Exclusive Interview With Adjetey "Pusher" Anang

Love him or hate him, Adjetey Anang is a household name. He launched himself into stardom with “Pusher”, a bad boy character role he played in the hit series ‘Things We Do For Love’ and has featured in films such as the Dutch production 'Slavery'.

His stage productions including August Wilson's 'Joe Turner's Come And Gone' and Eugene Ionesco's 'La Cantatrice Chauve'. Adjetey holds a Bachelor of Fine Arts from the School of Performing Arts, University of Ghana.

He is involved in youth programmes, through several TV series, focusing on reproductive health issues, parent-child relationships and peer pressure, to mention a few. Adjetey is also active in his local film industry. He is part of a production house, called Sparrow Productions, whose goal is to revive Ghana’s struggling film industry.

His current challenge is to gain further insight and proficiency from the Drama for Life Programme which will enable him to advance his creativity in the movie industry.

Ghanacelebrities.com caught up with the “bad boy” Pusher for an exclusive interview. Below is the exclusive interview with Pusher and he decided to share with his Fans some photos from his recent wedding(check below)...

GhanaCelebrities.com: Adjetey, Can you tell us a little about yourself?

Adjetey Anang: If I am allowed to be blunt…I hate answering this question! Who is Adjetey Anang… Hmm I think I’m just a normal guy, who has lots of love and passion for well scripted, well produced, well acted movies and believes in commitment, dedication, hard work and discipline in everything you find yourself doing. I’m currently studying for a Masters’ in Dramatic Arts at Wits University in Jo’Burg and I have bigger dreams I am yet to realize!

GhanaCelebrities.com: What have you been up to lately Pusher?

Adjetey Anang: Still catching my breath after an exhausting shoot of ‘A Sting in a Tale’ otherwise I have been fully immersed in academic demands.

GhanaCelebrities.com: How difficult has it been for you to let go of “Pusher”, ' the bad boy' character you played in “Things We Do For Love “.

Adjetey Anang: Lol.. Its not been difficult at all! I only put on the elements of ‘Pusher’ when I was on the ‘Things We Do for Love’ set. Since then, no other role has demanded a similar character. I do miss it sometimes though!

GhanaCelebrities.com: We heard you had a private and low key wedding why that option?

Adjetey Anang: I laughed when I saw this description in the news recently! Well, I did not want an uncontrollable crowd at my wedding, but it surely wasn’t “private and low key”! We had a church wedding and the reception was at a very popular events’ venue. We invited 300 people but we had over 500 in attendance!

GhanaCelebrities.com: You are married to Elorm, whom you met on set. How does it feel to be in the same profession with your wife? Do you sometimes feel jealous?

Adjetey Anang: Just to make a correction, Elom is not in the same profession. She did a few stage and screen productions while at Legon, but she hasn’t done any productions since then. I guess God brought her into acting so I could meet and marry her! But I remember a few episodes of “Sun City” in which she played “Khadija”. My, I did have a few jealous moments!

GhanaCelebrities.com: It was reported recently that, you said your wife manages you. What message were you putting across?

Adjetey Anang: Owing to her work, Elom is extensively involved in contract documentation and she also knows quite a bit about the movie industry so asked her to handle all my contracts including shooting scheduling, fees, and all details with respect to my work so that I can concentrate on my core business.

GhanaCelebrities.com: What has really changed about the Pusher we knew from your earlier production “Things We Do For Love”?

Adjetey Anang: Lol! Pusher is still Pusher..as far as the story potrayed. And Adjetey has remained Adjetey since the days of Pusher. Nothing has changed!

GhanaCelebrities.com: In the days of ‘Things We Do For Love’, people loved and referred to you as a bad boy, is this genuinely you or just a screen character?

Adjetey Anang: Lol…Well Pusher is just one of the many characters I have played since I started acting and I’m not sure if Pusher and Adjetey have anything in common at all! But I think I leave that for people to judge.

GhanaCelebrities.com: Recently, Glo, the sixth mobile company in the country unveiled their ambassadors, which includes Van Vicker, Nadia Buari, Jackie Appiah, etc.What is your opinion on celebrity endorsement.

