The Artist Spotlight: KINPEE

Mr. Blue, Mr. Green, Massa Red, Dear Music fan, and lover – This is Cyan Music; take a seat and breathe …

Yes, yes, yes! With our first anniversary approaching, there were a few surprises we had to plan for you guys, and we’re happy to count this as one. We’ll be starting a new series on the blog where we feature Artists and get a little personal with them, and share their music with you guys. So without further ado, let’s jump into the very first one. We feature Kinpee on this!

Kinpee (b. 1991)

“To bring out a positive change in society with my art. Inspiring people in my little way to always keep going and never give up on their dreams and passions, no matter how impossible they may seem. And at the end, to present joy and peace through this colorful piece of art called music.” 

Those statements represent the Hip-Hop, Rap head, and lyrical genius, Kinpee. Kinpee, for those of you who don’t know, is a rap artist born and bred in the streets of Kumasi. He has been on the rap scene since his high school days at Presbyterian Boys’ Secondary School and came into his own when he started performing live and releasing bodies of work on the stages of KNUST. Part of the Moonlight Cafe crew that stormed the yard in their era. He has progressed and matured with his craft and is up there with the ones who hold the mic. He has gone by many pseudonyms in his career as a rap artist. Some names are The Machine and, more recently, Oseikrom Aberanteɛ. Today we dive into the world of the rapper who plies his trade in Accra with a job in the energy sector whilst maintaining the aura of an insane rapper. 

So, how did this whole journey begin? What’s the genesis of this scripture being written?

“I started doing music when I was 13. Before that, they knew me for being a big rap fan. I could rap verses from so many hip hop songs, and so I became known in my junior high for being able to rap. At 13, a friend (A&Drey) and I tried writing our stuff, so we formed a group called The KnB.” 

Oseikrom Aberanteɛ

And that was a perpetual intro to welcoming greatness 101, as Kinpee himself put it on one of his previous records titled FLG (Feeling Like Greatness). Touching on the past and what happened in the historic parts of the journey of this talent. 

There was a time where The Machine dominated as your alter ego in music. How did that come about? What was the driving force behind it all? 

“The Machine came about as a coping mechanism. The idea was to use The Machine to say things that I wouldn’t be able to say on a normal day. Also, as a growing boy, society expected me to not be weak or emotional. Hence, I wanted to not be weakened by emotions. I wanted to be like a machine.”

That’s quite a lesson on using alter egos. Coping mechanisms. Surreal. The Machine was responsible for 3 records that Kinpee put out.

• 

  Metaphorical Insanity

• 

  Invasion of the Machine

• 

  Kinsanity

There was the debut tape Metaphorical Insanity, the sophomore album which was dubbed Invasion of the Machine (IOTM), and the last to complete the trinity, Kinsanity. The diversity that The Machine used in these 3 albums were cutting edge and damn near-futuristic. There were spoken word artists making appearances, features from other talented lyricists and vocalists who charmed on their deliveries on records. 

The intriguing question: is the Machine still alive?

“The Machine has taken backstage, and now Oseikrom Abranteɛ is running the show. This new chapter is about an older and more mature person who wants to talk about things affecting the daily lives of young adults, including myself. And not just young adults, but Ghana as a whole. Highlighting problems and proposing solutions.”

Kinpee’s alter ego journey continues as he has successfully evolved from being just The Machine to becoming the more mature Oseikrom Abranteɛ who is ready to delve into life’s issues and the motions that the youth and people go through. Although this may feel like a new chapter, the previous years have only helped establish Kinpee’s dominance in the rap game as he’s well respected for the approach to his craft and his personality. 

He has dropped a few records in recent times. There has been the Duppy Freestyle, Bring it Back, 100 till Asieyɛ, and the latest, So Kumasi. 

• 

  Oseikrom Aberanteɛ Freestyle

• 

  Bring it Back

The big question: is anything on the way? 

I am currently working on an EP titled Oseikrom Abranteɛ to the World, and a few videos.

And there you have it, folks! We are expecting an EP from the Oseikrom Abranteɛ, and if you have enjoyed the singles he’s dished out so far, you know we are in for something impressive. 

Keep up with Kinpee’s releases on the following platforms: 

Soundcloud: Kinpee 

Twitter: @_urBoiKinpee

YouTube: Kinpee

Fafanyo The Pryme’s Making Dawn: Album Review

Mr. Blue, Mr. Green, Massa Red, Dear Music fan, and lover – This is Cyan Music; take a seat and breathe …

We’re continuing our Spoken Word & Poetry adventure as the tapes keep coming, and today we have Fafanyo The Pryme’s Making Dawn on deck. Rapper, spoken word artist, actor, photo and videographer, the list goes on how many skills we can assign to Fafanyo. Fafanyo has been on the scene for a while, releasing a host of content, ranging from videos to singles, combining English, Twi, Pidgin, and Ewe and blending both music, rap, and spoken word poetry to convey his message. He released his full-length album titled Making Dawn on the 10th of September with features from NINE99, Megborna, Sekyiwaa, Who is Deydzi, amongst others. It is a 9-track album with the record running 27 minutes in total.

