The Musicians Union of Ghana (MUSIGA) says it is working on announcing minimum wage standards for the music industry. To this end, MUSIGA will engage with the various stakeholders in the music industry to arrive at the minimum wage standards.  The Union is also working on an insurance and pension plan for its members. These were some of the issues considered at the annual retreat organized by MUSIGA for its national executives and directors.

The President of MUSIGA, Bice Osei Kuffour tasked the newly appointed Directors to work assiduously to ensure that the interests and needs of the various genres and departments they represent are adequately catered for over the four year term of the National Executive Committee.

The meeting reviewed the annual plan of the Union which covers the entire operations of the Union from the national to regional levels as well as the functioning of the various Directors of the genres and departments.

Present at the retreat were the 1^st and 2^nd Vice Presidents Bessa Simons and Rev. Dr. Thomas Yawson; National Organizer, Chizzy Wailer; National Treasurer, Samuel Agyeman and National Welfare Officer, Benedict Kolan. Directors present were Talent Discovery and Development Director, AppiahDanquah aka Appietus; Highlife Director, Smart Nkansah; Reggae Director, KwabenaOfeiNyarko aka Root I; Gospel Director and assistant, Rev Dr Mary Ghansah and Dan Agyin Goldman and the Director of Traditional Music and his assistant Emmanuel and DelaBoutri.

Also present were the Special Projects and Communications Director, AhumaBOscoOcansey and the Administrator, Rev Fiifi Khan Agyarkwah.

Source: kasapafmonline.com

Many knew him by his official stage name Quata but others call him Ghana’s twister. In case you are one of the persons who had the perception that Quata Budukusu is done with his musical career because he went on hibernation for some time then, you have to read this piece.

In a live radio interview with Sammy Flex during the Friday’s edition of the am Pluzz show on Pluzz 89.9 FM, Quata accepted the fact that he was lost from the scene saying “yes I went on hibernation for almost six years but truth be told it is always good because as a musician it makes you follow the dynamisms in the game so you don’t fall behind”. Lamenting on the inception of the tongue twisting style of rap in Ghana, Quata told the host, Sammy Flex,

“I am the originator of tongue twisting in Ghana and nobody can beat the speed at which I can tongue twist. Everybody, both the youth and the old folks, will attest to this fact. But to be honest, I am very happy seeing other rappers doing what I introduced. Obviously the intention wasn’t to keep it to myself but to channel it to others, meanwhile I must stress on the fact that, I am not in competition with anybody because an originator is different from emulators”.

According to the baby hit maker, with the help of his management, Bakus Entertainment headed by Mr. Ernest Annoh-Dompreh - founder & C.E.O., and Mr. Tengol - his personal manager, and also based on the kind of hard work from the camp, he believes Ghana, Africa and the world at large should expect nothing but the best from him and his management as they are preparing to climax his come back with a concert and an album launch.

To prove the seriousness in his comeback, Budukusu is already out with four singles; “Wind N Go low” and “One Life to Live” produced by Diaz Qlasik, Pum Pum Shots produced by Vegas Ace, and finally, “Ohia” produced by King Joe. Expect nothing but the best from Quata and his team as he is back to stay in the game and to take his rightful place.

Enjoy his new tunes below:

https://soundcloud.com/bakusgrp

https://soundcloud.com/bakusgrp/wind-n-go-low

https://soundcloud.com/bakusgrp/quata-budukusu-one-life-to-live

https://soundcloud.com/bakusgrp/quata-pum-pum-shots

https://soundcloud.com/bakusgrp/ohia

Bakus Radio

The partner of an ex-EastEnders actress who was found dead with her two sons in a London garden, has told a Ghanaian court he will return to the UK.

Arthur Simpson-Kent, 48, appeared at an extradition hearing in Accra.

He said he voluntarily submitted and would have returned to the UK previously had he not been arrested.

He left the UK on 19 December following the deaths of his former partner Ms Blake, 43, and their two young sons, Zachary, eight, and four year-old Amon.

Zachary, eight, and four-year-old Amon were last seen on 13 December with their mother

During the hearing he told the court he had not travelled to Ghana to run away and was not fleeing justice.

He was arrested at a Ghanaian beach resort on 9 January.

Ms Blake, who had motor neurone disease, and her sons died from neck and head injuries, post-mortem tests found.

She played Frankie Pierre in 56 episodes of EastEnders between 1996 and 1997.

The Metropolitan Police launched a murder investigation after Ms Blake, who was last seen in public on 13 December, was found buried in the garden of the family home in Erith, with the two children, on 5 January.

