Musician/Poet Kwame credits his
musical upbringing to his "grannies"
and the general environment of his
Swedru village back in Ghana,
West Afrika, where his roots first
blossomed. "There was drumming, and
dancing, and of course singing" says
Kwame.
To educate and entertain, Kwame
incorporates his Afrikan heritage into
his shows. " I feel education goes
beyond the classroom. We bring
culture to the people. We teach
knowledge of the self," he said.
After a brief stint with high school
bands, Kwame left Ghana in 1979 in
response to that distant drum. His
journeys led him through the Caribbean
to the ends of the United States where
he resides today in Chicago, Illinois.
With his five-piece band Wan-Afrika,
Kwame hits the stage and lets you know
that the Afrikan Roots Ambassador has
arrived. He sings of the joys and sorrows
of humanity, never forgetting his humility.
The band has performed throughout the
USA sharing the bill with notables like
Third World, Mutabaruka, Pato Banton,
Sonny Ade, Wailing Souls, Sonny
Okusun and many others.
Kwame has been the recipient of many
industry awards and honorable mentions
including: Martin International's Chicago
Reggae Music Awards "Best Artist" and
"Most Culture-Oriented Band".
Kwame and Wan-Afrika, as in a United
Afrika, reflective of a universal harmony,
to defend the poor and the afflicted
through the language of
roots- rock-reggae.
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