Adjetey Anang:I have no qualms about that. It just speaks volumes of the fact that artistes are not just there to entertain, but also to add value to the growth of various sectors of the economy as well as contributing to the quality of life of our people. Associating popular faces with brands is not a new phenomenon and in fact it is probably one of the best ways by which a brand attains the solid patronage of the masses. Kudos to Glo.

GhanaCelebrities.com: how did you get into acting?

Adjetey Anang: Phew! Now that’s some history. Very briefly, I was invited by Wakefield Ackuaku, a good friend of mine, for a drama rehearsal with his group (Nyankunton Players) at GBC. The group was rehearsing a script for T.V Theatre on GBC (Now GTV). Fortunately (or unfortunately?) one of the male cast did not turn up that day and so the Director asked me to read the part to assist other cast members rehearse their lines, including Kwame Sefa Kayi. Subsequently, I went with Wakefield and this turned out to be a blessing in disguise as the gentleman I was standing in for failed to turn up for a long time. I ended up taking up the role which earned me my first major acting role. That was where it all begun.

GhanaCelebrities.com: Can you tell us your experience so far in the movie industry and your perception about the Ghanaian Movie Industry.

Adjetey Anang: I have been in a few productions with the Ghana Film Industry, I played a stand-in on the HBO production ‘Deadly Voyage’, had a very pivotal role in a Dutch movie called ‘Slavery’ and of course my recent works with Sparrow Productions: Life and Living It, The Perfect Picture and A Sting in a Tale. I have been very selective though (not the same as fussy!) but it’s all been in good faith. It’s been a very interesting learning experience and I think I am ready to launch out into the deep. My perception about the Ghanaian movie industry is captured in these words: Ready to rumble!

GhanaCelebrities.com: In a scale of 20, how would you rate Ghanaian movies now?

Adjetey Anang: Hmmm…I would have to make some comparisons with other movie industries but since you have not offered me any such options, I would rather say that we are beginning to re-experience through Ghanaian movies, qualities that back in the day had our neighboring countries look up to us as a yardstick in the industry. Soon, we will transcend that mark. So on a scale of 1 to 20; I’d say 15 and a half!

GhanaCelebrities.com: How are you coping with stardom?

Adjetey Anang: Lol… that word. With my experiences with the ‘Pusher’ character, I am still just myself. I do get so much attention and favours though, but I always feel humbled and relate to both young and old fans with respect.

GhanaCelebrities.com: Any awards yet?

Adjetey Anang: Yeah, An Arts Critique and Review Association of Ghana (ACRAG) Talent Award and a Ghana Union of Theatre Societies (GUTS) Best Actor Award...eyeing a few more though!

GhanaCelebrities.com:How did you meet Shirley Frimpong Manso of Sparrow Productions?

Adjetey Anang: She gave me a call then we arranged a meeting. Apparently she had been keeping up with me by watching my productions over the years. Until then, I only knew her voice on radio.

GhanaCelebrities.com: You played a role in “Life and Living It”, “Perfect Picture” and the latest one “A Sting In A Tale”, what was the casting process like?

Adjetey Anang: I can only speak for myself. I think with Shirley’s experience, she knows what she wants when she comes up with her characters. However I still go through the audition process for her to be certain on which character she believes I am best suited for. Of course there are exceptions where for example with ‘A Sting in a Tale’, as she indicated, she had developed the screenplay for the movie with me in mind.

GhanaCelebrities.com: Apart from Movies, are you working on any other projects or anything your fans should expect from you anytime soon?

Adjetey Anang: I do have a few personal projects in the pipeline, but not immediately, they are still at the conception stages. I’ve however been offered roles in a couple of movies whose scripts we are looking at currently. Besides that, I am still a student and have got my hands full with school projects.

GhanaCelebrities.com: There are a lot of young ones out there looking to go into acting, any message for such individuals and what do you want to tell your fans at large?

