Music of Monday, 27 July 2015

Source: Chris Koney

Blackup releases 'Romantic' featuring Stonebwoy

Blackup ft StonebwoyBlackup ft Stonebwoy

Just a few weeks after the release of his latest song with an accompanying video, Blackup is eventually becoming visible within the Ghanaian music space.

The song, titled “Romantic”, is also receiving positive reviews from music connoisseurs and enjoying an appreciable level of rotations on radio and television within the nation’s capital and beyond.

“Romantic”, features the 2015 Vodafone Ghana Music Awards Artiste of the year and 2015 winner of BET’s Best International Act (Africa), Stonebwoy, who brings his shine to the song; a fusion of dancehall rhythm and an afro pop vibe.

The song, chronicles the story of a man’s wishful thoughts and feelings for his ex-lover with the hope of reconciling with her to enable his dream of marriage materialize.

Listening to the song, one thing which is very obvious is the vocal dexterity and lyrical prowess of the multitalented Blackup as he exhibited his versatility in his attempt at sending home the “true love message” in the song by combining three dialects.

Sometime in 2013, Blackup, then a final year student of Labone Secondary School left the shores of Ghana to settle in the United States of America with his family.

Born Benard Ola Femi Kayede to former Ghanaian soccer star and Kumasi Asante Kotoko’s gifted striker Ben Kayede and Madam Evelyn Klu, the Ghanaian - Nigerian musician adopted the stage name Blackup to portray his African descent.

Currently residing in Chicago, Blackup is excited about the attention the song is receiving in Ghana and beyond.

“It’s a great feeling when you are appreciated for your work, however, the feeling is more special when your own people and other people you don’t even know say very good and positive things about your work. That is a huge encouragement to ensure you get to the very top of your game”.

Blackup is signed to Woj3ga Movement, a group he started with a couple of friends a few years ago which later transitioned into a talent management hub. Woj3ga is a Ga word which is literary translated into English as “We Are From Accra”.

Apart from being a musician, Blackup is an exceptional artist who has exhibited at several Arts exhibitions within the Chicago area and beyond. His paintings are varied, flamboyantly creative and always tells the African story in the most appropriate and positive way.

“My goal is to become an artist and a musician, positioned as a global ambassador to propagate the good and positive things about Ghana and the rest of Africa which is hardly known, seen and read in the western world and the rest of the diaspora. At the same time, I want to keep the focus on other business prospects to ensure I grab the gold in life”.

According to the multitalented Blackup, “the ultimate brand is to be that multifaceted artist/e who fusses his style of music and art to create dope works. I am working on realizing two more videos for yet to be released songs before the end of the year.

For Blackup, until his brand makes it into mainstream music internationally, he is not going to rest and also hope his artworks will one day go on exhibition in some of the biggest galleries around the world.

Enjoy the song below: