Yo, yo, yo, it’s been a while! But I’ve been crazy tired, crazy jetlagged, crazy overwhelmed and just generally crazy. So now that I’m in college, I can say with certainty that my summer is officially over. So I thought I’d do a recap of the highlights. I was lazy about this in 2015 and 2014. As a matter of fact, there is still a highlight from 2014 that I haven’t posted yet because quite frankly, I’m horrible.
So, in no particular order, here goes.
ALL 3 TRIPLE TREAT TUESDAYS!
If you didn’t know (for which you should be ashamed), my record label, Vision Inspired Music, released 3 songs each month for May, June and July. Bangers included. My own spoken word song included. So I’m going to list them all out and if you didn’t manage to catch these tunes when they came out, this is your chance.
- FRA! – Dumsor
- FRA!- Happy Yourself
- Tronomie – Breaking Bars (Guys, I co-wrote this!)
- Akotowaa – IWITP ft. Meffstone (This is mine!)
- Adomaa – #Y3nkor
- Reynolds (TheGentleMan) – This Morning
- Robin-Huws – See Her Again
- Omari – Give Thanks
- Robin-Huws – A Fading Dream
ZOHRA OPOKU’S SASSA EXHIBITION
I honestly think this was by far the funnest day of my entire summer. I went out with cool people! @EDWVN, @TrueCoaster, @_Owiredua_, @Chelsea_AO. And Kobby Graham, @S_Tage and @TheDzfa made guest appearances.
I loved the exhibition so much! The artworks were amazing, and there was a particularly creepy projection in the corner of the wall. But the explanations for the collections made everything like 10 times cooler.
I didn’t know who Zohra Opoku was before the exhibition but now I’m super happy that I do!
https://www.instagram.com/p/BGoOvj8TKg6/?taken-by=akotowaa
MAAME SIRIBOE’S BRUNCH
Maame is an ex-classmate. I thought the local-dish brunch she had was really cool, and particularly useful for me because I knew it would probably be a long time before I saw my ex-classmates again. Maybe never again. I also hadn’t seen them in a while because I kind of boycotted just about all pre-graduation events because I couldn’t freaking be bothered. But now I have some pictures to serve as memories. (Cue running joke about how I Wasn’t In The Pictures but then I was.)
THE METANOIA LISTENING SESSION, LAUNCH AND CONCERT
Do you know who Cina Soul is? No? Well, go and find out, la!
Well, this summer, she released an EP called Metanoia, and it means something along the lines of a transformative growth. Believe me, I did not know this word until she used it as her title, and yes, for you trolls, there are words I don’t know.
She had a listening session, which I went to, where a small number of people debated on the pre-mastered and mixed tracks, then the launch, which was a slight performance of part of each song, at Kristal in Osu.
Then there was the big concert at Alliance Francaise, which was a success despite slight technical hitches. LOL. And yes…I was in another picture.
ADOMAA FAN CONNECT
This was the last fun thing I did before I left the country. It was cool. On Adomeezy’s birthday, she premiered her new music video, 3 Years From 30 (3YF30 – and yes, are you wondering, like me, if VI Music is going to make this distin a trend? Like IWITP, 3YF30?)
I was on an emotional low the whole day so I was clinging extra-obnoxiously to Tronomie, and some photographers captured that. But also, Meffstone was there, and she did the singing again and Tronomie did his signature “Oh-oh”, without which I can barely stand the song, LOL. Once again, cue joke about how IWITP but then I was.
Also, GO AND BUY ADOMAA MERCHANDISE AND ALSO BUY THE VISION INSPIRED MIXTAPE BECAUSE THERE’S COOL STUFF ON IT! Hit @OfficialVIMusic up on any social media platform to order, because it would make me happy and you’ll enjoy it, please and thank you!
https://www.instagram.com/p/BJYkMHqjF5T/?taken-by=officialvimusic
CORNFIELDS IN ACCRA EXHIBITION
I went for this with Souza (Ghana’s best graphic designer, please and thank you), and Ekko (Ghana’s best CEO/personal manager, please and thank you).