The Met has been criticised over delays in its investigation which the police watchdog, the Independent Police Complaints Commission, is investigating.

Source: bbc.com

Even before the nomination list of the Vodafone Ghana Music Awards (VGMA) is announced, highlife artiste, Bisa Kdei, has revealed his fans believe he deserves the Artiste of the Year award at this year’s event.

According to the Azonto Ghost hitmaker, he shares the views of his huge following on social media who believe he deserves to take home Artiste of the Year, because he worked hard in the year under review.

“I agree with what my fans are saying because I really worked last year. I can confidently say that I am the only artiste who had two great songs blazing at the same time. Mansa and Brother Brother are testimonies of my hard work ” he told Showbiz.

When it was pointed out to him that he could not be the only artiste whose works ruled the airwaves in the year under review, Bisa Kdei said “yes, the likes of Stonebwoy, R2Bees, E.L Shatta Wale, did very well last year, but I stand tall among them all’’.

Asked if he would be disappointed if he does not emerge Artiste of the Year 2015, Bisa said he would not be disappointed at all because he has been able to make a huge impact with his two songs—Mansa and Brother Brother.

“Having both the young and old loving my songs is beyond expectation, and that alone is an award to me. I know that I really worked hard last year, but I will be very cool with whoever wins the ultimate award at the VGMA” he said.

Touching on his plans for this year, Bisa, who is also known for songs such as Metanfo, Odo Carpenter, Give It To Baba and Over, said Ghanaians will be taken by storm with what he has in store this year.

“I don’t want to give too much away but I have loads of surprises for my fans. I have featured great artistes on my album which I intend to release at the end of the year, and I know Ghanaians will love it” he said.

Source: Daily Graphic

The American rapper best known as Mos Def has been ordered to leave South Africa within 14 days after being arrested for breaking immigration laws.

Mos Def, now known as Yasiin Bey, was held at Cape Town International Airport on Thursday after trying to leave the country with unrecognised papers.

The Department of Home Affairs said the 42-year-old produced what he called a "world passport".

It said the singer had overstayed his tourist visa, obtained in 2013.

Born Dante Smith in New York, Mr Bey is now banned from South Africa for five years, but has been allowed to appeal. He had been living in Cape Town since May 2013, South African media said.

"Further investigation into the matter revealed that Mr Smith's wife, mother and four children had overstayed and were sojourning in the country illegally," a statement by the Department of Home Affairs said.

As well as being nominated for six Grammy Awards, he has appeared in a number of films, including The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy, Be Kind Rewind and The Italian Job.

Source: bbc.com

Barely a week after he released his first single in 2016, "One Life to Live", Quata is out again with another mind blowing and dope song. He calls it “Take U Home” which features the best rapper in Africa, Sarkodie. The tune is made up of fast paced rap and tongue twisting that Ghana has never experienced. It comes with some heavy weight flows and extreme twists making it very unique in today’s modern showbiz.

Singer, songwriter and rapper Quata Budukusu is a maverick in the hip-life music world. He defies any easy pigeonholing where rap music in Ghana is concerned.

By turns, Quata sings a witty song about modern life of a man trying to “con” a lady with added melody on the guitar which reaches deep for a soulful expression of values in a troubled girl’s world. Sarkodie tops it all off with a great rap verse, all skillfully blended into a seamless flow.

Design for Take U Home

One female fan who listened to this tune produced by Ragoon Beatz before its release said, “It is a song that hits you right between the eyes and the added melody on the guitar alone produces a soulful expression of soothingness.”

It is not just a wealth of musical styles, but the blend of his smooth and expressive voice that makes Quata such a fine artiste who was missed during his absence in Ghana music. His songs, which range from thoughtful to trivial, with poetic expression show that he knows his way around the Ghanaian culture just as well as his mastery of music engineering and what his fans and Ghanaians want.

Sit back, download, listen, enjoy and share with family and friends. Don’t forget to let them know Quata Budukusu, the only tongue twister in Ghana, is back with great tunes.

Quata ft Sarkodie - Take U Home https://soundcloud.com/bakusgrp/quata-ft-sarkodie-take-u-home

Below are links to other songs announcing his comeback:

Quata - One life to live

Quata - Pum Pum Shots

Quata - Ohia

Quata - Wind N Go Low

By: www.bakusradio.com, USA

The partner of a former EastEnders actress who was murdered alongside her two young sons has been arrested in Ghana.

Arthur Simpson-Kent, 48, was detained earlier, two days after the Ghanaian police began their hunt for him.

