The most consistent hit maker in the history of contemporary high-life music, Charles Kwadwo Fosu, acclaimed popular as Daddy Lumba (DL) has for the first time reacted publicly to criticisms about his alleged unprofessional lifestyle saying...
...he will definitely put all haters and doubting Thomases to shame by showcasing perhaps his best performance ever, come Saturday November 12, 2011 at the maiden edition of the “Legends and Legacy Ball” (LAL) at Accra International Conference Center.
“I have kept myself out of the public eye for a very long time and it seems to have given vent to speculation by some people to peddle falsehoods. There are people who don’t even believe that I am going to do this show but I want use this opportunity to affirm to you that the show is definitely on and I promise you it’s going to be a night to remember,” DL told the press at the Erata Hotel during the launch of the event.
Debuting in the early 1980s on the highlife scene with his massive hit "Yeeye Aka Akwantuo Mu" with Nana Acheampong, DL 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.
With 20 albums under his belt, DL’s albums have yielded more number one and top ten hits than any other Ghanaian musician in our time. Coining so many phrases with his lyrics, Lumba has been responsible for some of the lingo used in everyday language.
Going to a social function without hearing at least one of his songs is like going to Chicago without seeing the Sears Tower silhouetting the skyline.
But the legendary highlife musician has been accused of not turning up for scheduled interviews and deliberately missing rehearsals, despite the sold-out concerts he is associated with.
And the media got much more than they bargained for when DL voiced out his pent up feelings about some of these negative perceptions.
Casting innuendos in a tone dripping with deep sarcasm, the sensational musician took a swipe at some naysers in the media, who according to him, have decided to rather focus on only the deleterious things about him, when Peacefmonline.com Entertainment Reporter, Eugene Osafo-Nkansah, sought to find out from him the truth or otherwise of reports that he has a penchant for giving organizers and promoters a hard time.
He strongly debunked that assertion, blaming a particular presenter at Peace FM for painting a negative image of him in the minds of the public.
“I am a regular listener of Peace FM and I know who does this every time…If anybody tells you that I have not been attending my rehearsals then I do wonder how I can perform in my entire 25 years of doing music. It is quite the opposite…because I do keep a low profile, some people have taken advantage of that to churn out falsehoods…I am here to affirm to you that I will do everything possible to make this show a successful one,” he assured.
He slammed the media and Ghanaians for not celebrating their own but rather doling out huge sums of monies to foreign artistes whiles a Ghanaian artiste is paid pea nuts.
“An artiste from America will be paid $150,000 to perform here in Ghana but when a Ghanaian musician charges even $5000 for a performance, it wouldn’t be far-fetched to say people will rain abuse on him and his family… If you the media do not project us, we can’t even charge a thousand dollars and there may be a time that we would have to perform for free in Ghana,” DL said.
Corporate Ghana and the whole business fraternity in the country also had their fair share of Daddy Lumba’s public outcry which lasted more than an hour.
He was critical of the fact that even though organizers of the “Legends and Legacy Ball” had a brilliant concept to honor and celebrate one Ghanaian living legend every year, they failed to get even one corporate institution to financially support the event.
“Had it been Michael Jackson coming to Ghana, the likes of Coca Cola and all the other big corporate institutions and multi-national companies would be fighting for an opportunity to sponsor the show, but because this is from Ghana we hate our own whiles hailing other people…Let’s learn one thing that nobody can come from the heavens to help us, we have to help ourselves…So if we see someone climbing a ladder lets help push that person up,” he said.
Touching on the controversy generated by his refusal to mount the stage at an event he was billed to perform as the main act in Kumasi last Christmas, DL explained that there were too many technical hitches hence his inability to perform. According to him, there was just one microphone available for his four backup singers which to him, was absolutely impossible.
“When the incident occurred that the show had been cancelled, Peace FM announced it, but the following week when the show came off and it was even bigger than expected, nothing on it was publicized by Peace FM…Kwasi Aboagye,(host of Peace FM’s “Entertainment Review” programme) discussed that particular issue on his radio program for several months….I said it in the first song I recorded that I, Kwadwo Fosu, I can never be ruined. If you help me I will climb upwards, nevertheless if you don’t support me I can never be destroyed,” DL concluded.
Known for his profane or sexually explicit connotations in his lyrics, DL will use the occasion to launch his 28th album titled “Ko Shi Po” (Meaning; Go And Burn The Sea). It is not too clear if the album title is directed at the media.
Unlike, the usual DL shows, the likes of Kwaw Kesse, K. K. Fosu, Kofi B, Kofi Nti, Rana, King David, Felix Owusu, Praye, Mzbel among others, will be performing some hits by the ace highlife musician, whiles he sits in the audience enjoying their performance. It will be amazing how the man himself will relate to this new initiative.
The crowning moment will be when Man of the night, Daddy Lumba aka “The Girl’s Prefect”, mounts the stage for his historic performance. The LAL is a musical concert organized by Imajin Advertising. This will be its maiden edition and the first to be honored is the legendary DL. He will later be presented with a plaque and other awards in recognition of his hard work, success and contribution to the entertainment industry in Ghana.