Honestly, there was some pretty weird stuff around… But then there was also really cool stuff. Especially the huge paintings done with engine oil! I forgot his full name but I think there’s a Jonathan somewhere in there.
https://www.instagram.com/p/BGxMgONTKjp/?taken-by=akotowaa
ODUNSI’S #TOOL LISTENING SESSION
I tweeted this already but Odunsi is my new crushhhh! I basically didn’t know who he was until I saw his production credits for the previously mentioned Cina Soul’s song, Julor. And I liked that. But then I heard his whole EP, Time Of Our Lives, AKA “TOOL”, and I met him in person and I think he’s a really fantastic person in reality. I followed him on Twitter and I think that is one of the best decisions I have ever made because his passion is so visible and just energizes me whenever I see his tweets.
https://www.instagram.com/p/BHDd_SGjR5I/?taken-by=akotowaa
GHANA BLOGGING AWARDS 2016
For those of you who didn’t know, I was nominated for Best Blogger (again) for the Ghana Blogging Awards in 2016. I don’t know who nominated me but thank you! I didn’t publicize it because I knew how it was going to go. Every time Ameyaw Debrah is in this category, you know how it’s going to go. I think you know how it went. (Duh, I didn’t win.) That said, I’m not even sure whether I even qualify for the category of best blogger in the whole Ghana, so I keep getting confused about how I keep getting shortlisted even. But attending the ceremony (for free because of this reason) is fun and so I’m not complaining…much.
I went with Adomeezy! And Cina Soul performed. Also, Poetra Asantewa and 100% really killed it with their poem about Social Media for Dummies. I love them so much! Watching them perform makes me happy. And inspired.
threesixtyGh ANNIVERSARY &WRITER’S CHALLENGE
This really cool organization called threesixtyGh (you should follow them) turned 2 this year! And they invited me to perform, so I kind of opened the ceremony with two spoken word pieces. I don’t feel like telling which ones they were. But one of them is on Youtube, so maybe you want to conduct a search for “Akotowaa” now? Yes? No? Okay.
But in addition to the celebration of its birthday, it also launched its second writer’s challenge which I ended up semi-judging, or “reading” for. At the end of it all, I attended the awards ceremony, and I must say, the top three finalists, and especially the winner, @Akyempo‘s writing greatly impressed me. All three stories are on the 360GH website now. I suggest you read them. Especially this one.
LET’S WRITE THE FUTURE, BY POETIC JUSTICE SOCIETY
A spoken word group/collective called Poetic Justice Society, seemingly spearheaded by one of my crushes, Gospel, launched their latest project called Let’s Write The Future. I love the intention of the theme, which is to combat prejudices and stereotypes. I can’t wait to see where they take them. I performed here too, and that was fun. The downside, I believe, was that the program started abysmally late. Unfortunately, I don’t think I have any pictures of this one. (Cue running joke about how IWITP) This is particularly unfortunate because I was wearing this bomb sweater-dress from @Afro_Volf. 😦 And now I don’t have pictures of me performing in it.
GOING ON THE WRITER’S PROJECT OF GHANA
Nana Yaw Sarpong had been pressurizing me to go on for a while. And I wasn’t minding him. LOL. In the end, it really wasn’t him I gave into, but @TrueCoaster. I went on the show one Sunday with her and @amoafoa_. It was fun. I think what people enjoyed most was our discussion about the dynamics between pidgin and “proper” English. Probably even more than the poems and stories we read. But y3 b3 fa no saa.
https://www.instagram.com/p/BIkOQCYjQks/?taken-by=akotowaa
POETRA AND CHILL
Attention! In case you didn’t know, I am entirely in awe of Poetra Asantewa and I think she’s a superhero and #goals and I want to be like her when I grow up. Or…like…now. I wouldn’t mind being (like) her now.