The bodies of Sian Blake, 43, Zachary, eight, and Amon, four, were discovered in the garden of their London home on Tuesday.

The family had been reported missing on 16 December.

The Met Police said it had been "made aware of an arrest in Ghana" and was "working alongside the Ghanaian authorities but is not in a position to discuss further at this time".

BBC correspondent Alastair Leithead, who is in Ghana, said Mr Simpson-Kent was arrested in a coastal area popular with tourists.

"Around 10 police officers went down to the beach where he was spotted hiding amongst some rocks and the police, who were all armed, called out to him," he said.

Mr Simpson-Kent, the children's father, arrived in Ghana on 19 December, with the country's police force becoming involved in the hunt for him on Thursday.

Ghanaian Police had initially been sent to the Cape Coast in the south of the country - where the extended Simpson family is from - as well as to other parts of the Atlantic shoreline.

Ms Blake and the couple's sons had not been not seen at their south-east London home since 13 December and a missing persons inquiry launched on 16 December, after the NSPCC had raised concerns about their welfare.

Timeline

• 13 December: Sian Blake is last seen in Waltham Forest, east London, with her sons Zachary, eight, and Amon, four.
• 16 December: Police visit her home in Erith and speak to Mr Simpson-Kent. This is the last time he is seen.
• 3 January: Miss Blake's car is found in Bethnal Green, east London
• 5 January: Bodies found at her home in Erith, south east London
• 6 January: Police announce Mr Simpson-Kent is thought to have travelled to Ghana
• 8 January: Sian Blake and her two sons are confirmed dead

The Met Police spoke to Mr Simpson-Kent on 16 December, but that was the last time he was seen.

A subsequent search of the family home in Erith, south east London, on 5 January uncovered three bodies in the garden.

The actress and her two sons had died from neck and head injuries, post-mortem tests revealed.

Ms Blake's sister Ava Blake spoke last week about how she believed the actress had wanted to leave her boyfriend.

She said: "It's my nephews more than anything. My brother is angry. My cousins are angry.

"They are angry about Sian, but the boys have devastated us. We have lost a generation. We can never replace them."

She said her sister had been "a lot more quiet" over the past year and had asked to move back home.

"In our opinion the relationship had already come to an end but she hadn't quite made that break or that decision to leave Arthur," she said.

Ms Blake, who had motor neurone disease, had played Frankie Pierre in 56 episodes of EastEnders between 1996 and 1997.

The Met has been criticised over delays in its investigation and is being investigated by the police watchdog, the Independent Police Complaints Commission.

Source: bbc.com

Justin Bieber has pulled off another chart coup by occupying the number one, two and three spots with his songs - a feat never accomplished before.

The Canadian singer remains in pole position in this week's singles chart with Love Yourself and also stays put at two with Sorry.

Bieber's former number one track What Do You Mean?, meanwhile, climbs one place to three.

In the album chart, Adele's 25 is number one for a seventh straight week.

Her third solo record again triumphed over Elvis Presley's If I Can Dream, her closest rival, on what would have been the legendary singer's 81st birthday.

The ubiquitous Bieber sits one place behind them with Purpose, just ahead of Jess Glynne's I Cry When I Laugh at four and James Bay's Chaos and the Calm at five.

A campaign to send Motorhead's Ace of Spades into the Top 40 following the death of lead singer Ian 'Lemmy' Kilmister sees the track re-enter the singles chart at 13.

The song's previous highest position came when it was first released in 1980, when it reached 15th place.

Further down the chart, at number 33, Craig David scores his first top 40 hit in eight years with When the Bassline Drops.

Source: bbc.com

Three bodies found in the garden of former actress Sian Blake are those of the former EastEnders star and her two children, police have confirmed.

The remains of Sian Blake, 43, and her children Zachary Bilal Kent-Blake, eight, and Amon Ben George Kent-Blake, four, were found at the family's south-east London home on 6 January.

A police spokesperson said they had died from "head and neck injuries".

Ms Blake's partner is being sought by police over the deaths.

However, the BBC understands Arthur Simpson-Kent, 48, left the UK and may be in Ghana.

Sian Blake and the couple's sons had not been seen since 13 December. They were reported missing three days later.

Police said a missing persons' investigation had been launched on 16 December after officers attended the family's home in Erith.

This was undertaken following information from the children's charity, the NSPCC, over concerns about Ms Blake's health, police said.

Profile of former EastEnders actress

Sian Blake was born in East London in 1972 - but she adopted the stage name Syan Blake when she became an actress.

She was an East Ender born and bred. Born in Walthamstow, Blake grew up in Leyton and Walthamstow and remained living in the area all her life, even following her success in EastEnders.

