Talking All Things M3nsa

If you are into Indie Soul, West African Hip life and Hip Hop music, then you really should know M3nsa.  M3nsa started performing at the age of five (5) and never stopped. Known for his no -holds barred insightful lyrics - M3nsa has gone on to do something which very few African msucians can - get us grooving, while making us laugh and getting us thinking.  This month, we talk all things M3nsa. We discuss - his controversial music - "thank God we are not A Nigerian", his newest CD - Nos One Mango Street,Asa, Fokn Bois and More. Please join us.  Don't forget to listen to the pod - it often has a lot of the juicy details and can offer more clarity. 

(laughs) wow.  Nothing actually. We really didn't think that people will pay so much attention to it.  That's how we create music - having a laugh.  There isn't any kind of animosity or hatred towards Nigerians.  We were actually having more fun with the responses to the song. It is just friendly banter.  If you listen to the lyrics you will see that it is actually taking digs at Ghanains asking them to pay attention.  It was all jokes.  There have been more angry Ghanaians than Nigerians to this song.  It is just the way we are - we are afraid that people are actually saying what we are thinking.  So when they listen  to it - they think, they are actually talking about us as Ghanaians.  You know that Nigerians will alway represent their Nigerianess.    Yesterday, I got my frist phone call from a Nigerian artist that was mad about the song.  I asked him to listen to it and call me back.  You know my wife is Nigerian, my manager is Nigerian, my PR person is Nigerian and most of my friends are Nigerians.  That's the reason that we have a lot of knowledge about Nigerians.  It is all jealousy.


You started performing at the age of 5 - why did you start so early?

I really enjoy music.  I will risk going into my mom's room to listen to her music like Sam Cooke, Stevie Wonders.   I really enjoyed these music and this led to my playing the piano. Do you know that I really enjoy listening to music as opposed to performing music.  Anyways, I had to get into my 20's to realize that performing and sharing my music is what I really wanted to do.  I really enjoy sharing my music with people.  


You describe loving Old school Soul music, so why didn't you go into that genre of music when you started performing?

 
I don't think jazz, soul and hip hop music are that far  apart from each other.  You have to remember I started at a very young age.  Remember I am the youngest of my brothers.  So I was listening to the same jazz that my family was listening to.  For a long time, I was actually playing classical piano  till I realized that I can start creating my own thing.  For example, Hip Hop is a genre that allows you to experience other genres of music.  It is like a hub of all music.   Originally, I used to feel weird when people describe me as a rapper but now I am okay with it because I realize that now adays, being a rapper has so much depth.  FOKN Bois create ideas that get people thinking.  The main purpose is to get people thinking from different angles.  The aspect of the counscious rapper.  We are all counscious. But, how do we tap into the counsciousness, we want to be hated but hated for saying things that people are afraid to say.

I know that one of your bigger break through occured when Reggie Rockstone took you under his wings.  Reggie Rockstone is the king of hiplife music.  How will you describe hip life music?

The initial description  of  Hip Life music is Hip Hop beats with African dialects spoken over it.  African - the Ghanain dialect. It has evolved and become its own thing. It has taken the traditional highlife music and made it more contemporary and that's what Hip Life music has become. But initially it was any American beats or hip life beats.  

It seems that music that gets recognized as Hip Hop music seem to have the same ideas runniing through it,  how do you intend to stand out?

I believe Hip Hop music is cleansing itself out.  It isn't as bad as it used to be.  It is becoming more classier right now.  So coming from Africa, it is important that we bring up our stories and realities of what is going on within our world.  We are doing ourselves a disservice if we don't.   I can never sound like Jayz but I know that I can stand unique as an African who has a story to tell. What other musician fail to understand is to be as original as possible.  I really don't mind rappers being derogatory - the question is how tasteful and how classy can you make it.



Tell us the story behind nos one Mango street.

I left Ghana for a while and I felt it was time that I now share my experience with the rest of the world as to where my creativity comes from.   Nos one mango street is a real address where I grew up in Ghana, my mom's house.  It is just like introducing the world to Ghana, and growing up in the 80's . It is a very personal album.  It takes you into a place.  Growing up in Ghana... it is like freedom and listening to older folks speak, and telling you what they see and experience, the hunger, the beatings....it is a very different story from the west.   

That cd has so many elements to it.  Let's start off with the song - No one knows tomorrow. How did that come about?

I did different versions of the song.   So I started with the simplest one, the one I put on the album and she heard it and then she invited me to come and play with her.  It was the begining of a great movement really.  That song hit a very special place in me.  You never know what is  gonna happen.  You have to be about spirituality and self love.    Live now, take care of yourself and enjoy life that will determine what the rest of your life will be.

Why is the e (3) that way?

Mensa is a common name.  I did it for google purposes.  My name means the third son.  Mensa signifies the number three - so I wanted my name to stand out from everyone else.  So that's the reason, I use three to mean the 3 rd son.

What kind of challenges have you faced in terms of the international audience?

 I have not faced any challenges in terms of the musical material itself.  When I have concerts - I have people from all over coming to my show this goes to show that it is just music there is nothing else.  It goes to show that the Ghanianess is not a problem.   The challenge has been promotion.  Not really the music itself.

What next?

At the moment - myself and wanluv - the Fokn Bois, we've been in the studio putting the album called FOKN  with EWE, you can imagine what is going to come of it.   We are really just pushing the album at this point.  A lot of things on this album will upset a lot of people.  People have to stop and listen first.  

If your child comes to you and says that they want to be like you, will you encourage them? Do you have any regrets?

I don't have any regrets in my life.  I will say yes and then teach them how to play an instrument.  If my child is older, I will discourage them only because I want them to proove to me how much they really want it.  Maybe, it is all mind games but I will almost disapprove it and hope they can educate themselves. But my parents put a  lot of pressure in terms of academics so that helped me in the business world .
Fokn Bois - who came up with that name?
We wanted to express ourselves as musicians without keeling under any pressure. One day on stage, we just decided to call ourselves the FOKN BOIS on stage and that's how that name came about.  You know in Ghana when they say Fokn - it means that is bad as in bad or as in amazing.   It really means those boyz.  Let's put the blame on Wanluv.


What kind of audience are you attracting?

Right now, we are trying to loose all our fans and upgrade to air conditioners.  We want more advanced listeners.  There is always the social commentary, so we need more people that are more awake and not afraid to express their thinking.


Fokn Bois are a Gospel Porn Christian Rap Group and that's the direction we are going.  The album is called Fokn With Ewe.  The next single will be coming out very soon.  I am very excited about this one. If you think that Thank God we are not A Nigerian is bad,  well...

To Listen to the Pod and learn more - visit: www.pamelastitch.com

Click Link to listen to the latest single -Fokn Wit Ewe