VERSES FOR THE MASSES and NO TURNING BACK FROM HERE
Creative Package of Two Books and a Digital EP Captures the Heartbeat of the Pursuit of an
American Dream in New York
“...with an intensity channeled from the very waters of the Atlantic that quietly roared beneath the sound
of our voices, [Osekre] would stand and deliver truths molded in rhyme, asking questions the answers
had long forgotten and challenging us all to think again about the idea of Africa herself...From the
streets of Accra we have come to the streets of New York. Like so many immigrants before, we arrive
with humble pockets and proud hearts. But in Osekre I see that humility and pride wrapped around a
most beautiful treasure moving amidst us, that remains undiscovered by those who have yet to peer
inside.” – from Derrick Ashong’s introduction to Verses for the Masses
“Whether in small bursts, or in longer rhythmic riffs, Osekre’s verses somehow manage to enthrall. I
think it’s the onrush of crashing contrasts, relieved in time to leave you with (mostly) soothing
conclusions. As hinted, he shows and shares pain but also forgiveness.” – Corinne E. Kirchner, Ph.D.,
Institute for Social & Economic Research and Policy, Columbia University
NEW YORK, NY (July 2010) – Osekre calls himself, "a Lucky Bastard." Having watched Eddie Murphy's
"Coming to America" back-to-back for a week as his orientation to the U.S., Osekre arrived in New York
City during an economic downturn with $30-and-change to study as a sociology major at Columbia
University. What Osekre didn't know upon his arrival during a January blizzard was that he didn't have
any financial aid, his scholarship wasn't going to cover his tuition, he didn't have housing – and the jacket
he had on him was best suited for the spring! His new books and EP are rare insights into the mind and
heart of an African student who refused to turn back despite the odds stacked against his dream to
receive an Ivy League education at a time when many others’ dreams were canned and shelved away in
the depths of the basements of human ambitions.
Osekre is not the typical African graduate of an Ivy League college. Boarding tuition and fees required for
his final year at Precec, a boys' high school in Accra, Ghana, were approximately $200, yet Osekre
graduated in debt. He had no connections with ambassadors or high government officials at home or
abroad. "But I too am Africa's future," he insisted. Through a series of accidents and good fortunes
(which only happen to Lucky Bastards like Osekre), he found himself at the Kokrobitey Institute, an
American educational organization started by Renée Neblett, an artist and former teacher at the Milton
Academy and Wheelock College in Boston.
During the program where Osekre served both as an office administrator and program organizer/
producer, he came across scholars like Cornell West and Rev. Al Sharpton, serving as their translator
during their visit to the chief and elders of the village of Kokrobitey. Through his interaction with students
and scholars, he also found mentors who introduced him to ideas and opportunities that could facilitate
his obvious academic and intellectual search, including Derrick Ashong, musician, activist, and now host
of “The Derrick Ashong Experience” on Oprah Radio, award-winning art director/ designer/illustrator,
Michael Freimuth, and the Pigmans, a hippie family from the Midwest who came to Africa after years of
working with Rotary International. Through Kokrobitey, Osekre found inspiration to apply to college –
along with sponsors for his SAT registration, college application fees, college essay editors – and friends
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he could visit during holidays in college. Osekre fundraised his way through his four- and-a-half-year
study in Columbia University, collecting donations and knocking on the doors of friends and newly
formed families through all nine semesters.
During one of his visits to the Pigmans in Indiana, Osekre found the guitar, and fell in love with it. Indiana
served not only as haven from New York during school holidays, but as a space where he could collect
his thoughts and find his voice before reflecting his ideas on paper. After several years of trying, he
finally succeeded in recording his current EP, "No turning back from here" with former band members.
The nine tracks are a combination of guitar, piano, and drums, yielding an acoustic pop with African
hooks. Osekre's lyrics are both refreshing and inspiring. His message is universal and his sense of
fraternity precedes him. His delivery reminds you of a tempo you wanted to hear. The root of Osekre's
music and poetry evokes memories of Osibisa, Lauryn Hill, K'naan, and sometimes, Bob Marley.
"Verses for the Masses 1/2" consist of poems written over the entire four years in college, with the
second book written in his final year. Lines like, "There are many fishes in the sea, but not all fishes are
edible" reflect on his struggle to hold onto long distance relationships despite their difficulties. "May I
Please Speak?" the sub-title of his second book, is a reflection of the inner conflicts and struggles of a
young man rooted in African culture but whose wings are finding expression in a western setting.
The official launch of the books and a digital EP took place with a capacity crowd on June 20, 2010, at
the Nuyorican Poets' Café in New York City. Osekre is slated to perform at the Second Annual Ghana
Parade and Festival on Saturday, August 21, 2010, at Crotona Park in the Bronx, New York.
Osekre has performed and shared his poetry and music at Harvard, MIT, Yale, Princeton, Columbia, and
Cornell Universities. Some of his other readings include a performance at the Annual Helen Keller
international benefit, which raised close to $900,0000 dollars to help the blind and visually impaired
around the world. He has volunteered with Afropop.org, and also competed at the world-famous Apollo
theater, reached the quarter finals phase of the poetry slam competitions at the Nuyorican Poets Café,
and has been featured on the "Wake Up Call" of WBAI, listener-supported “free speech radio” in New
York City.
"Verses for the Masses 1/2" and "No Turning Back from Here” are available on Amazon and i-tunes. The
tracks can be previewed on i-tunes and Osekre's myspace page: www.myspace.com/osekremusic.