She was the youngest of three children in a large close-knit family. Her parents divorced when she was six and her Jamaican father died suddenly of a heart attack when she was 18, which she said was a period of immense heartache for her whole family.

"In the space of about 18 months, someone in my family died every month. My uncle had already died by then, to be followed by other uncles, aunties and cousins," she told the Daily Mirror in 1997.

Then her uncle in Jamaica was murdered by a robber in his shop. "Mum has been through a lot of suffering in her life - each death would be a blow to her health," she said.

Blake discovered she had a talent for acting at primary school.

"I used to round up the kids in the playground and get them to put on adaptations of musicals," she told the paper.

She appeared in local plays and had acting classes from the age of 11 and went on to study acting for three years at Guilford School of Acting.

Soon after college she landed a role in a Christmas special of Casualty.

"I was playing a young bulimic girl. It was a very big role. I was treated like a star. After that I just knew I had to make it on TV," she said.

Her time on EastEnders

In the run-up to landing her role in EastEnders she worked as a telephone receptionist for a doctor's emergency phone line.

She went to audition for a small role as a nurse on the soap as part of a plotline involving Kathy Mitchell's baby and a meningitis scare. But she was asked to audition for another role as a soul singer.

Despite saying she didn't think she could sing well she performed for the shows producers and won the part, playing the role of soul singer Frankie Pierre for 56 episodes between 1996 and 1997.

The actress said when she walked on to the set of EastEnders for the first time and "saw all those famous faces, I was terrified".

The role of Frankie was a home wrecker - she seduced happily married Alan Jackson, only to dump him when he left his wife Carol for him. She then seduced gay character Tony Hills, who had a boyfriend at the time.

Blake revealed to the Daily Mirror she received hate mail and even a death threat while on the soap.

"One woman wrote to me telling me that her marriage had almost been ruined when someone like Frankie went after her husband," she said.

"It was a really vicious letter, she threatened to kill me and warned me to watch out. It was very frightening.

"She started the letter: 'Dear Syan, stay away from Alan,' which worried me because she was obviously deluded and thought that I really am Frankie."

Other credits

Blake appeared in Casualty for a second time in 2003.

She also appeared in The Bill, The Last Detective, Whose Baby is it Anyway, Doctors and played an interpreter in the 2009 series of Skins.

And she had roles in the films The Death of Klinghoffer (2003) and Siberia (1998).

Her theatre work included productions of Joe Guy, The Walworth Farce, After Mrs Rochester, 100, Love's Labours Lost, The Three Birds, Twelfth Night and Tamagotchi Heaven.

Blake also directed several plays, including Oxford Street at the Soho Theatre and The Burial at the Almeida.

Her last credited work was voice acting in the video game Final Fantasy XIV: Heavensward, as the character Yugiri in 2015.

Life outside acting

Blake was a registered TSLI: Trainee Sign Language Interpreter.

She used her sign language skills in a 2007 episode of The Last Detective starring Peter Davison.

She was diagnosed with the progressive neurological illness Motor Neurone Disease, and was said to have been "very frail" at the time of her disappearance.

Source: bbc.com

Bill Cosby's wife will not have to give evidence on Wednesday in a defamation case filed by seven women accusing the comedian of sexual assault.

Last week a judge rejected Camille Cosby's attempts to avoid testifying, after she claimed she was protected by a marital disqualification law.

But on Tuesday, he agreed to a postponement, saying it would be unfair to deny her the right to appeal.

However, if the appeal fails, a hearing should happen soon after, he added.

A lawyer for the women said he expected to eventually be allowed to question Mrs Cosby, who has been married to the comedian for more than 50 years is also his business partner.

Mr Cosby's accusers' legal claim alleges he and his representatives sought to tarnish their reputations after they went public with their claims of sexual misconduct.

The star has filed a counter legal claim, contending the women are "engaged in a campaign to assassinate" his reputation and character.

The 78-year-old is also seeking unspecified monetary damages and said the women inflicted emotional distress.

He has denied the accusations.

Last week, prosecutors in Pennsylvania charged the comedian with an alleged sexual assault in 2004. It is the first time Mr Cosby has been charged with any offence after months of accusations by dozens of women.

He is currently on $1m (£675,000) bail.

Source: bbc.com

When it comes to tongue twisting rap, rapper Quata cannot be forgotten since he has been crowned as the best in that arena. For some years now, Quata has been silent in the music industry but he is back with a great song.

