Following the success of the audio release, the rapper went ahead to release an awesome video which also trended for days on Twitter. The Someway Bi video has been watched over thirty three thousand (33000) times on YouTube.

According to M.anifest, his success is because he does songs that people can relate to. He also explains that his success is also due to the fact that his team has effectively used social media to market his brand and music.

“Social media has played an important role in my career and in the dissemination of my music so far. If you do music that is not trendy or non-traditional, you have to also use a non-traditional or non-trendy way to promote it,” he said, in an interview on Citi Trendz.

He explained further that “social media is not dependent on PAYOLA, it’s not dependent on whether you have connections or not, it’s dependent on whether people like your stuff and how you are at mobilizing the people who are online. So for me it’s always played a role because it cuts out the middle man and I’m able to go directly to the people.”

 Video: M.anifest – Someway Bi

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By: Kojo Akoto Boateng/citifmonline.com/Ghana

The post Social Media is not dependent on Payola – M.anifest appeared first on Citi 97.3 FM - Relevant Radio. Always.

Stone, the elder of the award-winning Hiplife group says his decision to go solo on The Gifted is borne out of a need for him to express himself and give music lovers a hundred percent appreciation of his talent.

“The Gifted album is about giving all of me. When you are in a group like I am, you get to deliver half way – like my brother would do a verse and I do another. But when you do a solo album, you get to do all. You choose to sing a chorus, a hook, put in your verses and skill and you get to go all out,” he told Citifmonline.

“When you get to do a solo album, it’s easier, you get to pour yourself out full time. I feel I’ve been gifted with a lot of things like singing, rapping, metaphors, punchlines and a whole lot of things. Apart from that I do reggae, dancehall, afropop and I can attack any genre of music and still fit in right. I feel all these are gifts I have been given to share with my fans, that is why I’ve decided to release a solo album titled The Gifted,” he added.

Stone explained that working with Kuntakinte is fun but unable to give 100% when they work together since his brother would have to add on to what he does. However, he’s assured fans that his solo project would not affect the Bradez in any way and that they are working on their next album as a duo titled Conquer The World.

“Together with my brother I’m able to do a part of me but not the whole me. I can say that I usually do 80%. One thing people must know is that Bradez is not just a musical group, Bradez is family, it’s a lifelong thing. Like R2Bees, you might see Paedae or Mugeez but deep down it’s a movement. Bradez is like Black Eyed Peas where Will.I.Am can do a solo project one year and do a group project the following year. Same with Outkast where Andre3000 does solo stuff one moment and does a group thing the other. It is a solo project within the same camp,” he explained.

Video: Bradez – Conquer the world ft. Jai Amore

Stone’s upcoming solo album has about eighteen songs recorded. He plans to release them strategically to make the right impact in the industry. The first two in a series of five singles will be released on August 1 and the rest released on the first of the following months till they are all released.

The album features Kuntakinte, Stay Jay, M.anifest, Episode, Reggie Rockstone, Cabum, Okyeame Kwame, Dampoo, Lil Shaker, Ryan (Vodafone Icons) and has producers like Magnom, Garzy, Mike Mills, Peewezel, Ray (of Cash 2 and Ray) and other world class producers.

According to Stone, fans should “expect versatility, the best flows pregnant with proper punchlines and sensible songs. My aim is to bring joy and motivation to the world so I expect fans to be happy when they listen to my album and at the same time be motivated by it.”

Stone, born Kwaku Nsiah-Boamah, released a special freestyle eulogizing missing musician Castro on his birthday, Sunday July 13 2014.

Video: Stone – Birthday Castro Freestyle

By: Kojo Akoto Boateng/citifmonline.com/Ghana

The post Bradez’s Stone set to release solo album appeared first on Citi 97.3 FM - Relevant Radio. Always.

M.anifest enters the last leg of his European sojourn and is preparing to rock the Days Off festival in Paris Wednesday evening. The rapper joined the Damon Albarn tour in Poznan, Poland and has since graced the stage in Berlin, Hamburg, Werchter festival in Belgium, Lyon and Normandy in France.

After his performance in Paris, he will head to the city of Gaudi, and Spain’s second largest city Barcelona to play the Cruilla festival. From there he will head to Serbia before winding down with a few dates in Italy and a stop at the Jazz festival in idyllic Montreux, Switzerland.

The Montreux Jazz festival is one of the biggest music festivals in the World, often visited by musical great Quincy Jones.

