If Amy Winehouse was Ghanaian ... and flanked by a bike gang
July 10, 2014 4:27 AM Subscribe
Ghanaian R&B singer Y'akoto bemoans her lack of Perfect Timing - and the same bikers support Ghanaian/Brookylnese rapper Blitz the Ambassador reminiscing about his Ghanaian childhood in Make You No Forget (via).
If Amy Winehouse was Ghanaian
Is that something that's been said about her (some article or webpage or something) or is that your own unique observation? At any rate, it certainly sounds like she's listened to Amy Winehouse. Her inflections are very similar.
posted by flapjax at midnite at 5:08 AM on July 10, 2014 [1 favorite]
Is that something that's been said about her (some article or webpage or something) or is that your own unique observation? At any rate, it certainly sounds like she's listened to Amy Winehouse. Her inflections are very similar.
posted by flapjax at midnite at 5:08 AM on July 10, 2014 [1 favorite]
Whoever said it, I agree that the comparison is apt. Thanks for putting her on my radar.
posted by GrapeApiary at 5:21 AM on July 10, 2014
posted by GrapeApiary at 5:21 AM on July 10, 2014
It's in the via link ("German-Ghanaian afro-folk singer Y’akoto has a deeply soulful voice tinged with echoes of Billie Holiday, Nina Simone and Amy Winehouse that shines through on her latest offering “Perfect Timing.”), but I admit it was what I first thought of when I heard it.
posted by ChuraChura at 5:27 AM on July 10, 2014
posted by ChuraChura at 5:27 AM on July 10, 2014
Great videos! Both artists have a ton of videos on youtube and I'm having fun watching them now.
posted by Dip Flash at 5:46 AM on July 10, 2014
posted by Dip Flash at 5:46 AM on July 10, 2014
Good stuff, Chura. (Given a personal interest, are there places you'd know where quality African music videos are collected/curated/easily come-by-able?)
posted by progosk at 6:32 AM on July 10, 2014
posted by progosk at 6:32 AM on July 10, 2014
Progosk, Okayafrica is great for pop culture and music (previously); Africa Is A Country often has interesting music, too. Also Awesome Tapes. Just randomly, my two favorite recent songs (not from any of those places, but that I happened upon) are Kukere and You, both of which open up youtube rabbit holes to other Nigerian and Ivorian music. There's some more Nigerian music on iroking, but that's sort of a Spotify-esque thing that you sign up for to stream music.
posted by ChuraChura at 7:00 AM on July 10, 2014 [2 favorites]
posted by ChuraChura at 7:00 AM on July 10, 2014 [2 favorites]
Cool! Some folks I know have been working on a feature documentary about the bikers featured in these videos. They released a short film version awhile back, but I don't know that it's available online.
posted by boots at 7:13 AM on July 10, 2014 [1 favorite]
posted by boots at 7:13 AM on July 10, 2014 [1 favorite]
Man now I want to be in Ghana. Thanks for the post.
posted by TheTingTangTong at 7:15 AM on July 10, 2014
posted by TheTingTangTong at 7:15 AM on July 10, 2014
I absolutely loved the Y'akoto video. Thanks for posting!
posted by juliplease at 7:20 AM on July 10, 2014
posted by juliplease at 7:20 AM on July 10, 2014
Baby Blues is the album that I've mostly listened to and Y'akoto is OK, but she always fit into my head as the person you listened to after you'd got bored with all the other soulful female Afro-German acts.
1. Nneka
2. Ayo
3. Y'akoto
I never saw the sonic link to Winehouse, but that's because I mainly hate Winehouse, and I mainly like Y'akoto.
posted by zoo at 7:24 AM on July 10, 2014
1. Nneka
2. Ayo
3. Y'akoto
I never saw the sonic link to Winehouse, but that's because I mainly hate Winehouse, and I mainly like Y'akoto.
posted by zoo at 7:24 AM on July 10, 2014
I guess we have different mental grouping for like-sounding acts, zoo. In my mind Nneka and Ayo are something like acoustic soul, and almost nothing like Y'akoto's modern Motown/r&b thing she's got going.
In that they're all African and female, I'd have to put Zap Mama and Yolandi Visser in the group you present also.
Also, seek out acoustic versions by Winehouse if those first two are your thing.
posted by cmoj at 7:56 AM on July 10, 2014 [3 favorites]
In that they're all African and female, I'd have to put Zap Mama and Yolandi Visser in the group you present also.
Also, seek out acoustic versions by Winehouse if those first two are your thing.
posted by cmoj at 7:56 AM on July 10, 2014 [3 favorites]
Sweet!
Love the song, the delivery, the look - the clothes! Great stuff.
posted by Naberius at 8:03 AM on July 10, 2014 [2 favorites]
Love the song, the delivery, the look - the clothes! Great stuff.
posted by Naberius at 8:03 AM on July 10, 2014 [2 favorites]
Nice.
posted by benito.strauss at 9:29 AM on July 10, 2014
posted by benito.strauss at 9:29 AM on July 10, 2014
The Blitz the Ambassador video features Seun Kuti, son of Afrobeat pioneer Fela Kuti. Which is so very very cool.
posted by Purposeful Grimace at 10:20 AM on July 10, 2014 [1 favorite]
posted by Purposeful Grimace at 10:20 AM on July 10, 2014 [1 favorite]
I actually have the skirt Y'akoto is wearing, bought at the BAM Dance Africa Crafts Bazaar!
posted by maggiemaggie at 3:03 PM on July 10, 2014
posted by maggiemaggie at 3:03 PM on July 10, 2014
Man, I would kill for that orange suit and tank top combo dude is rocking from 0:57 on in the first video.
posted by 256 at 3:44 PM on July 10, 2014
posted by 256 at 3:44 PM on July 10, 2014
Wow, that is great. Thanks for posting these.
posted by LobsterMitten at 10:38 PM on July 12, 2014
posted by LobsterMitten at 10:38 PM on July 12, 2014
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posted by young_son at 5:04 AM on July 10, 2014 [1 favorite]