For 2016 and beyond, the rapper known in real life as Jacob Kwame Etroo has released “One Life To Live” which shows his rap dexterity. Before Quata Budukusu  released this new one “One Life to Live”, he gave his fans “Ohia“, “Pum Pum Shots” and “Wind n Go low” in 2015 when he made a major comeback into the industry.

Quata is currently signed to Bakus Entertainment, after six years break from active music. Over hundred songs recorded for his new release comes in all genres. It is the most versatile masterpiece yet to hit the world.

In Twi, English and Jamaican Patois, Quata brings words to life with his rhymes, rhythms, melodies and tongue twisting rap skill and deep composition, the one word for Quata is MUSIC

Download and listen to Quata’s 2016 newly released “One Life To Live” below:

http://bit.ly/1mvLnV7

Source: zionfelix.com

US singer Chris Brown is being investigated by Las Vegas police over an allegation of battery.

Officers were contacted at 10:30 local time (18:30 GMT) on Saturday about the alleged incident at the Palms Casino resort, according to Lt Jeff Goodwin.

A police statement said an altercation took place in a room when a woman went to take a picture of Brown and was struck by him before he took her phone.

His publicist Nicole Perna called the woman’s charges “unequivocally untrue”.

Police officers were unable to speak to Brown at his hotel room as he had left before they arrived.

They said a crime report has been taken, listing Brown for for misdemeanour theft and misdemeanour battery.

Ms Perna said the woman’s allegations were “a complete fabrication”.

Grammy winner Brown, whose hits include Run It! and Kiss Kiss, had performed on Friday at a Las Vegas nightclub where he appears regularly.

Source: bbc.com

Bill Cosby's defence lawyer has called the sexual assault charges brought against the comedian "politically motivated".

Monique Pressley told ABC's Good Morning America that the prosecutor in the case is not seeking justice, but making good on a campaign promise.

Over 50 women have accused Mr Cosby of plying them with drugs and alcohol and then sexually assaulting them.

On Wednesday, he was charged criminally for the first time in Pennsylvania.

Mr Cosby has repeatedly denied the allegations against him, saying the sex with the women was consensual.

The accusations span decades, and most of the cases cannot be tried in court because too much time has passed.

In the Pennsylvania case, Mr Cosby is charged with sexually assaulting Temple University employee Andrea Constand in 2004 at his home near Philadelphia. The charges were filed one day before the legal deadline.

Prosecutor Kevin Steele was elected in November. He campaigned against former prosecutor Bruce Castor who had declined to bring charges against Mr Cosby when Ms Constand first reported the assault in 2005.

That decision became a major issue in the campaign and the subject of advertisements. However Mr Steele never said publicly how he would handle the case.

On Wednesday, Mr Steele said his office had reopened the Constand case after "new information came to light".

After Mr Castor declined to charge Mr Cosby in 2005, Ms Constand sued Mr Cosby and settled the case out of court for an undisclosed sum.

Testimony in that civil case was made public in 2015, much of it unflattering to Mr Cosby.

Mr Cosby admitted in court that he had given women sedatives over the years, but he maintained that they had taken the drugs willingly.

A successful actor and comedian for decades, Mr Cosby shot to stardom in the 1980s with the sitcom The Cosby Show.

Since many of his accusers began to go public in early 2014, media companies and other institutions have sought to distance themselves from the once-beloved celebrity.

Source: bbc.com

Prosecutors in Pennsylvania have filed the first sexual assault charges against US comedian Bill Cosby.

Mr Cosby, 78, has been charged with aggravated indecent assault over an alleged incident in 2004 involving a former local university employee.

He has previously said under oath he had a consensual sexual encounter with the woman.

The case was re-opened after dozens of women alleged assault by Mr Cosby, dating back to the 1970s.

Andrea Constand, who was an employee at Temple University at the time of the alleged assault, sued Mr Cosby in 2005 and settled for an undisclosed sum after no charges were brought.

She has said she was tricked into taking drugs before being sexually assaulted by Mr Cosby.

Mr Cosby has repeatedly denied any wrongdoing in relation to the allegations.

Prosecution allegations

• Single charge of aggravated indecent assault
• Incident occurred at Cosby's home in 2004
• Victim "frozen, paralysed, unable to move"
• Charge punishable by five to 10 years behind bars and a $25,000 fine
• Cosby will be formally charged in court on Wednesday

Documents from the case were sealed until this summer.

Testimony from the lawsuits include Mr Cosby admitting he gave women a sedative, Quaaludes, when he wanted to have sex with them.

Mr Cosby befriended Ms Constand through her job at the university and she came to think of him as "a mentor and a friend" before he allegedly made two sexual advances that were rejected, said prosecutors.