Adjetey Anang: I think I am an example that you got to pursue what you have a passion for, because that’s where your claim to fame lies. So I would encourage anyone who desires or is passionate about professional acting to give it their best shot.To my fans, I am always humbled and grateful for your warm comments and constructive criticisms. I believe that as Artistes, we all need your inputs for our development and improvement and that of the industry at large. I wish you all the best.

GhanaCelebrities.com: Thanks for your time.

Adjetey Anang: My pleasure.

Was 'Prophet' Kwaw Kese Right?

Glo Telecommunication Company is the sixth mobile company to enter Ghana's mobile telecommunications industry. In September of this year it unveiled 17 personalities in the entertainment industry as ambassadors to promote their brand.

A name which conspicuously missed the tall list was Kwaw Kese, the notoriously controversial performer. Looking at the kind of personalities on the list, one wonders why the Kwaw Kase, self titled ‘King of the Street’ was not included. Music pundits and people from all walks of life were surprised at his exclusion and questioned the reason for this decision. It is amazing that the ‘King of the Street’, who was nominated for and won the highest number of awards including the most coveted prize, Artiste of the Year, at the 9th annual Ghana Music Awards in 2008, was not considered for Glo’s promotional campaign.

To some people he was not included in this promotional campaign because of his behavior. The artiste, known for his controversial utterances and aggressive personality was strategically left out for reasons unknown to the public.

It has turned out Kwaw ‘Abodam’ Kesse, hip-life idol cum model, is justified for his negative comments regarding Glo and MTN endorsements. For him, the GH¢50,000 to GH¢100,000 his fellow artistes received from the endorsement deals is not enough to buy his car nor is it worth being tied to a three-year contract.

To further grasp Abodam’s outburst, imagine a high profile show this Christmas without Asem, Okyeame Kwame, Samini, Wutah, Ayigbe Edem, Tinny, Amakye Dede, Paapa Yankson, Kwabena Kwabena, Gyedu Blay Ambolley, Irene Logan, Pat Thomas, Reggie Rockstone, Sherifatu Gunus and Becca. Why? These artistes are restricted by their exclusivity contract for three or more years under the pretext of endorsement deals.

A show believed by many to have suffered to live up to its billings because of this exclusivity deals is JOY FM’s, ‘NITE with the STARS’. This annual show commenced nine years ago. ‘Nite with the Stars’ is geared towards the youths and offers local artistes the opportunity to grace the stage and showcase their talents. Special emphasis is given to upcoming artistes who have excelled in their career during the year. This year’s edition of the show can best be tag as “Nite with ‘few’ stars” because of the lack of artistes to make the show what it’s known for.

The probability exists that, three years from now, none of Glo’s ambassadors will be the featured artistes on weekly entertainment shows. Programs like TV3”s Music Music, TV Africa’s Sound Splash and annual shows like Star of the Future, Miss Malaika and Ghana’s Most Beautiful sponsored by MTN and Vodafone will have moved on the new stars and fresh faces.

Ghana Music Awards and Ghana Films Awards are two shows purported as a win for every artiste. The former is prestigious and the latter is being rejuvenated. None of the artistes under Glo Telecommunication Company ambassadorial contract will mount the stage during the roll call.

Christmas is almost here again and as usual there will be variety shows to mark this yuletide season. Music lovers and fans will expect their various stars to mount the stage to entertain them throughout this season and well into the New Year. The Glo contract may very well put a dent into the artistes’ ability to perform at shows that presents a conflict of interest. The above named artistes might not be only the biggest artistes in Ghana, but a show without them surely makes a difference in the quality of the entertainment.

The future really looks bleak as it stands out now. Major players must come together and communicate in the hope of helping this sad situation. Music fans can’t afford to pay exorbitant money to watch the same artistes perform at every show, because others are tied up.

By: Ebenezer Anangfio Jnr

Get Set, Its Accra Facebook Banku & Tilapia Party

When Ghanaians hear about something, they want to ‘really’ drain it or get to the very bottom of it; they have taken the name ‘FACEBOOK’ to a different level all together, the name is reigning now with the number of Ghanaians registering on the social network increasing daily.

