“Live From Nkrumah Krom Vol. II: Home Run” is Kwesi Arthur’s most accessible work yet. The Ghanaian emcee’s award-winning raps and harmonies infect the better part of his 9-track, star- studded victory lap.
“Radio” and “African Girl” are dazzling, up-tempo dancehall riddims propelled by the gravelly- voiced selectahs Stonebwoy and Shatta Wale respectively. “Nobody” is a romance-fuelled Afrobeats tune that flips the idea of ballads on its head, with assistance from the Banku chief Mr. Eazi.
“With “Nobody” this girl I had a thing with started acting funny with on Snapchat. Felt some type of way about it and influenced the verses on that song,” says the Tema-born leader of the new wave regarding the inspiration behind the song.
“Kill My Spirit” takes the best elements of South African House and distills them into a modern-day Highlife script, replete with droned-out basslines and organic keys. Santi, another champion and don, manages a sneaky appearance towards the end.
The engine behind the songs is Kwesi Arthur, a truth-teller who seeks to entertain and educate. The music will cause involuntary gyrations of listeners’ valuable body parts, while the lyrics flirt with themes that’ll force one to contemplate what it truly means to become a Black Star that’ll illuminate the path for generations to come.
“The words I use in the music are usually from a true and honest place. I tell my story which is unique to me and it’s just amazing how it resonates with the masses. I’m from the bottom of the totem pole too. I’m not proud of it but I’ve accepted my situation and made it a point to change it for the better and help others do so too. I have so much to share with the world,” he says.
Audiogasmic juju (“See No Evil”) plays tricks on multi-syllabic rhymes (“Walk”, with Nasty C), and wraps up the package that is Live From Nkrumah Krom Vol. 3: Home Run in a gastric cloud of wholesome, fulfilling, honest art.
This is legend, the stuff of which dreams wish they were comprised.
