Ball J

Ball J performing at GLITZ Africa Fashion Week 2011, Accra

Albert Hanson or Nana Serebo, also known in the music industry as Ball J, was born in Adabraka in the Greater Accra Region of Ghana, on 8 November 1984. He spent most of his formative years in California–United States.[13] He gained his basic education at North Ridge Lyceum at Kanda. He then went to Presbyterian Boys' Senior High School–Legon (PRESEC) for his high school education where he joined a Hip Hop group called 'Skillions', of which he was an active member. After High School, he furthered his education to study Software Programming and Computer networking at Atlantis Computers, Asylum Down–Accra. He then went to the University of Professional Studies (UPS) to pursue a degree in Business Management. Despite his busy schedules on campus, he was still committed 'Skillions' being present for shows, productions and meetings. Music was a natural thing for him as he spent hours listening to his father play music.

Ball J classifies himself as a Hip hop rapper. The rapper's musical lifestyle was influenced by several artists such as Jay Z, Nas, Mase, The Notorious B.I.G and Eminem. Not only is he known in Ghana as Ball J or Ball J Beat, but some also call him Ghana's Jay Z because he sounds like Jay Z when he raps. According to Ball J, he had no choice but to learn beat making since there were no particular institutions in Ghana that focused entirely on Hip hop music production to produce the kind of beats he needed as a Hip hop artist. After School, Ball J decided to have a full-time career in music production with the aim of making Hip hop for himself. Around 2006, Ball J started making beats and demo records in his room with his close friends. He then formed Nu Afrika Records. Around 2008, he decided he needed to be more serious and make masters. He then had to rely on books and seek advice from pioneers in music production such as Kwame Twum, a former bass guitarist for the legendary Kojo Antwi. He consulted Hubert who is also well acclaimed and good in sound mixing and mastering. Ball J also trained with a bass guitarists friend, who had a studio in Lapaz–Accra. All this time, he was studying the general understanding of music production such as the dynamics, compressions and mastering. While learning the trade, he made his first professional hit "Temperature" which featured some of his friends who were part of the Nu Afrika Records; Shao Qan, Krynkman and Screech. He had a few challenges becoming an artist and a music producer. Some of these challenges were the fact that Ghanaians were not much into Hip hop songs. Hit songs in Ghana are mostly songs you can dance to (e.g. Hiplife and Azonto), so this made it very difficult for Hip hop artist such as himself to make a hit song in Ghana. Without forgetting about hip hop, Ball J started fusing his hip hop style of beatmaking with faster beats, which was purposely to fulfill the demands of artists coming to his studio, (Nu Afrika Records). His first significant hit which he produced was Kwawkese's Killa Bewu Last Show in 2010. After that, Ball J produced a lot of songs for both the underground and known artists, but his major milestone was Lapaz Toyota by Guru. The song put Guru on the map in a big way, and significantly improved Ball J's music studio business. As the song blew up, all kinds of artists came to Ball J in the hopes of reproducing Lapaz Toyota's success.[14][15]

He then started working with artists like Kojo Antwi, Guru, Obour [the current president of the Musicians Union of Ghana (MUSIGA)], Tic Tac, Sarkodie, Kwawkese, Stay Jay, Gasmilla, Okra, Nhyiraba Kojo, Obrafour, Castro and the list goes on. Since then, he has been recognized as one of the best music producers in Ghana, with songs like Lapaz Toyota, Let Me Do My Thing, Twaa Me Lala, Non-fa, Innit, Masa I Beg, Pooley and many more as his claim to fame; making hits in Ghana and the world at large. Ball J was nominated for the Best Producer of the year in the Ghana Music Awards. On 21 December 2012, Ball J released his first Hip hop single "All Eyes On You"[16] from his upcoming album "Home and Away" which received credible response and airplay from both Africa and the Western. The 29 March 2013, Good Friday, saw the release of an Afrobeats/Azonto song called "Togo Bikini".[17] He Co-Produced Kwasese's new hit single Yakubu which features Sarkodie and he himself. "Weiyɛ Ball J Beat" (this is Ball J's beat) is his signature phrase which is now a household name.

Ball J is regarded as one of the best rappers in Africa when it comes to hip hop music.[23] He is very good at rap freestyles. Most of his songs online are freestyles, what he calls unwritten freestyle. Ball J has contributed a lot to the Ghana Music Industry, he can be named among top 10 famous Ghanaians who made the Azonto genre and dance popular worldwide.[24][25]

Ball J comes from a family of five; his mother Beatrice Richardson and his father Emmanuel Ayeh-Hanson (late). He has two siblings; Norris Nii Noi Ayeh-Hanson (brother) and Nancy Nana Atei Ayeh-Hanson (sister).

Skillions started as a rap group in 1999 with Jayso[36] and T-Kube, both classmates in Senior High School. After T-Kube left Ghana for the United Kingdom in 2000, Jayso began recruiting young rappers and singers like himself. For Jayso, the dream was to create an empire; a force that will take over the entire Ghanaian Music Scene.

By 2001, The Skillions consisted of Jayso, Ball J and Jinx Therapy (now Frank P).

Jayso, Ball J, EL and J-Town

Jayso later joined the Haatsville Music Group led by Kwame Barfour Osei popularly known as Kobi Onyame.

The Skillions continued to make music together with Haatsville, and Jayso continued to recruit talent to ensure the dream was kept alive. EL, J-Town, Midknight, KP and Sandyswiz joined the Skillions between 2002 and 2005. The group worked on the first ever Hip Hop mixtape to come out of Ghana. The 21 track Mixtape did extremely well and provided a platform for each Skillions Member to showcase their versatility.

After the mixtape, the Skillions members decided to pursue solo careers. Jayso went ahead to use his newly gained platform to help younger upcoming artists to also achieve their dreams. He formed the New Generation Skillions, which consisted of Lil'Shaker, Bra Kevinbeats, Joey B, Grafik, Killmatic, Paapa, Rumor, Noble, Padlock, The Third and Gemini. The New Generation Skillions worked on their mixtape and it was a major success under the Skillions umbrella and Ebuzu Media Services. Some members of the New Generation also pursued solo careers after the mixtape.

Skillions New Generation with Jayso

Over the past few years, Skillions has gone through some major changes and most of the old members have moved on to pursue solo careers. Ball J started Nu Afrika Records EL started GH Productions and is now signed to BBnZ Live, J-town signed to Killa1west, Jinx is unsigned, NKP quit rap, Midknight is in Atlanta, Grafik left, Joey B and Gemini signed to Hammer's Last Two, Kevinbeats signed to Cryme Records and Killmatic is signed to Duncwills Entertainment.

Currently, Skillions is no longer just a group, but a Record Company.[37]

• Official website