Spoken word / poetry has stuttered across the continent, going through ebbs and flows as poets grapple to build platforms and garner the kind of support necessary to sustain a life dedicated to the pursuit of excellence in word, thought and craft. In Ghana, it is no different. Two years ago, I attended the Bless The Mic open mic series in Accra run by Mi Prime Entertainment and briefly met their resident poet, Mutombo. We shared thoughts on poetry, we shared a poem and went our separate ways.
In that time, Mutumbo has been paying his dues, and contributing to the development of the scene in Ghana. Starting in 2006, he has featured on various television and radio shows including on TV3, ViaSat1, DSTV, GTV, Joy FM and Hitz FM. He has also performed extensively and was part of British Council’s WAPI series.
He is in the process of finalising his debut album Photosentences to be released by Pidgen Music. It features leading Ghanaian producers and artists including Kweku Ananse, M3NSA, Wanlov Da Kubolor, Panji Anoff, DJ Juls, Yaa Pono and Kwam1. Mutombo provides an authentic and contemporary glimpse into life on the streets of Accra. His use of a mixture of English and pidgen also give his words deeper honesty and truly root them in a Ghanaian experience.
httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dGIsLgbvdzU
One thing I truly love about your blog is how you introduce people to other artists. Your blog is never selfish–and I’ve learned so much about other musicians and writers since visiting your blog!
Hey Rochelle, thank you. The beauty of the online space is that we all get to experience what would have previously been totally hidden from us. I love that I can hear and interact with artists from everywhere. I try to share that. I’m glad you enjoying it.