My friends don’t be surprise to hear Ghana Facebookers Association, Face Book Pool Party, Facebook Addicted Party, Facebook Waakye Party, Facebook Donors Club and Facebook Jersey Party.

On Sunday, 22 November Two Thousand and Nine, from 10 am, yet another Face Book event is taking place dubbed “ACCRA FACEBOOK BANKU & TILAPIA PARTY” at the Dansoman Keep Fit Club.

There will be more banku and hot grilled tilapia to eat, more drinks to quench your thirst and get to meet the faces behind your wall posts, photo comments and status comments, and make new friends.

Facebookers will participate in *Pool, *Chess, *FIFA Challenge {Playstation3/2 & Xbox360}, *Draft, *Basketball competitions.

The show is sponsored by the Brown Uni4m Group and Adwise Multimedia. Also available for sale will be the SKILLIONS NEW GENERATION MIXTAPE.


RSVP:
Supamahn - 0246 384 375. Kay - 0244 940 686. Kwame - 0262 348 217.

Kokote! Newest Hip Life Duo

Hip life might be touted to be losing its focus and just when there has been hullabaloo as to if is dead or not, Kokote another hip life group has emerged. The group is the latest hip life rap duo to make entry into the hip life game. The name Kokote actually means Bush Pig or Wattock.

The rap duo is made up of two young men Emperor Amslin (Raymond Koranteng) and Ragoon (Emmanuel Bossman) both from the Eastern part of the country.

They were in different schools yet developed their musical talents as they used to entertain their respective colleagues on stage almost every time on entertainment time and that moment encouraged them to take music serious after completion of school.

Emperor Amslin had plans of becoming a great football and to don the national colours but realized his calling is singing so he shunned playing football. “As a young boy, football was a constant part of my daily life; and even though I enjoyed music a lot, I didn’t pay much attention to it until I started singing during the entertainment period in school. My singing improved so rapidly that the students couldn’t do without my performance during entertainment; and that gave me the reason to choose music over football”, he said.

“Like everyone else, I also had a role model. Musicians who inspired me include Buju Banton, CJ Lewis, Sizzla and Elephant man. Among these, Buju was my favourite and so I made him my role model and tried to imitate his voice style. Incidentally, some students called me ‘Yoggie’ (a Ghanaian raga artiste) because they thought we had similar styles.”

Facing the harsh reality of being disowned by his parents, if he chose music over education, Ragoon’s problem compounded but he never gave up.

“With them, it was either I choose to further my education or do anything else and am disowned. I didn't give up from there still, I started creating my own rhythms (beat) in the house because no one could satisfy me with the kind of rhythms I wanted any time I trip the studio. And also no one got my back in the music thing I was doing and for that no one was ever willing to support me money wise so I really had to do something for my self.. with all the dreams of becoming a top hitting artist in Ghana one day and at the same time setting up my recording studio”.

“I started making rhythms for my self in the house with a Pentium one PC, actually when I started at first a had a plan of creating beat for my own personal use but I later realized most of my friends were interested in my beats so I really had to commercialize it and do it for people too”

“I think I had my break through from this point because I was then making money for my self and doing more featuring in studios as well. I actually see my self as a beat maker and rap star even though there is more for me to learn, my dad later understood what I was doing and decided to let me further it, I continued by studying Multimedia in N.I.I.T in Accra and later furthered my sound engineering program in Fredyma Studios Inside Adabraka Accra and I even wish to further it more after making some more money”, he ended.

Kokote have a lot of stories to tell but it can all summarize to the normal hardship, new artistes face in this game being lack of producers, lack of funds to records demo, lack of opportunities and the fact that every producer wants to work with the already known artistes.

Not finding success in their previous engagements, Emperor Amslin and Ragoon believed in the saying “two heads are better than one” hence coming together to form this group and they are certainly going to take their place in the hip life game sooner or later.

The duo are gifted with real talents, they are currently in the studio recording their debut album, which is set to hit you like a time bomb. They aspire to work with different artistes both famous and ‘underground’.



By Ebenezer Anangfio Jnr.