Kevin Steele, district attorney for Montgomery County, said they re-visited the case after new evidence emerged, with the statue of limitations not expired yet.

The prosecutors re-interviewed witnesses, examined evidence from the civil case and spoke to other alleged victims before they decided to file criminal charges, Mr Steele's office says in a statement.

At the height of his fame from The Cosby Show, the comedian was the highest paid entertainer on US television.

Source: bbc.com

Music stars and celebrities have paid tribute to Motorhead frontman Lemmy, who has died at the age of 70.

Lemmy died at home in Los Angeles on Monday, two days after learning he had cancer.

He formed Motorhead in 1975 and recorded 22 albums, including the classic Ace of Spades.

The band said on its Facebook page: "Our mighty, noble friend Lemmy has passed away after a short battle with an extremely aggressive cancer."

The band added: "We cannot begin to express our shock and sadness, there aren't words."

They urged fans to play Lemmy's music loud and "have a drink or few", saying: "Celebrate the life this lovely, wonderful man celebrated so vibrantly himself.

"He would want exactly that."

Lemmy, who was the only constant member of Motorhead, had been diagnosed with cancer on Saturday - two days after his 70th birthday.

'Warrior and legend'

Todd Singerman, Motorhead's manager, told the BBC News channel that Lemmy had had cancer "in his brain and neck" and that his sudden death had come as "a massive shock".

He said the singer died while sitting in front of his favourite video game with his family.

Singerman described Lemmy as "the pinnacle, he's up there with one of his idols, Elvis".

"He was was one of the last true rock stars left, this guy lived it every day."

While Lemmy was known for his hard-living lifestyle and his penchant for Jack Daniels, Singerman joked that in recent years, the frontman had "switched to vodka and orange - he thought it was healthier!"

"He was one of the kindest men I ever met - he was the people's man," he added.

Heavy metal star Ozzy Osbourne was among those to pay tribute on social media.

He tweeted: "Lost one of my best friends, Lemmy, today. He will be sadly missed. He was a warrior and a legend.

Alice Cooper said: "I will see you on the other side. When we say 'one of a kind' in rock'n'roll, Lemmy was the epitome of that - one of the most beloved characters in rock'n'roll.

"I can't think of anyone who didn't adore Lemmy; you can't say 'heavy metal' without mentioning Lemmy.

"Rock'n roll heaven just got heavier."

Queen's Brian May described Lemmy as "our utterly unique friend".

Metallica tweeted: "Lemmy, you are one of the primary reasons this band exists. We're forever grateful for all of your inspiration.''

Kiss star Gene Simmons said: "Lemmy: Rest In Peace. Shake the heavens, my friend."

Guns N' Roses bassist Duff McKagan added: "Rest In Peace Lemmy. A hell of a man who suffered no fools.

"U shall be missed brother, and, THANK u 4 the years of unwavering kick ass R&R."

And Rage Against the Machine's Tom Morello described Lemmy as "a true rock icon".

Black Sabbath founding member Geezer Butler said: "Very sad to hear of Lemmy's passing. We've lost a true, true legend. RIP."

Aerosmith drummer Joey Kramer added: "RIP #Lemmy heaven is Rockin tonight."

And the band's Joe Perry also paid his respects on Twitter: "RIP Lemmy. A true rocker from beginning to end. We'll all see you there, soon enough."

Rock band Judas Priest also paid tribute: "Words about Lemmy can never be enough so we will simply say farewell Lord Lemmy, thank you for the music, the shows."

Hawkwind's Dave Brock tweeted: "Lemmy was a gentleman & a friend. I'll miss our eccentric text conversations.We had that magic when we played together.His legend lives on."

Fans also left messages on Lemmy's Facebook page.

Lemmy was born Ian Fraser Kilmister in Burslem, Stoke-on-Trent, in 1945.

He lived in Anglesey, Wales, as a child and acquired the nickname Lemmy while at school, although he claimed to have had no idea where it came from.

'Wonderful man'

As Lemmy of Motorhead, he became known for his fast and furious bass guitar playing and gravelly voice.

Obituary: The wild life of Lemmy

His death comes just weeks after former Motorhead drummer Phil Taylor died at the age of 61.

Ex-Motorhead guitarist "Fast" Eddie Clarke, who played with the group between 1976 and 1982, said on Facebook: "I am devastated. We did so much together, the three of us.

"The world seems a really empty place right now. I am having trouble finding the words ... He will live on in our hearts. R.I.P Lemmy!"