Personal sentiments, Content and Lyricism, Vocals and Production in no particular order …

The album opener is classic. Lone Wolf features NINE99, whose hook is smooth, with his added flow and delivery hitting high levels. The ability to combine English, Twi, and Pidgin – flawless, and he set the right tone to match the production. The hook and his verse were the perfect stages for Fafanyo’s powerful spoken word performance to flourish as his delivery was phenomenal, and the ominous production switched up perfectly to accommodate both the piece and his energy in it. There was an added horn that came through at the end, which brought the Midas touch, summing up what an amazing opener this record was for the album. Kakalika sounded like 5 unique records coming together. The arrangement was interesting, especially with the different verses of spoken word pieces delivered. The hook maintained the vibe, and the spoken word piece that came right after the first hook was good. A notable realization is how top tier the production on the record is so far as the instrumentation not only plays to the strengths of the musicality but also to the strengths of rap and poetry. The performances are phenomenal, and it ends on quite a thought-provoking note. The skit from Megborna was a welcome break from the energy those two tracks up there gave. And with how projects have skits now, it makes sense that this came through soon. 

Nyatefe sounds like something Worlasi would do in its approach. From the flow to the content, to the way Fafanyo delivers on it. The hook is especially something special. The featured artists’ delivery was pretty dope, although the moments one artist took their foot off the pedal in their delivery were a bit cringe, overall a decent listen.

Paint me Black, started on a very colorful tune, with a short narrative being accompanied by horns. The way the beat switches to a pure Hip-Hop base was neat. The hook had vocals that gave it a divine aura and element. I wish they had sustained the hip-hop beat as opposed to it being mixed with the other part of the instrumental that was used. The piece Fafanyo dropped midway felt like it was the end of the song – and it may have been a perfect ending. But the song goes on, and it doesn’t drag on too much.

Through the Rain kicks it up a notch, and the vocals that are found here are easy on the ears. Sekyiwaa, who has multiple appearances on the album, ought to receive plaudits as she delivered repeatedly flawlessly to match the tone and the complexion of each record. Pray 4 Judas may have been a bit off at the beginning with the delivery’s timing and the instrumental, but the spoken word piece stabilized things and made the flow afterward on the beat and rhythmic. Pray 4 Judas must have been the least enjoyed track on the record. The execution was off a bit, and some things that may have been missed in some records were too exposed here. Trivia was an emotional record. We can’t even say anything about this record. It’s heartfelt, it’s soulful. It’s from the heart and soul of the artist. His narration of family experiences and what he’s lost, but also the encouragement he offers to the listener is admirable. It breathes life into the record in its peculiar way.

Xxvi was probably the best route to the record. The instrumentation, the vocals, the musicality, the production, and everything else here was phenomenal. Genres of Hip Hop, Rap, and Spoken Word making a strong claim in the mix of it all.

Concluding …

Although the genre is Hip Hop/Rap, the spoken word poetry elements were dominant here and lived up to the bill in its storytelling and lyricism. That the native language of Ewe too was predominant gave it a unique feel. The production was also something very notable. For someone like Fafanyo, this can only be the start of greatness. Kudos to the man and his team for this epic record.

The Signature Sign Off …

Big thanks to Mr. Blue and Massa Red for their input and insight and much appreciation to you, our reader. What do you think of the album? What do you think of this review? Leave a comment and let us know your thoughts, Cyan Music, Music Review corner.

ToluDaDi’s Stimuli: Album Review

Mr. Blue, Mr. Green, Massa Red, Dear Music fan, and lover – This is Cyan Music; take a seat and breathe …

What is up, people! We’ve got a classic review today, and it may raise a few eyebrows, but we’re still sticking to our guns. We knew this guy was fire and nothing short of special when he came out with his This Side EP in 2019. Maybe, just maybe, his sound was ahead of its time. ToluDadi was born and bred on the streets of Nigeria. He dropped his 11 track project titled Stimuli record in July, his first full-length album after his EP in 2019. The record runs for a little over half an hour with features from an entourage of greatness who spill magic on the songs they appear on. Let’s get into it.