Obrafour fires a warning shot.....Find sponsors and I will battle Okyeame Kwame

Over the past few weeks Obrafour's latest single track “Kasiebo” has been the highest subscribe Ghanaian music for the sheer controversy it has generated. The music has had everyone talking and thinking simultaneously. The track features Guru, a budding hip life artiste.

The controversy surrounding it's released can simply be described as overwhelming. It came at the right time perchance to the fans of Obrafour, who have waited for almost 4 years without hearing anything from their star.

Kaseibo has not been too long on the airwaves but it's threatening the very existence of other equally good music on the airwaves. Everywhere you go be it clubs, pubs, parties, funerals etc it's been played and to say it has hijacked the airwaves, will be an understatement, the lyrics is on the lips of every music lover.

Turn on the radio, switch on the television, browse the internet or even read or glance through the newspapers and you will get my drift, everyone is just talking about it. It has also become a topic for discussion during entertainment reviews and shows both on radio and on television.

Concurring with Kwame Sefa Kayi, host of Peace FM's morning show, Fiifi Banson and Kofi Okyere Darko (KOD), I feel the track is just a masterpiece and creativity at its peak.

Though the song makes no mention of any particular person(s), it is clear who the song is referring to. According to Obrafour, he got the concept from the God Almighty and not picking on anyone. He said his detractors thought he's done, jaded and out of the game but blamed his absence to a strange sickness. “The rumour around says I was done and out of the game, I thought I wouldn't be alive now, but I thank God'.

On why he refused the rap battle invitation on DJ Black's Open House Party from the reigning king of the Ghana Music Awards and the guy who calls himself 'the best rapper alive', a title Obrafour is not pleased about. “Am not afraid, am not running away from anyone”, Obrafour fires with a sound of caution.

The outwardly deformed and emotionally looking Obrafour said he is not aware of any rap battle with Okyeame Kwame at Joy FM, but so far as he is concerned he is not a dirty rapper and sees battling as childish. But on second thought he will only battle if the organizers of such battle can solicit for 20 sponsors and put 10,000 with that he is sure to battle since by then he will know he is battling for something. So Is rap Osofour broke?

Meanwhile, the initiator of the battle, Ghana's rap 'Doctor', Okyeame Kwame failed to grab any awards at this year's Channel O Music Video Awards even though he received three nominations with his 'Woso' video. He was nominated for; Most Gifted Hip Hop Video, Most Gifted West African and Most Young Gifted & African Award.

The originator of hip life Reggie Rockstone has publicly asked Okyeame Kwame to do a reply song to Obrafour's 'Kasiebo'. But it looks like the former will not heed to Reggie's advice as he believes doing so will dent his image, he said he's now matured enough, especially as a married man and a husband.

“I am not prepared to enter into a fight with Obrafour because I am moving on. I am now a father, a husband, MTN Brand Ambassador, Coca-Cola Brand Ambassador and Hepatitis B Ambassador. If I went to the studio to do the same thing he has done, I would be allowing my name to be dragged into disrepute, that is all he wants to achieve”, He told Graphic Showbiz.


By Ebenezer Anangfio Jnr.

Ayigbe Edem: A Rapper, A Philanthropist And A Thief?

...Ayigbe Edem & Confidence: Is this a broken relationship or missing / stolen phone?

Edem has really won my heart for his sheer smartness. He is yet to settle fully in the game and yet he is doing what the likes of Reggie Rockstones, Kojo Antwis and Daddy Lumbas could have done but have turned deaf ears to it.

From a rapper to a philanthropist and now to a thief? Oh God, have Mercy! Ayigbe Edem has seen and heard a lot.

A Rapper

We all wink when we hear a song done in our language, like I do when I hear a song from Shilo and Tinny. It is also trouble-free for an Akan rapper to rap or sing in the Ga language and vice versa but rapping in the Ewe language hasn’t been easy unless the rapper might have sojourned in Volta Region before.

In the backdrop, when Ewe rappers like Chicago and Agbeko of ototome fame proved to the whole world that they are jaded, with the latter, it seems he is a hit single artist. Ayigbe Edem came to the spot light to pick it up from where they left out and has managed to let the Voltarians wink once again.

