Museke.com brings you interviews with African musicians and other people involved in the industry. Today, we bring you the first installment of our sit-down with Wanlov da Kuborlor.

How be?
How be

Museke: Firstly, how did you get the nickname Wanlov da Kuborlor?
Wanlov: When I used to live in Los Angeles, everyone called me Wanlov. When someone says one love, it should trigger that purpose. I felt the word was easy and as a greeting, it would stay alive.
When some fans saw me perform around LA, after hearing a certain barrage of lyrics, they’d call me Kuborlor.

Museke: Can you tell us about your background and family?
Wanlov: My mum is from Romania and my father is from Ghana. My maternal family is in Romania but the rest of us are here in Ghana. We lived in Legon at first, then moved to Dansoman, and to Mile 7 petroleum. My father works in the petroleum industry. We are now in Ashongman. My wife and child are back in the US.

Museke: What were the events surrounding your immigration and coming to Ghana?
Wanlov: My passport had expired. When I was coming to Ghana, they were asking me questions about why I hadn’t done the green card. It would have taken me 2 years to get it, and I couldn’t leave the country if I got it. I really wanted to come to Ghana so decided against it.
I am stocked in Ghana and I belong to the Ghanaian government. I don’t want to trade to a country that may be about to go to war, I am not keen.
Also, if you take Ofori Amponsah for instance, his fame earns him money. If All4Real performs in LA, I may open for him and steal the show. All4Real may not perform very well but he will still get the big bucks while I get less money. Unless, I am established back home, I won’t get the same amount of money. It made sense to build over here.
Also for a lot of my songs, I can’t shoot the videos in America. The costs of living are cheaper here, the money goes a longer way here, and I’m more comfortable here. It is not as policed a state as Yankee is. If Ghana becomes as policed, I may have to go somewhere else. (maybe Jamaica?)

Museke: Tell us about your SantaClausian times
Wanlov: I started doing music in Adisadel College in 1995. I finished Adisco in 97. Other performers were Scooby Selah, Mensa, the late Terry Bonchaka Lifeline Family, Mama Toto (T-Blaze), Shoka (Black Monkz), etc.

Museke: I spoke to Shatta Rako last week and he had mentioned you. He mentioned this nickname of yours…. erm, trying to remember…
Wanlov: Spooky. We performed in Wey Gey Hey (Wesley Girls High School), Holyco (Holy Child College), Skyy FM in Takoradi, among others. The fans loved the energy. I mostly performed Busta Rhymes tracks and could rap all parts of ‘Flip mode meets def squad’.

Museke: What happened after that and what was your first break?
Wanlov: I went to the States (Texas) in ‘97, Romania in ‘98, and came back to Ghana in January 2000. Returned to Texas and rapped in neighbourhoods till 2004. By 2005, I was recording and performing heavily in Mississippi, New York, etc. I have performed in almost all US states. I ended up in LA in 2006.
Concerning the big break, I got a radio interview at a progressive radio station called Afrodicia (90.7), KPFK. I performed live on air on this UCLA show. I did YEbEsa, Kokonsa and ‘They came’ (Pure Africanz compilation).
Danny Glover and Gyedu Blay Ambulley were at the show which was promoting an African American event at UCLA. I started recording with Ambulley opened for him at shows, started getting regular shows, and started performing with bands.

Museke: How different is it for a Ghanaian musician abroad compared to being at home?
Wanlov: After shows in the US, people would line up to talk to me, ask for cds, etc. They loved the energy and could understand the music. However, in Ghana, before I get on stage, just the name ‘Kuborlor’ gives me love. People are always entertained, and looking forward to the next shows. A few artistes who need help come up to me.
In the US, the audience loves watching the Ghanaian fans react and they enjoy that, so sometimes they don’t get the full experience. I performed to working class crowds there, but in Ghana, it’s more fun, the audience is varied, a whole plethora of people, ages, tribes and I connect better.

