Ghanaian ‘rap god,’ M.anifest, has contributed to the making of a credit song for ‘Forever Tree,’ a groundbreaking Black historical fantasy short film.
The film which stars Wendell Pierce and Olivia Washington premiered last week at the Bentonville Film Festival, an annual film festival helmed by Academy Award and Golden Globe-winning actress Geena Davis in Arkansas, USA.
M.anifest’s song on ‘Forever Tree’ features American Singer/Songwriter Polly A with production contributions by now frequent collaborator Drvmroll.
They team up with screenwriter, novelist, and former television correspondent Chrishaunda Lee Perez, who co-wrote the film, along with Marc Novak, who recently penned the Billy Crudup-starring film, 1 Mile to You and social critic and Forever Tree story creator Stephen Hintz, executive producer of Alison Eastwood’s sophomore film, Battlecreek. Alrick Brown, an award-winning director and Filmmaker Magazine’s new “25 Faces to Watch” directed the film, which also includes actresses Natalie Carter and Rae C. Wright. Stephen Hintz, Dena Greenbaum and Chrishaunda Lee Perez serve as co-producers of the film.
The dramatic short story takes place in 1919, with a wide cast of historical characters such as the hair and beauty American icon Madame C.J. Walker, and other notable black leaders of the era. The short film production serves as a first act to a feature- length film of the same name, which encapsulates a remarkable and intriguing journey throughout America, Jamaica, and Ghana, and examines the universal struggle of power and familial love.
Early critics have praised the film for its unique level of innovation with combining magic, imagination, and drama, weaving true historical figures and accounts during the span of the story.
Former NBA star Ronnie Brewer serves as an executive producer along with the Bentonville Film Festival, and award-winning, popular Ghanaian rapper and songwriter M.anifest wrote the film’s original credit song, Forever Tree.
On his Facebook page on 10th May, 2017, M.anifest shared snippet of the credits song:
Born Kwame Ametepee Tsikata to renowned Ghanaian lawyer Tsatsu Tsikata, M.anifest released his first solo album, ‘Manifestations,’ in 2007 funded by royalties he received from lending his voice to a Pepsi jingle that played nationally on U.S radio.
Having released a couple of groundbreaking albums, he’s won many spurs in his field and is currently Vodafone Ghana Music Awards Best Rapper of the Year.
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By: Kwame Dadzie/citifmonline.com/Ghana