Personal sentiments, Content and Lyricism, Vocals and Production in no particular order …

The opener to this record, F*cking Expensive, provided context enough for us to realize we were going to witness a masterpiece in the making. It’s very obvious to note that ToLuDaDi’s sound is very, very advanced. There’s a sense of maturity and perfection that comes with the sound. Its colorful tone matches every element that comes to any of the songs. Mama was enjoyable with its immersive nature sustained from the opener. It captures the same approach that Worlasi & Senku Live used for the man & the god. Push takes things to a whole other level with the most intricate vibe matching a rich and dense instrumental. The amazing thing is the fact that you can imagine Burna Boy delivering a verse on this record, but the featured artiste is so technically good that she carries the rest of the song away with her deft tone and harnessed sensuality. 

Tell You Something was the point at which we were asking ourselves why God would bless us with such an album. ToLuDaDi’s sound cements itself here. His charisma and vocal performance here was nothing short of phenomenal. The instrumental was sizzling, especially with the horns and the way they ended the song on such a beautiful note vocally. As if it couldn’t get better. Then comes Accra Love, where the artiste exhibits a bit of lyrical dexterity. Is there something this man cannot do? I mean, the featured artists just kept adding firepower to all the tracks, and the vocalist here was flawless. Now, if you think you’ve been hearing near-orgasmic sounds on Stimulate, ToLuDaDi pushes into uncharted territory. I mean beyond the mind’s capacity of understanding how whatever sounds were coming together to create the music he created. Using that childhood lullaby to lay the foundation of the song was absolute brilliance. The interlude that featured just vocals and the keys were breathless and captivating. It’s like a rollercoaster of emotions from one extreme to another on the record. Koko below brings the energy to groove level as we’ve been soaring for quite some time in the listening experience. It’s a simple record that one can nod their head too. Again, great instrumentals, bearing a resemblance to the beginning of Twitch 4eva’s Daada on is Lost EP. Agbalabi follows in the same vein, keeping the energy and advancing the course of the vibe as the album draws to a conclusion. Keresi ended the album on a very calm note, which we’re grateful for because it balanced everything out for this album.

Concluding … 

We could go on and on about how good this record is. But words would fail even us to capture every emotion. It’s hard to think there’s this much talent sitting in one person. ToLuDaDi is destined for greatness, and you’d be blind not to see it from this project. Everything from vocals, instrumentation, lyrics, and the featured artists was stellar. Big ups to the producer BabaWvD. The magic he harnessed on this tape was fantastic. It’s a must-listen for anyone who truly adores colorful music. 10 over flipping 10. 

The Signature Sign Off … 

Big thanks to Mr. Blue and Massa Red for their input and insight and much appreciation to you, our reader. What do you think of the album? What do you think of this review? Leave a comment and let us know your thoughts, Cyan Music, Music Review corner.

Paapa’s Technical Difficulties Volume 3: Album Review

Mr. Blue, Mr. Green, Massa Red, Dear Music fan, and lover – This is Cyan Music; take a seat and breathe …

From the moment he dropped Dear Grace and came out with Solar, Paapa won hearts all over the country. His musicality, his vocals, his lyrics, his bars, and wordplay were both phenomenal and heart moving. After Solar, he dropped Songs for Kuukua which was also warmly received. He’s been off the scene a bit, but in recent years, he started a Technical Difficulties volume series and he’s already dropped 1 & 2. This happens to be the 3rd installment, 9 songs in total and 30 minutes run time. He features only one artist, Trevor Williams, on the song Different. Now, let’s get into this. 

Personal sentiments, Content and Lyricism, Vocals and Production in no particular order …

Don’t Know sets the tone for the volume classic. The musicality is enjoyable; the instrumentation is explosive, and the vocals on the record are immaculate. The production is spotless, with the use of a variety of instruments that complement the colorful direction Paapa went for. The ‘He’s got the whole world in his hand’ interpolation was sweet and seamlessly fit into the record. Paapa’s performance on here is nothing short of confidence as he ends it like a classic showman. 10 000 Stories continues the stride, with the consistency in sound being kept. Paapa’s lyrics are interesting to listen to as his vocals carry the song and the message he’s trying to convey. It was very enjoyable too. Now on Pedestal, Paapa snapped. That first verse was vintage Paapa on his lyrical grind. Damn near reminiscent of the Solar version we all fell in love with. The way the song starts sets the verse up nicely. The bass and keys mesh so well to carry the record as it matches the direction of the song. The hook is one you can bop your head to. And the vocal performance is just phenomenal. Then the song gets better when the beat breaks down into this experimental music passage, with unique sounds coming in, with the end on a high.

On Different, the tempo settles in a groove. You get the idea that for this song, although Paapa continues to push beyond the boundary sonically, the focus of this song is the message, talking about how we may look different, but we bleed the same. The feature from Trevor Williams was a welcome one as he channels the song with a unique energy that carries the song over the line beautifully. Better starts on a very colorful note, and the drum intro gave it a pleasant tone to begin. The song is inspirational, encouraging listeners that things will get better. However, the twist in the latter part of the song is that Paapa is also saying to the listener that maybe the change need not come from the external but us ourselves. That’s a profound thought. Paapa’s consistency vocally has to be applauded, to be honest. The backing and instrumentation come together nicely.

