Ghanaian emcee M.anifest has been representing from the US for nearly a decade now. In the past 2 years his tracks have started to make waves, among others through African hip hop radio where ‘Africa represent’ was one of our favorite user uploads since we started the radio site in 2005. We spoke to M.anifest over the internet about his current album ‘Manifestations’ which has just dropped through Jakarta records in Germany and he sheds some light on an exciting collabo called African Rebel Movement.
What happened between the time you uploaded your first track to African hip hop radio (’Africa represent’) and the time you released your album abroad?
I had a lot of life situations to deal with, including sorting out my visa. I went back home to Ghana for a couple of months and came back to Minneapolis, focused and ready to move on with my debut. I got fortunate and did a radio jingle for Pepsi which was their main song on their website for about a year. The royalties helped me move on with the project independently and later partner with a European distribution label.
Now it seems people often describe or perceive you as an African emcee; and unlike some other emcees you have never hidden your background or upbringing. Do you find a label as ‘Ghanaian artist’ or ‘African hip hop artist’ obstructing your development as an artist, or are you happy in presenting yourself as different from emcees that were born in the States?
I was born and raised in Ghana, came to the US in 2001, before the chaos of nine eleven, and been here for about 8 years now. I was a Ghanaian before the artist in me manifested, so I’m very comfortable being associated with my origins. I understand the concerns with being labeled and boxed in, but my story, my history, plays an enormous role in the skill, energy and narratives I express in the music. A big part of hip-hop is representing for you and yours. If Biggie did it for NYC, KRS put the South Bronx on the tip of the tongue of kids who hadn’t even even stepped foot at JFK airport, then I barely find a reason to hide my origins. It’s not just hollow pride in Africa or Ghana, its a real feeling of telling our stories to the world. Representing.
Who have been your influences on both lyrical/vocal and musical sides?
On the lyrical side, I’m influenced a lot by life as seen from the Ghanaian and African point of view. I’m quite indulgent in current events and I muse over everything from Obama mania to Mugabe. On the musical side, I have a plethora of influences. A lot of old music especially since me and my producers go diggin, from Jimmy Cliff to Nas to Fela, to Hugh Masekela, and even as current as K’naan.
Talking about digging, we have seen some compilations uncovering obscure 1970s Ghanaian funk and Afrobeat and soul, yet it’s been mostly western producers sampling them, like Madlib used a track from Ghana Soundz pt2. Have you been inspired to dig in ghana and sample from there?
Also I remember Reggie Rockstone’s producer used to sample local stuff but hiplife seems less on the sampling grooves tip. Havent really heard any other Ghanaian artists sampling local records. Man, I’ve been up on a lot of those compilations. Reggie (who I’ve recorded with for his upcoming record) started diggin into the old Ghanaian music early. I have done some songs, unreleased, which had samples from old Ghanaian records, but I don’t know if I should be giving up any names.
Rab the International used to write for our site but last I heard he had moved back to Brooklyn.
Yeah, Rab is that dude. I met up with him in New York, he was very complimentary about the album and has put a lot of people up on it. A true pioneer.
Can you explain a bit about the way this album came together?
The album was a two year process, even though it didn’t take me much time to record songs. In the first year I had over 80 songs recorded. I recorded two songs in Ghana, “Swing low” and “E.Z does it” which were produced by two of my producer friends in Ghana. I have a production team called 4shades - thats equivalent to my band. That’s Willie Mitchell for Al Green or the Funk Brothers for Marvin, or Egypt 80 for Fela. All the work I engage in with other producers filled in the gaps for the most part.
I see you have released your album on different labels right? Germany/USA/Ghana? Is it out yet in Ghana?
It’s out in Ghana, but I don’t have official business partnerships moving it right now there… I’m about to make it happen this year. The music is for the people. If it’s good, I’m flattered by any way folks wanna get it, steal it, whatever. It shows how much they want it.
You have been working with Wanlov. How did that link-up come about?
I’ve done tracks with both Wanlov and Krukid (Rawkus). Wanlov and I have a lot of mutual friends. We made a song before we ever met in person… the energy and vibes we were projecting were well in sync. I have a big project with Krukid called A.R.M (African Rebel Movement) coming out this year - it’s the first time I’m speaking publicly about it.
Ok! is that a theme album?
Yes chale. We’ve recorded some great songs for it so far. It’s looking like a monumental piece. We’ll definitely be featuring other people, especially some major African emcees. We’ll definitely be reaching out to the likes of K’naan.
And your second album “Coming to America” - any idea when that should become available?
Man, heaven only knows. It’s shaping up well. But there’s no said date. There are a lot of possibilities on the business tip I have to explore first. But lots of music will be coming out before that. A.R.M is a separate project, dropping before Coming to America. That one will definitely be in by the fall.
You, Reggie and Wanlov kinda stand out in that many young Ghanaian artists have taken the hiplife route. Is that really a different world for you, since your music is much closer to the esthetics of hip hop?
It’s funny, but hip-life begun as just a label for Ghanaian hip-hop. It’s evolved as it should. But I think we have more to offer, so I respect being a part or product of the 90’s hip-life movement. Once its good music I’m all for it.
Does hip hop have a place in Ghana as a popular genre or do you feel that the music industry and the media force it underground?
I think its a fatal strategy to rely on the media or business folk to support a movement like hip hop anywhere in Ghana, I think. Artists that are dope and can make hip hop that is relevant culturally, can band together and make moves independently. People will jump on it once they see it being successful. That’s the way of business and media.
Do you think artists should be more self supportive in distributing, marketing etc?
Well, they say bosses talk to bosses and monkeys play by their sizes. If one can’t stand on their own, it becomes a very imbalanced power relations with artists and distributors, etc. So it’s a good thing to do shows, build an audience, and committed following with little resources. The time will always come where partnerships with big distributors is essential… but the world won’t wait, and we shouldn’t either.
Has the internet played an important role in your recent achievements?
Definitely. Thats a yes with exclamation. New avenues, more ways of connecting directly with many people worldwide.
And do you think online sales can become a good part of an artist income? Or should music be freely downloadable with concert income & airplay royalties being the bulk of an artists income?
Well, thats a complex question. I think we oughta be able to adapt to the times. if a 100 million people download my music for free and a 100.000 buy it, I’d be good. Unless of course I’m on a label that needs me to sell a million before breaking even. So then there is the portion of cutting out the middle men. Radiohead and Prince have done that, but that’s cause they have name recognition. One has to overstand every individual artists situation before making a good judgement call on that.
What else do you want to share with the Africanhiphop.com community?
I’ll just say hope folks tune in to www.myspace.com/manifestations. Buy, download, or whatever you can afford to “Manifestations” and look out for my “Coming to America” sophomore opus. Sincerely yours, m dot - always representing Africa with a spectacular street vernacular. Blessings.
