Ridwan Abdul Rafiu, who is popularly known as Larruso, has gained international recognition when he got featured on DJ Khaled’s International Project #frommillanwithlove.
In a twenty-two second video, DJ Khaled introduced Larruso saying that the rapper is gaining a rise here in Ghana and will soon be “making a name for himself across the globe”
The ‘From Milan with Love’ concert is held in partnership with AC Milan football club and entertainment company Roc Nation. It is done to raise funds that will go to Direct Relief and AC Milan’s philanthropic arm, Fondazione Milan. The funds raised are used to support those in need in Italy and across the world during the pandemic.
Born and raised in Accra Newtown, Larruso records and performs the musical genre, Dancehall, but with a fusion from indigenous sound and melody from Africa. His career took off after he featured Ghanaian BET Nominee and Winner, Kwesi Arthur and Stonebwoy on the remix of his hit debut “Killy Killy”.
Larruso emerged as the most talked-about artist in Ghana, his home country, after dropping his debut hit single “Killy Killy” in 2019 which brought him into the limelight.
Virtual Concert, the New Normal.
Covid–19 hit the world hard and artists scrambled to figure out what to do next. Some however, by the divine intervention of the internet, resorted to having Livestream concerts on social media from their homes, empty venues, or wherever they could while they practiced social distancing. Most of these concerts were made to raise funds to help support those in dire need during the pandemic.
For instance, ‘From Milan with love’ is a virtual concert curated by DJ Khaled. It was started in May this year and it featured A-list artists such as Alicia Keys, Kelly Rowland, Robin Thicke, Gavin Rossdale, Chris Traynor of Bush, and many others. The virtual concert is done to raise funds in aid of Covid-19 relief.
Nonetheless, John Legend, Bono, Coldplay’s Chris Martin, Pink, John Mayer, Keith Urban, and more have held virtual concerts from their homes as the world continues to practice social distancing to slow the spread of the virus.
Talk of the ‘One World: Together at Home’ virtual concert: It saw musicians from all over the world, including international pop stars like Lady Gaga, Alanis Morissette, Andrea Bocelli, Billie Eilish, Elton John, Paul McCartney, and Stevie Wonder. They all stood up for the fight against the coronavirus with the joint streaming event.
Ghana also had its share of virtual concerts. The most talked-about concert which hit the airwaves most here in Ghana was the Vodafone Ghana Music Awards. It was held under the Ghana Music Awards Foundation to honor the frontline health workers. It was dubbed the Vodafone Ghana Music Awards Covid-19 Heroes Concert. The program was also meant to inspire hope, support the fundraising effort of the Covid-19 National Trust Fund in support of the front-line health workers, and to lend a voice to the ‘Wear a Mask’ Campaign.
That notwithstanding, several Ghanaian artists also have had to hold virtual concerts. Award-winning rapper Sarkodie’s historic virtual concert ‘Black Love’ virtual concert’ saw millions of viewers online from Ghana and the world at large.
