal

Assembly rejects President’s nominee for the fourth time

The Kwahu East District Assembly has, for the fourth time, rejected Mr Samuel Asamoah, the President’s nominee for the post of the District Chief Executive (DCE) for the area.
In spite of the passionate appeal made by Mr Abdulai Zachari, Eastern Regional Coordinating Director, Mr Peter Wiafe Peprah, Member of Parliament (MP) for Abetifi and Reverend Akuoko Frimpong, President for the National Association of Local Authorities of Ghana (NALAG), to end the ‘confirmation journey’ and not to let partisan politics mar the progress of the district, no progress has been made.
After voting in an election supervised by Mr Boateng, the Deputy Eastern Regional Director of the Electoral Commission (EC), Mr Asamoah polled 19  out of the 30 votes, which represented 63.3 percent, when in fact he needed 20 votes to get the nod.
The remaining 11 making 36.7 percent voted ‘no’ against Mr Asamoah’s nomination which indicated that within ten days, another election would have to be organised to confirm or reject him.

 Source: Ghana | GNA

Vision Still In Progress…Nana Addo To Campaign For Quality Education In 2016?

Politics has always been the art of the possible. Today it is too often the art of the probable tinkering around the edges without any greater vision, without a sense of optimism and imagination. As a politician you always keep your dreams alive. Understand to achieve anything requires faith and belief in yourself, vision, hard work, determination, and dedication. Remember all things are possible for those who believe. The 2012 Presidential Candidate of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo’s dream to make education free and quality for Ghanaians from the Junior High School (JHS) to the Senior High School (SHS) is still a scheme he wants to accomplish. Despite speculations about whether he (Nana Addo) will still lead the NPP in 2016 after announcing his “political break” moments after the historic 2012 election petition final verdict by the Supreme Court of Ghana, Nana Akufo-Addo dropped the clearest hint that he intends to contest for the position of the Presidential Candidate of the party for the 2016 elections during a meeting with UK NPP branch to thank them for the significant support they gave him and the party during the 2012 campaign, and openly declared that “we begin to prepare for 2016.” According to Nana Addo on his Facebook wall, his vision remains the most effective and desirable programme for the future of our country, thus, education. “The programme that we put before the people of Ghana in 2012, of rapid and qualitative expansion of education, and the structural transformation of the Ghanaian economy, remains the most effective and desirable programme for the future of our country”. He continued by saying “My commitment to it remains, therefore, unchanged. But, we must first be in office to be able to serve and deliver. It is, therefore, vital that we position ourselves in such a way as to make ourselves the irresistible choice for Ghanaians in 2016.”

Source: King Edward Ambrose Washman Addo/ Peacefmonline.com/Ghana

#TeamFrimpac

Drill Ship Saga: More “Fundamental Questions” Remain Unanswered Despite Tsatsu's Evidence

