Obrafour

Michael Elliot Kwabena Okyere Darko popularly known as Obrafour, other names include Rap Executioner and Rap Sofo[1] (born c. 1976) is a Ghanaian hiplife musician and rapper.[2] Obrafour has a unique style of Twi rapping and storytelling.[3] His popular and hit debut album "Pae mu ka", for which he won 3 awards during the 2000 edition of Ghana Music Awards is arguably one of the best selling albums in Ghana. In May 2019, Obrafour celebrated the 20th anniversary of the "Pae mu ka" album.[4] He is revered as one of the Most Iconic figures in the Ghana Music Industry.

Early life

Obrafour was born in Obo Kwahu to a chorister mother by name Mrs. Gladys Agyapomaa and Mr. Kwaku Okyere Darko.[5] He wanted to become a lawyer which failed after his mother's death.[6][7] This was in 1995 after one term at St. Peter's Boys Senior High School when as he was preparing for his A levels. He had his basic education at New Star Preparatory School and proceeded to Abetifi Secondary before getting into St. Peter's Boys Senior High School.[5] At a very young age, he would perform with his mother in church [8] and has celebrated the role of motherhood throughout his career.

Music career

His musical influence came from his mother. While in high school, he put together a quartet that sang gospel songs. Later on Quincy a friend of Obrafour's who could rap, introduced him to the art. He attended auditions and performance sessions and met Hammer who was then an amateur beat maker. Hammer facilitated a deal between Obrafour and Abraham Ohene Djan (OM Studios) and in the latter part of 1999, Pae Mu Ka, his debut album was released.[5] On November 9, 2019, he commemorated the 20th anniversary of the album at the 'Pae Mu Ka' concert at the Accra Intentional Conference Centre.[9]

In April 2023, he filed a lawsuit against Drake for sampling his 'Oye Ohene' remix on his 'Calling my Name' track without his consent. Presenting his case, Obrafour stated that an agent Of Drake reached out to him for permission to use his work and went ahead with it without his authorization. He sued for $ 10 million on the grounds that the song had garnered a lot of patronage on several platforms since its release.[10][11][12]

Discography
  • Pae Mu Ka (1999)
  • Asem Sebe (2001)
  • Tofa (2005)
  • Asem Beba Dabi
  • Heavy (2006)
  • Nte Tee Pa (2003)
  • Yaanom
  • Maame
  • Kwame Nkrumah
  • Kasiebo
  • Still Strong(2018)
  • Love Anthem(2018)
  • Adom Bi(2019)

Awards and nominations

Ghana Music Awards
Year Nominee / work Award Result Ref
2000 Himself Rapper of the Year Won [2]
Himself New Artiste of the Year Won
"Pae mu ka" Hiplife song of the Year Won

Ghana Music Awards UK
Year Nominee / work Award Result Ref
2004 "Ntete Pa" Album of the Year Won [2]

References
  1. "#PaeMuKaAt20: Obrafour announces activities for 20th anniversary". ghanaweb.com.
  2. "Obrafour, hiplife Artist". ghanaweb.com.
  3. Charry, Eric S. (2012). Hip Hop Africa: New African Music in a Globalizing World. Indiana University Press. ISBN 9780253003072.
  4. "Photos: Celebrities defy rains to celebrate Obrafour's 'Pae Mu Ka' @20". myjoyonline.com.
  5. "Biography Of Obrafour". News Ghana. 2012-02-18. Retrieved 2019-11-05.
  6. "Obrafour, the failed lawyer; the legend hiplife artiste - MyJoyOnline.com". myjoyonline.com.
  7. "I Couldn't Go Back To School Again After I Lost My Mother- Obrafour". GhLinks.com.gh™. 2019-03-19. Retrieved 2019-05-31.
  8. "Obrafour". ghanaweb.com. Retrieved 2019-09-11.
  9. "Watch The Moment Shatta Wale Jammed To Samini's Performance At Obrafuor's 'Pae Mu Ka' Concert » GhBase•com™". GhBase•com™. 2019-11-10. Retrieved 2019-11-11.
  10. Mensah, Edith (April 19, 2023). "Obrafour sues Drake for copyright infringement".
  11. Tollo, Nathan (2023-04-19). "Obrafour sues Canadian rapper Drake for alleged copyright infringement". 3News.com. Retrieved 2023-04-24.
  12. "Obrafour sues Drake for $10m after rapper sampled 'Oye Ohene' without consent - MyJoyOnline.com". www.myjoyonline.com. 2023-04-19. Retrieved 2023-04-24.


Relevant liteature
  • Oduro-Frimpong, Joseph. "The Pleasure(s) of Proverb Discourse in Contemporary Popular Ghanaian Music: The Case of Obrafour’s Hiplife Songs." Being and Becoming African as a Permanent Work in Progress: Inspiration from Chinua Achebe's Proverbs, edited by Franics B. Nyamnjoh, Patrick Nwosu, and Hassan M. Yoimbom. Bamenda, Cameroon: Langaa Research and Publishing. (2021): 259-280.


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