When the Nescafe African Revelation (NAR) music talent hunt began in the Upper East Regional capital, Bolgatanga, three weeks ago, the general performance of the contestants did not seem to point to a heated national competition as the various artistes presented similar singing styles and stagecraft.

However the same cannot be said of the level of competition that is building up in the show as the event makes the zonal rounds. The event is being organised by TOPDOG Communications for Nescafe. The ultimate winners will be given a ?200million sponsorship to record their debut professional album at the OM Studios in Accra. They will also represent Ghana at the continental edition of NAR.

Last weekend the NAR was in the Western Regional Capital, Takoradi, for the West/Central zonal show and the number of patrons and the performances of the various contestants were quite encouraging.

For the first time, the two winning groups presented some true singing skills as against the raw hiplife rap that many of the contestants do. The victorious bands, Nzema Ahenfo(Nzema kings) and Jerry B, and Ahenfie (palace) will represent the West/Central zone at the national finals in Accra.

As the show rides on to the final stages, one thing that is becoming quite clear is that rap is now part of Ghanaian music. Almost all the contestants who have participated in the show so far, have tended to inject some hiplife rap into their songs. In Takoradi many of the artistes got their raps right but their singing skills were simply missing.

It is expected that the contestants in the Volta and Eastern Regions will find their singing chords when the show hits the Volta/Eastern zone tomorrow, Friday, August 13 and Saturday, the 14th. Greater Accra will be the next and final zone for the preliminary stage of the competition.

Hiplife musicians, K.K. Fosu, Kwaata, Kow Kese and others were at the Skyy FM fore-court, the venue for the Takoradi show, to keep the large crowd alive.