Kwesi Pratt Jnr., the Managing Editor Insight Newspaper, believes the evidence adduced by the former Chief Executive Officer of the Ghana National Petroleum Cooperation (GNPC), Tsatsu Tsikata, before the Judgment Debt Commission on Tuesday, has made the issues surrounding the sale of the Discover 511 Drill ship in 2001 murkier. The Judgment Debt Commission is investigating how an amount of 24 million dollars accrued from the sale of the ship to pay judgment debt owed Societe General Bank was expended. The ship was sold for $24 million out of which $19.5 million was used to defray a debt owed Societe General. But the remaining $3.5 million cannot be traced. When he appeared before the commission, Mr. Tsikata vehemently denied allegations that the drill ship was used as collateral to secure a funding transaction with Societe Generale and further questioned the valuation of the ship, which was subsequently sold for $24 million dollars to defray the negotiated debt. Testifying about GNPC’s indebtedness to Societe Generale, which allegedly compelled the selling of its drillship to defray the debt, he told the Commission that: “As of December 2000 when I left GNPC, there was neither a judgment nor a judgement debt against the GNPC or Government of Ghana”. The Former GNPC boss also accused former President John Kufuor of being virtually a “debt collector” for Societe Generale as far as the Corporation's indebtedness to the Bank was concerned. “…Certain steps had been taken completely outside the framework of the GNPC law in terms of how it was alleged that the Government had decided that Societe Generale should be paid certain monies and the ways in which those monies were paid and so on because it looked as if rather unusually, the President of the Republic himself was becoming the debt collector for Societe Generale”. But Mr Pratt insists despite Mr Tsikata’s evidence, there are still “fundamental questions” that needs to be answered with respect to the sale of the drill ship. He, however, wishes all Ghanaians wait till the Commission completes its investigations before analyzing the issues. “…the Judgment Debt Commission is looking into these matters and we should allow the commission to carry out its investigations and to come forward with its findings. And when the Commission has come out with its findings, then all of us would have an informed basis for running commentary on what happened with the drill ship and other matters,” he argued. Speaking on Metro TV’s ‘Good Morning Ghana’ program, the seasoned Journalist could not understand why political parties and their spokespersons are trying to make political capital of the proceedings so far, which in his opinion, is “unfair to the people of Ghana”, “unfair to the persons who are appearing before the Commission and to the Judgment Debt Commission, itself”. “…I have heard people who have also come to the conclusion that something terribly untoward happened…I have heard people who have actually called some of the Ministers who acted on this matter, thieves and so on. I think it’s unfair, in the same way that the manner in which then New Patriotic Party (NPP) treated Mr. Tsatsu Tsikata, I think it’s unfair. “I read the press statement which was issued by my good friend, Mr. Kan Dapaah on the GNPC affair, which created the impression that all the monies were paid into the pocket of Mr. Tsikata and so on. All those things are unfair. Look, this country deserves better than what our leaders are giving us. Let us give the commission a break,” Kwesi Pratt posited.

Source: Prince Obimpeh/Peacefmonline.com/Ghana

Why Aren't Big Sean Or Pusha T On The Yeezus Tour? Kanye Tries To Explain

It's been a remarkable year for G.O.O.D. Music. Not only did Kanye West release his sonically groundbreaking Yeezus LP, but 2 Chainz, Big Sean and Pusha T all released albums in conjunction with Kanye's label. So why didn't West decide to bring any of his artists with him on his Yeezus Tour?
MTV News correspondent Sway Calloway asked that question and got a roundabout answer when Yeezy appeared on his "Sway in the Morning" radio show on SiriusXM's Shade 45 on Tuesday.

"Well, every artist that makes good music is on G.O.O.D. Music," Kanye reasoned before rattling off a list of names. "Drake on G.O.O.D. Music, Wayne on G.O.O.D. Music, James Blake on G.O.O.D. Music, Frank Ocean on G.O.O.D. Music. You make good music, you're on G.O.O.D. Music, in my mind."
Kendrick Lamar has also been celebrated for his good music, in fact his good kid, m.A.A.d city LP is both critically acclaimed and commercially successful. When Kanye announced Kendrick as the opening act on his Yeezus Tour back in September however, some questioned why West would take K-Dot and not one of the artists directly signed to him.
"I'm not marginalized by the brand of the deal that I've taken from Universal in order to cut some of my homeboys some checks so that we can work on creative projects together," he said of his Def Jam-distributed label. "I'm not marginalized by the branding concept of G.O.O.D. Music versus Cash Money. All I do is text Baby like, 'Yo we need to do something together.' We're not each other's enemies."
Kanye provides a ton of creative direction and inspiration for his team, but he also encourages them to be their own artists he says. "Everybody gotta get their own — maybe it's just a piano that I bring in for John Legend and executive produce that. Maybe it's an art package that I do for Pusha or beg him to take a certain song off that I think sounds too commercial," he said referencing Pusha's My Name is My Name album, though he didn't name the song which he begged the Clipse MC to remove from the album.
Though everything within the G.O.O.D. Music crew seems to be harmonious, Kanye does say that he wasn't too happy with Big Sean's Hall of Fame LP, which he released in August.
"We didn't quite get to that with Big Sean on some of the songs that I wanted to take off and stuff," he told Sway, after the two had a blow-up on air. "It upset me as a hip-hop artist a bit and now he gonna turn up on this next one and we talked it out and everything and that's what it's gonna be."

#TeamFrimpac

I’m Happy: Eazzy Says Of Split From Keitta

While most girls would be crying their hearts out after a break up, sultry singer, Eazzy, has revealed she doesn’t feel downhearted at all after splitting up with her model boyfriend of two years, Keitta Ossei.

In fact, the Wengeze hitmaker confirmed to Graphic Showbiz last Tuesday that the once blossoming romance which was in the public eye was over but contrary to what people thought, she was happy being single again.

“Yes, Keitta and I are no more an item,” she stated emphatically.

“However, I am not down because I enjoy being single and I am enjoying that right now. Before I met Keitta, I had been single for a long time and so being single is nothing new to me. I also have no intention to go into any relationship now. I am cool being single like that.

“Of course, it is every woman’s dream to settle down with the man she loves and that was what I sincerely wished for but since that didn’t happen, I just have to accept that in good faith.”

Eazzy took to Twitter to announce the split last week saying, “Hi guys thanks for your concern. yep. Keitta and I are not a couple anymore. Details are private. No more questions. Wink”.

Defending why she took to Twitter to announce her split from Keitta, Eazzy said, “I had no ill intentions when I used Twitter to announce our break-up. Our relationship was a public one and most people knew about it so it was only fair for such people to also know that we are no more together.

“Most of them kept asking me about our relationship status and I couldn’t lie to them. I know that if Keitta were in my shoes, he would also have done same.”

The diva declined to disclose to Showbiz exactly why the relationship fell on the rocks.

“We had our differences and decided to go our separate ways and move on with our lives. I appreciate all the concerns that my fans have shown me but I will appreciate it more if people do not read their own meanings into this break up,” she said.

“It is rather unfortunate that people would fabricate all sorts of stories about the cause of our break-up. I have never said anywhere that Keitta cheated on me or was cheating on me. I don’t know where people got their information. They are mere speculations.”

The One Gal singer also told Showbiz that even though she had not heard from Keitta after their break-up, she was sure he was doing fine and wished him well.

Eazzy and Keitta’s relationship went public when the two of them represented Ghana at Big Brother Africa (BBA) two years ago.

Keitta could not be reached for comment at the time Showbiz went to press.

           

I’m Not Dead - Daddy Lumba

I’m not dead, I am alive by the special grace of God,” this was the response of Ghana’s finest high life musician, Charles Kwadwo Fosu aka Daddy Lumba (DL), who was rumoured dead a few days ago in Kumasi.

In the early hours of Friday, November 1, 2013, the entire Garden City was thrown into a state of shock and disbelief when rumour mongers went to town with unconfirmed report that Lumba had died the previous night.

Soon, what started as a mere rumour gathered momentum as people could be seen in groups discussing the supposed demise of the respected musician. Indeed, what gave credence to the story was the fact that there had been earlier speculation across the country over the last few months that Daddy Lumba was very sick, hence his long absence from the entertainment scene.

However, Lumba lovers and admirers who were shocked by the sad news and were thrown into perpetual mourning heaved a huge sigh of relief later that morning when the award winning musician granted an interview to Roman Father on his ‘Sika Mmere’ program on SIKKA FM 89.5 to say that he was hale and hearty.

‘I don’t know why anybody would wish me dead. I am alive and kicking by the grace of God. Nothing is wrong with me. I want to tell all my fans in Kumasi that their favourite Lumba is still alive and well. It is God who gives life and He alone decides when anyone should leave the world. Thankfully, my time is not due yet so am still alive ’.

On why he thought anybody could come up with such a death rumour about him, Lumba said he had no idea saying ‘This is not the first time that I have been rumoured dead. It has happened several times. Indeed, Lumba has ‘died’ so many times. You see, am a very quiet and private person who is always at home. Maybe it’s my long absence from the public space which facilitates such rumours’.

Daddy Lumba finally thanked Roman Father for offering him the platform to interact with his fans and lovers and also hinted that his latest album will soon hit the market.

Daddy Lumba was born at Nsuta near Mampong in the Ashanti Region on September 29, 1964. In the early 1980s, he debuted on the highlife scene with his massive hit "Yeeye Aka Akwantuo Mu" with Nana Acheampong. He has been consistent with the release of multiple-hit albums since then and has established himself as one of Ghana's most popular singers of his genre, Highlife.