Ghanaian singer-songwriter Obibini Takyi Jnr. has revealed who Eugene Kwame Marfo, also known as Kuami Eugene is, away from the public eye.
He was speaking about track 3 on his New Legacy EP, titled “Shame”, when he said even though he wrote the song, during the creative process, Kuami Eugene, the song’s producer, “would say put this here and this there”. He took a moment and praised the Highlife/Afrobeats star Eugene as very good and talented.
“He’s young but if we’re talking about music, it’s clear, he knows music very well”, OTJ remarked.
The son of Highlife star Obibini Takyi of “Akosombo Nkanea” fame revealed he has learned a lot from him [Kuami Eugene] since he got close to him. OTJ testified that his musical talent has greatly improved since he began working with the Lynx/EMPIRE signee Kuami Eugene.
Behind the scenes, “Kuami is a good person”, Obibini Takyi Jnr. said. He revealed he is often with Kuami Eugene and two other musicians. He further added that it is common to find them together eating fufu they have pounded and laughed heartily.
However, OTJ stressed that Kuami Eugene does not joke with work even though he enjoys fun and company.
“If you see Kuami looks serious, it means it is time for work. He does not joke with his work, and he does not shy away from rebuking you even if you are older than him or he is friends with you”, OTJ noted.
According to OTJ, who has a hit featuring Kuami Eugene titled “Sika No Ashi”, they go out to play football every Sunday, stressing that Kwami Eugene is a very good person.
Comedy and Highlife; A Great Stress Reliever
Singer Obibini Takyi Jnr. (OTJ) highlighted how the great combination of humour and Highlife makes.
OTJ reminded the audience that he was the very one who sang a song and said that he did not care in the least if his lover broke up with him [OTJ]. That was on his 2020 single featuring Fameye, titled “Aputor”.
“As a Highlife artiste, you don’t just do music for doing sake. You have to do music that people can relate to or that touches the hearts of your audience. Also, sometimes Highlife incorporates a lot of comic or humour”, he said.
However, landing his point about humour in Highlife, he noted that in his new song “Kolebu”, he pleads with his woman that if she leaves him, she will eventually find him wearing a death grin in the morgue at the Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital.
“I have changed my mind. If I say when she left me I was not hurt, I would be telling a lie. So, I am letting the one who is currently with me understand that if she leaves me it will end in a disaster”, he said laughing.
OTJ readily agreed that comedy and Highlife have always shared a stage as evidenced by the days of TV hits such as Concert Party and Cantata.
“Just like Highlife, comedy mimics take inspiration from everyday people and their personal situations so they make an easy combination”, the singer-songwriter further stated.
Obibini Takyi Jnr also said the humour in Highlife is also a stress reliever. “Sometimes, if your audience is not happy, you sing a love song and they are not happy, you can add comedy to make them laugh and then they can gain comfort”, the “Sika No Ahye” hitmaker said.
Obibini Takyi Jnr. has released a new extended play (EP) titled “New Legacy”. He explained that it stems from his desire and effort to build on the foundation laid by his father, “Akosombo Nkanea” hitmaker Obibini Takyi Snr.
He indicated that the songs on the 5-track EP are a mix of Afrobeats and Highlife. Producers on the New Legacy EP, OTJ revealed, are Kuami Eugene, Pappin and Apya.
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