Museke: How has the album promotion gone in Ghana?
Wanlov: I have 3000 copies of the CD in Accra, and 2000 in Kumasi. It has been getting sporadic plays so far. Pidgen music hasn’t pushed for constant spinning. I have been selling the CDs on trotros for 5 GhC and at concerts at 9 GhC.
The plan is to sell a higher price CD at Max Mart or Koala (around 9 Ghana cedis for about 20 songs) I am not selling it at the market price; I am branding it as an experience, a new genre and style.
At the main market, some would sell as low as 2 cedis with different packaging and less songs, others at 3, 4 cedis
The promotion may involve new songs. I have one song called ‘Goal’ (it is on my myspace) which got some airplay for the CAN 2008. Also, compact discs in Ghana have a maximum runtime of 64 minutes so I have to reduce the runtime on the CD. The one online is at about 79 minutes.

Museke: We hear you have been performing with Kwaw Kese?
Wanlov: We have done 2 or 3 shows together. We also have a single with King Ayisoba called ‘Look my shoe’ (also features Mokin). Shares are 30, 30, 30 and 10 to Pidgen music.

Museke: Who is Kweku Ananse?
Wanlov: He did most of the beats on the Green Card album. He’s a deejay who was based in Canada for awhile but moved here. He’s a regular DJ at Remas Night Club. He and I were interviewed by BBC 1Xtra.

Museke: Which African musicians did you listen to growing up?
Wanlov: Gyedu Blay Ambulley, and Bob Marley. I just got onto Fela Kuti 2/3 years ago, and used to sing Kojo Antwi songs. I also listened to Reggie Rockstone and Obrafour.
I loved hip hop a lot, listened to Busta, Def Squad, Boot camp, Tribe called Quest, Mos Def (Bush babies), Organized Confusion (Pharaoh Monche n Mos Def)

Museke: Which African musicians do you idolize or admire?
Wanlov: King Ayisoba, K’Naan, Kwaw Kese, Mensa. I also love Ayetoro (an Afrobeat musician who is a step ahead of Fela. He has all world class musicians in his band, he never plays anything he has recorded, creates new songs for his shows, records them at the show and never plays them again. I also admire Sizzla, Kanye West and Damian Marley,
I also like Kwabena Jones da Kuborlor (who does Kuborlor music and would be doing an album with Abena Felicia). I also like Chaos (a Canadian emcee of African origin).

Museke: Do you have a label?
Wanlov: Not really, but I am building a team of artistes. I don’t believe in paper locking one down, I am not signed to Pidgen, I am just working with them. In the US, I was promoting Ayisoba because Pidgen music liked my web presence and movement. Panji Anoff has always wanted an artiste who raps in Pidgen and he is giving me the links, and my work carries the Pidgen music logo.
I also have Akwadaa Nyame and Dorcas Nti Ababio in my team. I want to help bring out Kochoko who I think is the best rapper on the planet. The ‘syncopation’ of his lyrics is too good. (laughter)

Museke: How long has it taken you to do your album and why is it coming out now?
Wanlov: I have recorded over 500 songs. (500 songs, isn’t that expensive?) I have a studio in my house. I have never paid to record, all you need is a computer and a mic. I started out rapping more Yankee style and then became more local, rapping in pidgin, etc. That is when I knew I could sell this CD to anyone. Even though it released worldwide through the internet, it is not officially launched. The iron was hot in late 2007 that’s why I released it online then.

Museke: How are sales going?
Wanlov: People always buy the album, Cdbaby is losing some steam, iTunes is selling much more, and Paypal is going well. People from everywhere are buying it, from Japan to America to Australia.

Museke: Have you been shooting videos in Ghana?
Wanlov: Yeah, we are shooting the video for Kokonsa, it is being done by Stipp. He was the one who shot Kwaw Kese’s new video, ‘WoreyE wo a, wose mmaa pE wo’.

Museke: Oh, that is a really good video. Have you featured on any other albums?
Wanlov: I have featured on the albums for Ayisoba, Ambulley, and Manifest. I am supposed to do something with Lil Kriz, Tic Tac, Scooby Selah, etc.

Read Part 2 of the interview here