Check out a few pictures of M.anifest on tour below.

By: Mawuli Tsikata/citifmonline.com/Ghana

The post M.anifest shines on Damon Albarn tour appeared first on Citi 97.3 FM - Relevant Radio. Always.

M.anifest enters the last leg of his European sojourn and is preparing to rock the Days Off festival in Paris Wednesday evening. The rapper joined the Damon Albarn tour in Poznan, Poland and has since graced the stage in Berlin, Hamburg, Werchter festival in Belgium, Lyon and Normandy in France.

After his performance in Paris, he will head to the city of Gaudi, and Spain’s second largest city Barcelona to play the Cruilla festival. From there he will head to Serbia before winding down with a few dates in Italy and a stop at the Jazz festival in idyllic Montreux, Switzerland.

The Montreux Jazz festival is one of the biggest music festivals in the World, often visited by musical great Quincy Jones.

Check out a few pictures of M.anifest on tour below.

By: Mawuli Tsikata/citifmonline.com/Ghana

The post M.anifest shines on Damon Albarn tour appeared first on Citi 97.3 FM - Relevant Radio. Always.

Former Black Stars captain Stephen Appiah, actresses Lydia Forson, Nikki Samonas and Jasmine Baroudi, Africa’s Top Model Contestant Roselyn Ashkar, Jayso and C Real were among the stars who attended.

Flanked by fans who were chosen through a fan competition on social media fueled by Power Play, a new energy drink the teeming fans (#powerplayers) were treated to a performance by 2013 Rapper of the Year, M.anifest.

Rapper/Producer Jayso joined him on stage to perform their track, Balotelli.

M.anifest was nominated for four awards at the just ended 2014 VGMAs and was unfortunate to miss out this year.

The party was a first of its kind pre-awards party thrown by an artist and was organized by TTD Media and supported by Power Play, Grey Goose and Buddha Events.

Watch out for highlights on Studio 53’s coverage of the Ghana Music Awards this weekend.

By: Mawuli Tsikata/citifmonline.com

The post M.anifest hosts power players at pre-award party appeared first on Citi 97.3 FM - Relevant Radio. Always.

Thoughts on being original and not living an imitation

Nasreddin is a well-known folk character in the Middle East and Central Asia. One of my favorite Nasreddin stories is the one in which four boys (t)asked him to share a bagful of walnuts amongst them.

As the story goes when Nasreddin was approached by the boy she asked whether they wanted him to share the bagful of walnuts  “God’s way” or “mortal’s way.”  They opted for God’s way and he proceeded to share the walnuts unequally amongst them: one boy got two handfuls, the second got a single handful, the third got a mere two walnuts and the fourth received none at all.

The boys responded in indignation and disbelief which prompted Nasreddin to explain:”Well, this is God’s way. He gives some people a lot, some people a little and nothing to others. If you had asked for mortal’s way I would have given the same amount to everybody.”

I’m tempted to tell this story anytime (and this happens often) I’m asked by Ghanaian journalists: “of all the things you could have been why a rapper?” We’ve all been blessed with many different gifts, unequally. Yours might be walnuts, hers might be velvet tamarind (yoryee), and his might be aluguintugui.

That said I pity the man with lots of guava but hell bent on only making mango juice because he’s been taught to value it more than all other juices. What makes being a musician/rapper such an incredulous choice to be made with someone who could have possibly been something else?

During one of my post-midnight in Accra soliloquies – I struck gold. I understood it all better finally.

There seems to be a prevailing myth in Ghana that anyone capable of excellence should only vie to be part of a select few professions. This is a terrifying fallacy. What we need is people of excellence in all parts of our ecosystem. Creatives, educators, entrepreneurs, carpenters, waakye sellers, drivers, etc.

To find your calling in life and to commit to it relentlessly will always triumph over being average in a line of work you chose solely for social status or under social expectations.

Born original, why live an imitation.

The prospect of an uncertain future is terrifying to most of us. So far I don’t know anyone yet who can eavesdrop on the future. All we can do is make choices. Will we choose to believe that since our childhood friend Kwasi started a successful photography business we will try to mimic him or will we be inspired enough to find our strengths and use them to our advantage?

The boy who didn’t get any walnuts should have probably just thanked Nasreddin. He might have been allergic to nuts anyway.

Source: M.anifest/enewsgh.com/Ghana

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