Lemmy was credited with introducing punk sounds into the heavy metal genre - and having a wild offstage reputation.

Hendrix roadie

He first became involved in the Manchester music scene before going to London.

There he had a stint as a roadie with Jimi Hendrix and briefly played in progressive rock band Opal Butterfly.

In 1972 he joined space-rock band Hawkwind on bass but left after being busted for drug possession on a tour of Canada in 1975.

Lemmy went on to form Motorhead - the name is US slang for someone who takes speed - and recorded 22 studio albums with the band between 1977 and 2015.

'Hypnotic voice'

The band achieved critical acclaim with the 1980 Ace of Spades album, which reached number four in the UK chart.

They recently released Bad Magic and were set to play dates in the UK and Europe over the next few months as part of a world tour.

John Robb, a musician and editor of the Louder Than War website, told the BBC: "Lemmy's voice and the sound of the bass guitar was exactly the same.

"It was a fantastic bluff gruffness which is so attractive, so hypnotic.

"It's a really great sound... It's a mistake to say it's just a noise because he wrote really good songs."

Source: bbc.com

The Pan African Historical Theatre Festival (PANAFEST) Foundation has congratulated reggae star Rocky Dawuni on his nomination in this year’s Grammy Awards.

The Ghanaian has been nominated for the Best Reggae Album category-‘Branches of the same tree’.

Consequently, the Foundation in a release signed by Rabbi Kohain Nathanyah Halevi, the Executive Secretary, PANAFEST Foundation said “Rocky I am writing to give you very big congratulations on your nomination in the Grammy “It is an honour for Ghana and Africa for your achievements to be recognized on the highest level.

“The spirit of your message in the name of the album helps to open the gate for this year’s inaugural of the "Decade for People of African Decsent" which has been proclaimed by UNESCO for 2015-2024.

”We at PANAFEST chose as our theme, PANAFEST, At the Threshold of the Decade for People of African Decent" and are working hard toward celebrating a grand PANAFEST 2017 in Ghana inviting the whole of Africa and it's Diaspora to be part of this Mega Event to promote and define our own landmarks and agenda for the decade.

It added “The PANAFEST Foundation wishes you the best and would like for you to also serve as one of its cultural Ambassadors promoting Pan Africanism and Africa and African People as the Tree of Life for the 21st Century. A Tree ready to give shade, bounty and fruit for all humanity.

“Great seeing and sharing with you in Washington as well as New York and look forward to you taking the Grammy.

Source: Daily Guide

Oprah Winfrey and Gayle King have jetted off together for a beachside holiday getaway. Judging from the famously inseparable duo's colorful candids, these longtime gal pals are having a blast. 

Ever the journalist, King has documented every moment of  their vacation thus far on her Instagram account, including a not-so-glam but oh-so-hilarious shot of her morning hiking. It looks like this Weight Watchers devotee is certainly getting in her fair share of steps.   

"Hiking this am w/ Urania Greene was told 30 min up & 30 min down.. 45 min in-I said how MUCH longer? Notice Mrs Greene has not broken a sweat ... Me hot mess!" she captioned the funny photo. 

Luckily, King seems to have recovered just fine from her sweat-inducing adventure. 

Oprah's sidekick also shared a photo of the vacationing crew lounging and drinking cocktails along with celebrity pal, actor David Oyelowo. 

"Favorite daughter & @davidoyelowo join the girl beach party ! A welcome addition for sure...." King described the shot.

A family affair indeed! King and co. are all smiles, hugs, and giggles. 

"This is what VACATION looks like In paradise love when favorite daughter &favorite @oprah can chill !" King wrote alongside a pic of her daughter and BFF taking in the shade under an oceanside cabana.  

If this is what a typical vacation looks like for the duo, sign us up for the next one!

The high-profile guests kept rolling in. In addition to Oyelowo, the group of vacationers also included Winfrey's longtime partner Stedman Graham, Selma director Ava DuVernay and favored fitness trainer Bob Greene. 

Good times, excellent company and some gorgeous scenery—this family-filled vacay certainly seems like one to remember. 

But, just in case it slips anyones' minds, King's bevy of Insta uploads will easily jog the group's memory in all the years to come.

Source: eonline.com

Rex Owusu Marfo, popularly known as Rex Omar has told music Rights Owners in Ghana that they can withdraw their membership from the Ghana Music Rights Organization (GHAMRO) if they feel GHAMRO is not being transparent to them.

He said this during a meeting with leaders of the Music Council of Ghana and the Ghana Music Rights Organization (GHAMRO) yesterday December 22, 2015, at the Registrar General’s Conference room.

