When 'Sore,' the Drill street anthem by Yaw Tog went viral last year, two of the featured artists on the song - O’Kenneth and Jay Bahd - dominated the conversation that followed.
O’Kenneth’s flawless verse and Jay Bahd’s voice and attitude drew a comparison to the murdered American drill artist, Pop Smoke. The success of 'Sore' placed the genre on the national radar, launching Life Living Records, the label championing the sound into the limelight.
Before the viral moment of 'Sore,' Life Living Records and its main signed acts – Kwaku DMC, Sean Lifer, O’Kenneth, Reggie, City Boy and Jay Bahd - were pushing the drill sound, popularly known as 'Asaaka' in their home region of Kumasi or Kumerica.
One of the business savvy moves that Life Living Records pulled after the success of 'Sore' was to flood the scene with music, mostly singles from the individual acts on the label. Fridays became their weekly release dates, like Kanye West did with his now famous G.O.O.D Friday releases.
This format sustained the growing Asaaka momentum, showcased the talents of the artists on the label or affiliated with the label and revealed the brotherhood and camaraderie that exists among the various artists. If there is a group to compare the unity and influence of the label, it is Wu-Tang Clan, with Jay Bahd as ODB (Ol’ Dirty Bastard).
Jay Bahd is the third artist to release a full-length project under the Life Living Records – Kwaku DMC and Reggie were the two other acts.
Released on June 20th, 2021, The Return of Okomfo Anokye is a 10-track album heavily built on Drill sounds, with its themes ranging from street tales, youthful indulgences and chasing dreams.
The choice of the album title is significant in two ways: first, it reflects the history and origins of Jay Bahd and his fellow labelmates. Second, it alludes to a significant figure in Asante history – Okomfo Anokye.
For those unfamiliar with the name Okomfour Anokye and the Asante history, here is a summary. According to Asante history, Okomfo Anokye was a fetish priest who used his supernatural powers to help the warrior king, Otumfuor Osei Tutu, unite the splinter clans into a powerful empire whose territory stretched across Ghana, present-day Ivory Coast and part of Togo.
Okomfo Anokye would also conjure the Golden Stool, believed by many to be the soul of the Asante Kingdom from the sky. So important is the Golden Stool that the Asantes waged war with the British colonizers in the 1900s when the latter attempted to take away the stool to London.
The success of the Asaaka or Ghanaian Drill sound is down to the quality in production, the lyrics in the songs and the persistence of the originators of the sub-genre. The production is melodious and catchy and reflect the urban street culture. The Ghanaian beatsmiths have found a way to incorporate Afro-pop elements, thus localizing the sound to suit the music taste of the Ghanaian listener.
Again, the lyrics of the Asaaka songs are so honest, that they are sometimes shocking to listeners. The artists have found a way to document their lifestyle – and that of their colleagues on wax.
There have been times that I have paused to asked if their lyrics are a true reflection of their way of life. And, on all occasions, I have been told they live their words, and that honesty is alive in their music.
Despite the renewed energy that they have injected into the Ghanaian Hip-Hop space, the sub-genre has been criticized by some for not reflecting the Asante culture.
According to these critics, the music, and its associated culture, except the Twi language they rap in, are too foreign – the clothing, lifestyle projected in their videos and so on draws a disconnect with many people. This criticism sounds valid because the Ashanti region is known for upholding its culture and traditions.
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If there is a song off 'The Return of Okomfo Anokye' that nullifies this assertion, it is, 'Y3 Y3 Dom.'
Translated loosely as 'We Are A Crowd' or 'We Are United,' 'Y3 Y3 Dom,' reflects the motto of the Asante state 'S3 Wo Kum Apem a apem b3 Ba' which literally means 'If you kill a thousand, thousand more people would show up.'
It is a testament to the bravery and unity of the Asante state. On this posse cut, Jay Bahd and his friends demonstrate this notion. The drums on this record are thumping while the hook is infectious.
Its accompanying video taps into Asante history on warfare. The characters in the video are seen in war-like garbs, clutching machetes and spears while detailing their street rendezvous.
Songs like 'Awosoc,' 'Summer Time' and 'Wosono' are party or turn-up records that command you to lose your guard and be a little risqué. The three songs are deliberately sequenced to sound like one long song to ensure the party never ends.
'Wosono' is a call for women with impressive posterior to wiggle its, respectfully. On the closing track 'Focus,' Jay Bahd offers sound perspective about life, rapping on the opening verse, "No one will believe in you until you make it/Life is how you make it/Believe in yourself/Never limit’," adding on the hook "you can do when you stay focus."
'The Return of Okomfo Anokye' is the perfect debut for Jay Bahd as a solo artist. He is not the most lyrically endowed rapper or the most gifted among the collective, but he has his way of making his presence felt on tracks, whether he is delivering a six or eight-bar verse or ad-libbing over songs.
To add to that, his voice has a lot of alluring personality of its own. It's so powerful that it pulls in the average listener with vengeful intrigue. More importantly, the album experiments with and tests the limits of Drill, as we know it.
The smooth transitions and shortness of songs – only two songs went over the 4-minute mark- hands the album a deserving replay value. Jay Bahd has always come across as the ‘real street guy’’ amongst the collective and 'The Return of Okomfo Anokye’ confirms this observation.
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Freelance Writer, Critic & Curator
Reach out: rahim.munir4@gmail.com
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