One would think that being a musician, radio presenter, producer and actor should have been enough and probably too much for one person to shoulder but not Okyeame Quophi, who has added music video directing and movie scoring to his portfolio.
“I like to keep busy and doing these things which I enjoy keeps me very occupied so I am happy with it and for those who think it is too much to handle I have everything under control”, he said.
Okyeame Quophi is best known as part of the highly successful but now defunct hiplife duo Akyeame who during their prime churned out hit songs such as "Mesan Aba", "Obi Yere Ye Obi Mpena" and "Menko Meda".
At the time they released their debut album in 1998, Quophi made his first foray into radio working with Luv FM in Kumasi. He stayed with Luv for three years before he left the country but was poached by Fox FM on his return and now he hosts their drive programme, Rush Hour, one of the hottest programmes on the station and in Kumasi.
He worked together with Stacy of Music Music fame (Manager of his Emklan Entertainment Group) in directing music videos for artistes like Prophet Seth Frimpong, Obrafuor, Slim Busterr and Jael Wiafe. He has also worked as a producer with Frank Mensah Pozo on his first solo album and is currently producing two new artistes, Ramsey and Kapusta.
Although his acting career is on hold for now, he might be recognised for his roles in movies like Shadows from the Past and Ripples 2. His latest venture is movie scoring, which involves providing appropriate sound tracks to films, one of which was for the movies, My Mother’s Heart 1 & 2.
Well, almost a year since their split, he is finally out with his solo effort titled Quophi Losophy. According to him this album encompasses all of his musical experiences. “It is my whole musical philosophy pumped into one album. Everything you hear is a reflection of what I know as a musician”.
Quophi Losophy is a 14 CD, 10 cassette album and is a mixture of hip hop and highlife. According to Quophi he decided to introduce hip hop on the album because “research I conducted confirmed that although Ghanaians love hip hop, there is a virgin market for it because nobody has been daring enough to try it”.
One of the songs that really stands out and is bound to be the favourite of many is “Kolo” whose rhythm and beat Quophi borrows from a popular R&B tune. Even with the use of funny lyrics, the song provides some food for thought.
On this song Quophi advises people to change with the times otherwise they would be seen as “Kolo” which in local parlance means old fashioned.
He says that the days when we used to wear clothes with no designer label, wear political suits with ties and trousers ironed with lines in front are all over. He also advises the German burgher “to stop wearing those pimpinis, red belts and red shoes he usually wears when he comes home”.
"Enyi Mi Mma" is a beautiful song that features Michael Dwamena whose voice gives the song a lot of richness. Although it has all the traits of a highlife song in terms of rhythm, Okyeame Quophi’s rap ensures that it maintains it’s hiplife roots.
Quophi pleads with the love of his life not to betray the love he has for her because she is everything to him. A combination of flowery language and a good chorus sends his message across perfectly.
"Aware Boni" has perfect instrumentation and a good chorus. This song leans heavily towards hip hop and features Oye who enhances the song with her bit. On it Okyeame Quophi takes on the persona of a brother admonishing his sister for not listening to his advice not to marry her husband as she laments to him about everything wrong with her marriage.
"Shake That Thing" featuring Root I is in English and is typical hip hop. This is bound to a be a big hit in the nightclubs because of the rhythm. Okyeame Quophi’s fluency in the Queens language is very evident as he does the rap faultlessly.
Of course there is that slang that most of these guys cannot get away from but his message comes out clearly. Root I contributes his quota with his dancehall style enhancing the song.
Other impressive songs that can be heard are "Krokyea" featuring Nana Wusu, Odo Ye De and Peng Peng. With this album, Okyeame Quophi might just prove to the doubting Thomases that he still has got what it takes to make it to the top as a solo artiste.
One would think that being a musician, radio presenter, producer and actor should have been enough and probably too much for one person to shoulder but not Okyeame Quophi, who has added music video directing and movie scoring to his portfolio.
“I like to keep busy and doing these things which I enjoy keeps me very occupied so I am happy with it and for those who think it is too much to handle I have everything under control”, he said.
Okyeame Quophi is best known as part of the highly successful but now defunct hiplife duo Akyeame who during their prime churned out hit songs such as "Mesan Aba", "Obi Yere Ye Obi Mpena" and "Menko Meda".
At the time they released their debut album in 1998, Quophi made his first foray into radio working with Luv FM in Kumasi. He stayed with Luv for three years before he left the country but was poached by Fox FM on his return and now he hosts their drive programme, Rush Hour, one of the hottest programmes on the station and in Kumasi.
He worked together with Stacy of Music Music fame (Manager of his Emklan Entertainment Group) in directing music videos for artistes like Prophet Seth Frimpong, Obrafuor, Slim Busterr and Jael Wiafe. He has also worked as a producer with Frank Mensah Pozo on his first solo album and is currently producing two new artistes, Ramsey and Kapusta.
Although his acting career is on hold for now, he might be recognised for his roles in movies like Shadows from the Past and Ripples 2. His latest venture is movie scoring, which involves providing appropriate sound tracks to films, one of which was for the movies, My Mother’s Heart 1 & 2.
Well, almost a year since their split, he is finally out with his solo effort titled Quophi Losophy. According to him this album encompasses all of his musical experiences. “It is my whole musical philosophy pumped into one album. Everything you hear is a reflection of what I know as a musician”.
Quophi Losophy is a 14 CD, 10 cassette album and is a mixture of hip hop and highlife. According to Quophi he decided to introduce hip hop on the album because “research I conducted confirmed that although Ghanaians love hip hop, there is a virgin market for it because nobody has been daring enough to try it”.
One of the songs that really stands out and is bound to be the favourite of many is “Kolo” whose rhythm and beat Quophi borrows from a popular R&B tune. Even with the use of funny lyrics, the song provides some food for thought.
On this song Quophi advises people to change with the times otherwise they would be seen as “Kolo” which in local parlance means old fashioned.
He says that the days when we used to wear clothes with no designer label, wear political suits with ties and trousers ironed with lines in front are all over. He also advises the German burgher “to stop wearing those pimpinis, red belts and red shoes he usually wears when he comes home”.
"Enyi Mi Mma" is a beautiful song that features Michael Dwamena whose voice gives the song a lot of richness. Although it has all the traits of a highlife song in terms of rhythm, Okyeame Quophi’s rap ensures that it maintains it’s hiplife roots.
Quophi pleads with the love of his life not to betray the love he has for her because she is everything to him. A combination of flowery language and a good chorus sends his message across perfectly.
"Aware Boni" has perfect instrumentation and a good chorus. This song leans heavily towards hip hop and features Oye who enhances the song with her bit. On it Okyeame Quophi takes on the persona of a brother admonishing his sister for not listening to his advice not to marry her husband as she laments to him about everything wrong with her marriage.
"Shake That Thing" featuring Root I is in English and is typical hip hop. This is bound to a be a big hit in the nightclubs because of the rhythm. Okyeame Quophi’s fluency in the Queens language is very evident as he does the rap faultlessly.
Of course there is that slang that most of these guys cannot get away from but his message comes out clearly. Root I contributes his quota with his dancehall style enhancing the song.
Other impressive songs that can be heard are "Krokyea" featuring Nana Wusu, Odo Ye De and Peng Peng. With this album, Okyeame Quophi might just prove to the doubting Thomases that he still has got what it takes to make it to the top as a solo artiste.
