Kwaw Kese - Hottest on the block

With the release of two albums and two singles, the Abodam chemistry seems to be working well for Kwaw Kese, who has become a household name on the Ghanaian hiplife scene.

Everywhere - in the streets, markets, offices and at events - Kwaw’s ‘abodam’ slogan attracts attention. Now, the slogan has almost replaced the Nigerian axiom “tofiakwa”.

The singer wants to get more influential personalities to accept the slogan as well his music. Recently he was captured on the front page of a weekly entertainment journal, demonstrating his ‘abodam’ with Ghana’s TV star Maame Dokono.

Latest to join the ‘craze’ was the managing editor of DAILY GUIDE, Mrs. Gina Blay, when the singer visited her outfit; the two took a snapshot demonstrating ‘abodam’. Kwaw’s visit attracted the usual craze as some of the staff chanted “abodam, abodam”.

Later the artiste told Beatwaves in an interview that ‘abodam’ was a marketing strategy to win more fans as well as sell his music.


“Abodam as you keep saying is something that is catchy.

It is something that easily catches the lips of people and it is a household name in Ghana now. So I simply make myself ‘abodam’ to reach out to my fans out there,” he indicated.

Kwaw believes that currently he is biggest on the hiplife scene, saying “I know now most Ghanaians who patronise hiplife music patronise Abodam”, because, according to him, his music is played in every corner of the country including schools.

Kwaw Kese, who is known in real life as Emmanuel Botchway, said he admires Batman Samini, 2007 Artiste of the Year, but his greatest artiste is Okomfuor Kwadee.

He was born in the 80’s at Agona Swedru in the Central Region to Mr. and Mrs. Botchway.

He had his Junior Secondary School (JSS) education at Happy Home J.S.S and then went to Winneba Secondary School for his secondary education. He has not had tertiary education yet, but said he hopes to further one day.

He began exhibiting his music talent from secondary school, where he used to sing and rap to friends. He mentioned that he was inspired by his father who was then with the Winneba Youth Choir.

He came onto the hiplife scene when he first featured on Obrafuor’s “Oye Nonsense” track. When Hammer’s “Sounds of our time” was released, his voice was heard on the album, “Ma Tewo Kwakwa.”

This track made an impact and became the favourite of most music lovers, thus shooting him to fame. Soon after, he released his debut “Na Ya Tal” in 2005, which was a big hit.

The rhythm and lyrics made the album one with a difference. He later released “Odeim” this year.