Fool Speed is an interesting record just because of the route it takes. The complexion here is different, mainly because it has a romance element sprinkled in there with how the song is presented. The jazz elements do their bit to bring the story to life. Tired and The Fire are probably the most relatable records for us all. Paapa is soulfully pouring out a cry we all share in particularly about how this year has gone. The keys and bass combined perfectly to carry the message, especially on Tired. It’s the song that you can play every day to get through the motions. The Fire picks up as the sequel, but with a richer instrumental this time. And this time, it has a gospel element to it with the way they arrange the instrumentation. The closer, Sleep, starts with a very choral aura and then switches up to a more African sounded instrumental. The drums and sounds used produced the traditional effect we are accustomed to in this part of Africa. The song is almost like a lullaby, but also a pseudo-slow-moving Jamma song. There’s just a special way he presents this song that sounds like a beautiful prayer as the record ends. It’s just unique and ends the record on quite the note.

Concluding …

Volume 1 and 2 may have been the metaphorical prepare ye the way. Volume 3 was well put together, from production to vocals to features and delivery. Paapa set out on a journey when he started the Technical dIfficulties series. And this is by far the best of all Volumes. We have one request: Paapa, please rap more.

The Signature Sign Off …

Big thanks to Mr. Blue and Massa Red for their input and insight and much appreciation to you, our reader. What do you think of the album? What do you think of this review? Leave a comment and let us know your thoughts, Cyan Music, Music Review corner.

Kwaw Kese’s Victory: Album Review

Mr. Blue, Mr. Green, Massa Red, Dear Music fan, and lover – This is Cyan Music; take a seat and breathe …

We are keeping it real and keeping it moving as another review comes your way. Today we look at the one and only, Kwaw Kese AKA “Fa Wo nsa bɔ wo tirim na ka sɛ Abɔdam!” as he dropped a full-length album titled Victory. The album was teased with the single “Trap House” mainly and took some time before they released it last month. Emmanuel Kofi Botchwey dropped this album on the 28th of August, with 10 records on the full-length record, with features from Stonebwoy, Kwesi Arthur, Quamina MP, Sarkodie, Medikal with the list going on. The album runs a little over 30 minutes.

Personal sentiments, Content and Lyricism, Vocals and Production in no particular order …

The mad time entertainment founder is slowly but surely shedding off the “Abɔdam” persona in his music. Partly because of going through adversities like getting a divorce, going to prison, and the death of his father as detailed on the title track victory. The song is a gospel song, plain. From the choral chants of “Onyame”, laced into the song, and Kwaw Kese’s expression of gratitude to God for his life and divine endowment materialistically, “me Gucci down ɛna me hilltop.”

On Victory, Emmanuel Kofi Botway dips his toes into multiple genres from Hip-Hop to Afro-pop to Reggae. This formula is relatively commonplace in Ghanaian albums as it increases streams and placates multiple customers. For Kwaw, it only exposes how painfully limited his range is as a rapper. On “Mente Mpo” where he tries his hands at Afro-pop, it’s the strength of Mugeez’s feature that carries the song. Verses from Sarkodie and Medikal inject life into “Dondo” and the album. Kwaw Kese is at his best here, rapping over 808s, horns, and some synths engineered into a traditional rhythmic Adowa pattern. “Love and Affection” has a production where tone choices do not mesh and performances from Black Prophet and Kwaw Kese that make for a forgettable dancehall song.

The project continues the downward spiral with “Trap House”, a single released before this album. The song was not made any better with the addition of a patois verse by Rygin King. Kwaw Kese delivers a lackluster hook over an equally dull Afro-pop beat, and Kwesi Arthur’s star power is not enough to intrigue even the most attentive of fans or lure the most gullible to the trap house he is rambling about.

On the closing track Bottles, Kwaw seems to go ahead of himself and envision a concert where people repeat “bottles” at the end of every bar, and that’s about the entire appeal of the song. The song is phoned in as he, at a point, rhymes “bottles” with “sister Akos w’ayɛ ama me de atwɛl adane wo tottle” just because… Let us just end it here.

Concluding …

Though Kwaw Kese’s intention on Victory was to celebrate his success that came despite unprecedented adversity, it is undercut by his clumsy performance and uninteresting composition. The production is in large parts as disjointed as Kwaw Kese’s performance on the album. We cannot say anymore than this.

The Signature Sign Off …

Big thanks to Mr. Blue and Massa Red for their input and general insight and much appreciation to you, our reader. What do you think of the album? What do you think of this review? Leave a comment and let us know your thoughts. Cyan Music, Music Review corner.