STAR WARS: ACCRA-TEMA BEEF?

INTRODUCTION:        

           What organizers of the annual NIGHT WITH THE STARS (Joy FM) show anticipated to be a blissful, engaging and exciting moment nearly turned grey following an ‘artistic miscalculation’ by one of the stars billed to perform.

        Many watchers, mostly on social media predicted, prior to the show a ‘bizarre’ night. Their predictions or fears was not about the show going ‘flat’ rather how the chosen theme, ‘’Accra Vs Tema’’ could be (mis) interpreted by a section of the populace and some of the artiste themselves.

       Though the organizers might have chosen the theme based purely on the growing popularity and competition (musically) between Accra and Tema based artistes, the fear of critics was somehow informed by the West Coast-East Coast senseless feud in the US hip hop scene, which ensured that 2pac and Biggie never lived to see their 30^th birthdays.

PERFORMANCE:

             The melee arose following Kwaw Kesse ‘outrageous’ performance. The Abodam Man came on stage along with 7 girls clad in bra and panties, with each letter of his record label MAD TIME inscribed on each on each one’s bum. He had a moniker heavyweight belt and the girls carried a banner with VIP embossed on it.  

                                

Photo by Afroholic.com (Kwaw's Girls showing their bum lettering to the crowd)

            The provocation was not much about the VIP banner which he put on the floor but he stepping on it. His performance was thrilling and remarkable. The audience, who up to that point were feeling bored, had to stand on their chairs to catch a glimpse of him. He virtually brought ‘heat’ to the DOME. (kwaw pix)

photo by afroholic.com    Kwaw Kese fixing his belt on

        Then came VIP who minced no words in pronouncing their disgust at Kwaw’s behaviour. For them, his antics were scandalous and contemptuous to them, their teeming fans, the show and the genre.

        Their performance felt short of what they are known for, which many attributed to the ‘disrespectful’ actions of Kwaw Kesse. (pix VIP)

        Things came to a head backstage when the entourage of VIP attacked Kwaw Kesse and his team. Sources backstage speak of bottle throwing and ‘near brawls’ moment. Thankfully, the allegation of gun pulling or touting by the crew of the artistes was discredited.

                                           VIP (L-R) Lazzy, Promzy, Prodigal felt 'disrespected'.

PULL OUTS:

        Two of the artistes billed to ‘shake’ the DOME refused to perform. Their reason, as unprofessional as it was, was to show solidarity or loyalty to their friend and Tema-mate, Kwaw Kesse. It was unprofessional in the sense that they- R2Bees and Sarkodie- should have respected their contractual terms with the show organizers (JOY FM) and more importantly the attendees who bought those tickets to come and watch them.

      Despite those ‘hitches’ the show proceeded with Samini shutting it down. His performance, as it is been said saved the show.

  

      In my view, this fracas could have been avoided if the show had been scripted or each performance or stage discussed. Kwaw Kesse could have gone on to do what he did. VIP could have countered that by for instance pulling on stage someone in the make of Kwaw, put him on a table and mimic a smacking for that ‘disrespectful’ act of his.

APOLOGY:

         The ‘instigator’ of this whole sour episode Kwaw Kesse was on Joy FM apologizing to VIP, the fans and attendees. In his view, his ‘dramatization’ was an attempt to add excitement to the show and not to demean VIP.

         He went further to tweet ‘so far about #5ive threats in two days but I’m a soldier of #Peace. With the fans of @VIPpple understand that it was a stage battle not war’.

 

                                          Apology tweet from Kwaw Kese

CONCLUSION:

          VIP should in the name of peace and for the sake of the music industry accept Kwaw Kesse’s apology and rein in their ‘boys’. If they need a unqualified apology, Kwaw can be asked to issue a statement. This should ‘kill off’ any bad blood between the two camps.

         Beef in itself is not bad. It enhances competition between those involved. It makes them sharp lyrically-punch lines, metaphors, story line, intelligence etc- and research well.

        But with the cruel end of Tupac and Biggie and how things came to a head between Ex-Doe and Chicago, it should not be encouraged.

       

         Despite all these fracas or heckling that marred the show to a degree, there exist no BEEF between Accra and Tema artistes. A one-off case should not be stretched to that extent.