Poetra and Chill was particularly cool because she performed with a live band (Musical Lunatics), did lots of throwbacks, and original things and just made me happy with her hybrid combinations of music and poetry. She’s such a versatile performer and all-round woman and chale…it was great. As with every show, there were some technical difficulties and such, but it was such a great experience.
Highkey, I want to get to that point where she’s at, where you have your own solo show, and so many people show up that the small room you had is overpacked. That was impressive. 🙂
1 ON 1 WITH 100%
You people won’t mind me when I talk, but I honestly believe that 100% is the best spoken word performer Accra has ever seen. And somehow he’s also the most underrated. It’s confusing because he’s won the Ehalakasa grand slam twice and I feel like so many people should know his name by now but you people are lazy in your stalking. (And maybe he needs to up his social media marketing game as well but…) Guys, when he releases his spoken word album, which he is currently preparing, I will hype the ish out of that ish.
Yeah, so he had a solo show, which I believe far more people should have attended, but it was good nonetheless. And I performed! I did a poem which you can also find a live performance of on Youtube if you search my name, and I did a rendition of IWITP (I’ve mentioned IWITP so many times in this blog post) with my bestie, Tronomieeeeee!
https://www.instagram.com/p/BIQBzfpDPdl/?taken-by=akotowaa
RAINMAKERS POETRY NITES, JUNE, JULY AND AUGUST
I love Rainmakers! Their open mic sessions happen the first Saturday of every month but because of school, I can usually only attend a handful of them. But I went for all three months that I could. In June, the atmosphere was pretty calm, and I did a lot of experimentation, performing things that I’d never performed before in front of crowds.
In July, OMG. I met this fantastic girl called Boham. She made my life. So she watched Anti-Indoctrination on Youtube and she said she was so inspired that she wrote a response spoken word to it. And I tell you, the response is better than my poem. I think she should be more famous than me. It was insanely cool! I can’t wait for everyone to hear it, if/when it gets publicly released. We went to a recording studio a few weeks ago, and it’s been done with TheGentleMan producing live, and it’s on the Vision Inspired Mixtape, so that’s more reason for you to order that ish as indicated in some above paragraph. Anyway so Boham came for Rainmakers and we did both our poems, mine and her response.
Also, Meffstone and Tronomie came so we all did IWITP together and honestly? Tronomie’s “Oh-oh!” freaking stole the night.
I didn’t perform in August, but Nana Kwame read a poem dedicated to me and I was like awwwwwwww! ❤ Dude, if you’re reading this, I love you!
CLASS DRIVE RADIO INTERVIEW WITH ROBIN-HUWS & REYNOLDS ‘THEGENTLEMAN’
My first official radio interview, yaaaay! I was nervous but I think it went well. 🙂 We were interviewed by Prince Benjamin on Class 91.3 FM and he was a pretty cool radio host. They played all of our Triple Treat Tuesday songs for that month. This Morning, A Fading Dream, and of course, IWITP.
I feel like I’d be a better radio host than guest but whatever, right?
https://www.instagram.com/p/BHo_gGSjE2T/?taken-by=akotowaa
WOMAN UP CONFERENCE
I couldn’t possibly be more impressed by the proactive teenagers, @Xo_Adwoa_ and Abena Danquah, both younger than me but apparently more driven with more clearly defined life goals than me. What, me, jealous? Where? Pshhht. *breaks down inside*
They organized this entire conference, and the guest speaker/resource person was @KinnaReads, a brilliantly unapologetic woman and reader I greatly admire. It was very interactive, we had a wonderful discussion and I think stuff like that should be more common. I was surprised about how often the issue of the term “feminist” being viewed in a negative light came up, but whatever, man. You either deal with it or you don’t – it’s your own wahala.
So yeah. My summer 2016 was pretty lit, right? I know. 🙂
-Akotowaa
The Spider Kid's Blog 
🙊🙈🙈
You’re more amazing lol
I enjoyed your summer too 😁
I saw you so many times!
Well I stalk you so that’s good!
Akotowaa, you can really ball oo. thanks for Adomaa’s video. Saved me a trip to youtube.
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