Rex Omar made this statement when John Mensah Sarpong who served on the former board with him (Rex Omar) wanted the know the criteria the new board uses to distribute royalties to members and whether it was appropriate for them to disseminate information through text messages to members.

Rex Omar responded by saying that GHAMRO is the only collecting society we have in Ghana so if you don’t understand the way GHAMRO operates you can form your own society.
 

Source: peacefmonline.com

Long lines, terse agents, overpriced food and delays – in the world of travel, airports are notorious for being necessary obstacles standing between travellers and their final destinations. But according to users of the question-and-answer site Quora.com, at the world’s most unique airports, the take-offs and landings make it all worth the ride.

A death-defying descent
Nepal’s Tenzing-Hillary Airport is built for adventurers. Tucked high in the Himalayan town of Lukla, the airport’s 460m runway has a steep 12% incline, making it only accessible to helicopters and small, fixed-wing planes. To the north of the runway, there are mountains, and to the south is a steep, nearly 600m drop, leaving absolutely no room for error.

The terrifying airstrip serves as an entry point for mountain climbers who are keen to tackle the world’s tallest mountain. “This is where most Everest summiters land,” wrote Quora user Amy Robinson. “It is one of the most dangerous airports in the world.”

Perhaps it’s appropriate, then, that this airport was named after the region’s most famous adventurers: Sir Edmund Hillary and Sherpa Tenzing Norgay, the first people to reach Everest’s summit.

A runway under water
At high tide, the runway of Scotland’s Barra Airport is nowhere to be seen.

“The airport is unique, being the only one in the world where scheduled flights use a beach as the runway,” wrote Quora user Amit Kushwaha. As such, flight times are dictated by the tide.

Located in the shallow bay of Traigh Mhor beach on Barra Island in the Outer Hebrides, the airport’s runways are laid out in a triangular formation and are marked by wooden poles to help guide the Twin Otter propeller planes onto the sand.

A stretch for tropical take-offs 

For pilots, landing at the Maldives’ Male International Airport is daunting. The lone asphalt runway – which lies just two metres above sea level – takes up the entire length of Hulhule Island in the North Male Atoll, so a minor miscalculation could send the plane careening off into the Indian Ocean.

“[It’s] one of the few airports in the world that begins and ends with water and takes up an entire island,” wrote Quora user Peter Baskerville.

Because Hulhule Island (one of 1,192 coral islands spread over roughly 90,000sqkm) is used mainly for the airport, visitors typically take speedboats to their final destinations once they land.

Hit the brakes 

Landing at Juancho E Yrausquin Airport, on the Caribbean island of Saba, “is not for the faint of heart,” wrote Quora user Dhairya Manek.

That’s because it is widely regarded as having the shortest commercially serviceable runway in the world – approximately 396m. (Typically, runways are between 1,800m and 2,400m.) That means only small aircraft, which can quickly decrease speed, can land here.

Its setting is as beautiful as it is dangerous. “The airport’s runway is located on a cliff that drops into the Caribbean Sea on three sides and is flanked by high hills on the other,” Manek wrote. “Jet airplanes are not allowed to land at the airport due to its incredibly short runway.”

‘Nerve-racking… yet stunningly beautiful’
At 2,767m above sea level, Colorado’s Telluride Regional Airport is North America’s highest commercial airport. “[It’s] nerve-racking to experience, yet stunningly beautiful,” wrote Quora user Erin Whitlock.

Telluride’s single runway – which sits on a plateau in the Rocky Mountains, next to a heart-stopping, 300m drop to the San Miguel River below – used to be notorious for a giant dip in its centre. But renovations in 2009 made the airstrip safer and made it possible for larger aircraft to land. Today, the airport’s Mountain Flying Safety guide advises pilots of single- or light-twin-engine aircraft not to attempt night landings, not to attempt flight if high-altitude winds exceed 30 knots, and not to fly if visibility is less than 15 miles.

A heart-stopping approach
So petrifying was the landing at the now-closed Kai Tak Airport in Hong Kong, passengers had a nickname for it: the Kai Tak Heart Attack.

“The Kai Tak Airport no longer exists, but it was one of the wonders of the flying world when it was in operation [between 1925 and 1998],” wrote Quora user Jay Wacker. “It was on a little bit of reclaimed land in a harbour and there were high-rises on both sides. It was a relatively short runway for big planes, and it always felt harrowing when landing on a 747. When you looked out the window during take-off or landing, you felt like you could look into the living rooms of people.”

Intrigued by these extreme runways? When's the next time you plan to take off?

Source: bbc.com