Even though majority of Ghanaians do not speak his language, Ayigbe Edem has made the language more popular with his rap knack and has introduced more dances to accompany his songs.

A Philanthropist

In his earlier donations, he donated two Pentium 4 desktop computers with flat screen monitors, bags of rice, cerelacs, toilet rolls and other items which summed up to GHc3000 to the Mamobi Polyclinic. He also revealed that, this is something that will be happening periodically and whenever they spot any hospital, clinic or polyclinic in need, they will move there.

True to his promise, he recently donated an amount of GHc1,000 and a Dell flat screen computer, said to be around 750 Dollars to the Weija Leprosarium. This is something worth acknowledging but this pointless $14,000 phone accusation has surpassed what could be welcoming news to the ears of who those who wants to hear it. He has a charity organization, Volta Regime Foundation.

He said his priority is making people who need help get help. People do not have to be rich before they can donate and help the needy in society. This sends a clear message to the other musicians who want to have many albums before thinking about the less privileged in our society.

And A Thief

It was reported in the P&P newspaper that Ayigbe Edem is accused of stealing a mobile phone which is estimated at Fourteen thousand dollars belonging to the CEO of Aphrodisiac Night Club in Accra; Confidence Haugen.

What phone is worth that much? Talking about the price of the phone, I wondered if the first and the second richest men even own this kind of phone.

P&P gathered that Ayigbe Edem was accused of stealing the phone from Confidence’s car when the two in the company of others went to perform at the ‘Aboakye’ festival at Winneba in the Central region in May.

I am trying harder to grasp why Confidence came out with the alleged theft several months after the incidence. Is it because Ayigbe Edem left her or is she up to something? Behind every successful man there is a ‘wise’ woman says the old adage but there is also a woman behind every unsuccessful man. What is the brain behind this $14,000 phone accusation?

If there are two grown ups in a relationship and there is a problem, why can’t they solve it peacefully? What is Confidence Haugen up to? Is this a broken relationship or missing / stolen phone?

By Ebenezer Anangfio Jnr.

This is the show ‘Just Like You’

Reality Television in Ghana is about to be to take a windfall with the launch of a new show which is set to blow your mind. 13 contestants prepare to duke it out in the studios of TV Africa imitating the likes of social commentator Kwesi Pratt Jnr. Others will imitate musicians such as Abrantie Makye Dede, King Ayisoba, Daddy Lumba, politicians like Nana Akufo-Addo, former presidents Jerry John Rawlings and John Agyekum Kuffour, and comedians Bob ‘Bishop’ Okalla, Koofori.

The contestants will be in full gear every week to imitate each personality in every sense of the word. It’s going to be unique as it differs from the usual film or music themed reality shows that have saturated our screens of late.

The show titled “Just Like You,” is organized by F&B Entertainment and is full of laughter. It is tagged to be very educative and entertaining.

According to Mr. Yaw Osafo Djan, General Manager of F&B Entertainment in his interview with Graphic Showbiz, he said “Initially the projected number was 12 but we ended up with 13, a decision taken by the judges based on the exceptional performances by the contestants”.

This explains the hard work that has gone into the planning of the program which is set to hit TV Africa twice a week with a short code for viewers to vote for their favourite contestant.

The task shows will be prerecorded whereas the eviction shows will be live. The contestants are at liberty to do their acts in any language of their choice. If what happened on “Run Down” or what transpired during the audition is something to go by then the show is a must watch.

Stay glued to TV Africa and prepares to laugh and learn for the next 10 weeks. The moderator of the show will be Clement Bonney, known in showbiz circles as Mr. Beautiful and editor of Graphic Showbiz Nana Banyin Dadson, and actors Fred Amugi, Irene Opare will serve as judges. Viewers should expect to laugh their head off with Mr. Beautiful in the middle of affairs.

Reality shows Ghana in which viewer’s votes is the means of determining winners and losers has been plagued with fraud. Let’s hope and pray that this show will be an exception and there would be an equal playing field for all the contestants. No favouritism on the part of the judges this time around, please play it fair judges!


By Ebenezer Anangfio Jnr.