From surprise performances to an in-depth look into his creative process, OkayAfrica’s first ‘Culture Cafe’ with Stonebwoy was a riveting and unforgettable experience.
Nelson C.J.NelsonC.J.Lagos-Based West Africa Correspondent
OkayAfrica’s first Culture Cafe invited Accra’s creative community to get a deep and exclusive insight into Stonebwoy’s creative process. Credit: Alt Image Tag:by Anthony Attara for OkayAfrica/Jambo Spaces.
There’s a surreal feeling that comes with sitting opposite one of the biggest and most important artists from Ghana — in this case, Stonebwoy — in a room of less than 70 people as he tells you about his creative process - part of which sometimes involves recording music with his children.
This rare familiarity is a juxtaposition that takes some getting used to. After all, mega superstars are natural habitats of big stages, large arenas and massive crowds of adoring fans. Those humongous spaces clarify their cultural weight and place them in an accurate context. Yet there is also something fascinating about stripping all that fluff, getting rid of the noise and allowing them to simply be human, to be an artist within an intimate space. It is this notion that OkayAfrica is exploring with its new event series Culture Cafe - a space designed to host timely cultural conversations with some of the continent’s biggest and most culturally interesting artists.
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It is also a space designed for meaningful cultural exchange and experiences that offer different perspectives on music, film, art, and creativity. Culture Cafe - 001 was hosted at Jambo Spaces, a cultural space in the heart of Accra, Ghana and in collaboration with indigenous beverage brand Twellium. Culture Cafe 001 featured Stonebwoy as the first-ever guest and a special performance by emerging band 99 PHACES - a band handpicked by Stonebwoy for the experience. This experience was attended by some of Ghana’s foremost creatives - Baaba J, Lali x Lola, Sincerely Accra, etc, as well as fans of Stonebwoy.
This edition opened with an interactive listening session. Stonebwoy selected 13 songs from his discography, which formed the base of a deeply insightful conversation moderated by pop culture journalist Olele Salvador.
From “Activate” featuring Davido to snippets from his latest album, Stonebwoy took the room on a journey through a sprawling and dynamic career that has spanned continents and generations. The evening wrapped up with Stonebwoy introducing 99 PHACES and leading the way to a great performance by the band.
Fans were treated to surprise performances and rare tidbits about Stonebwoy’s artistic journey.
All in all, the experience was a thrilling proof that physical experiences are more important now than ever. It was also stronger evidence that artists need spaces to connect with their fans and or other artists in deeply human and honest ways. We understand how disappointing it can be to miss out on experiences like this, which is why we are giving you a quick overview of everything you missed.
99 Phaces - a 9-person music collective serenaded the audience with songs from their debut album, 'The Kids Are Alright.'by Anthony Attara for OkayAfrica/Jambo Spaces.
Stonebwoy Urged Artists To Be Political
One of the highlights of the interactive listening session was the conversation that interspersed the music. Guided by thought-provoking questions from Salvador, the conversation ran the gamut, floating from Stonebwoy’s creative process and landing at Stonebwoy’s philosophy on art and politics. Stonebwoy has always maintained a pan-African stance - from his music to his interviews - urging for a blended and borderless continent united by shared interests. “We have more work to do besides the musical collaborations,” he told Salvador at Culture Cafe. “We have to be conscious of our music as well to be able to put political messaging if we can, so that it continues to teach one another.”
“[The] things that have brought me here and still make me continue doing what I do are discipline.”
Alt image tag:by Anthony Attara for OkayAfrica/Jambo Spaces.
Stonebwoy Talked About Discipline
A high point of the interactive listening session was Stonebwoy sharing his philosophy on discipline and how he applies it to his work in music. As he put it, “[The] things that have brought me here and still make me continue doing what I do are discipline.” Before arriving at Culture Cafe, Stonebwoy has been on a ten-day press tour in the UK, promoting his forthcoming album and BHIM Fest at the OVO Arena.
Ghana’s creative class, from singers to music artists, were in attendance at the first OkayAfrica Culture Cafe.by Anthony Attara for OkayAfrica/Jambo Spaces.
Stonebwoy Values The Power Of Collaborations
Stonebwoy reiterated his faith in collaboration, which has been a running theme for much of his career. He broke down the experience of working with Davido for “Activate,” bringing the unique perspective he brought to “Most Original” featuring Sean Paul. Stonebwoy went into the psyche of his collaborations and his vision for
Surprise Performances
Another major highlight for the night was the surprise performances Stonebwoy gave the audience during the listening sessions. When songs like “Gidi Gidi” and “Samurai” came on, the multiple award-winning singer thrilled the audience by singing along, offering a unique performance that can only come from being in such an intimate, down to earth space.
“Stonebwoy reiterated his faith in collaboration, which has been a running theme for much of his career.”by Anthony Attara for OkayAfrica/Jambo Spaces.
99 PHACES Deliver A Stunning Performance
Five members of 99 PHACES closed out the evening with a spirited live performance, bringing the audience into a world of refreshing alt music. The group performed songs off their debut project The Kids Are Alright, including “Wayback” and “Composure.” To top things off, they closed out with a surprise cover of Stonebwoy’s “Into The Future” off his 2023 album, 5th Dimension.
