Tic Tac (musician)
Encyclopedia
Nana Kwaku Okyere Duah aka Tic Tac is an award-winning hiplife
musician originally from Kwamo, a suburb in the Ashanti Region
in Ghana
.
. He first began performing in 1997 with a group called 'Natty Strangers' along with his best friend Bessem Bikhazi (famously known as Cold Sweat. After becoming the most eagerly awaited group in Ghana, winning awards at events such as Kidafest, Fun World, Source etc., Tic Tac later went on to release an self-produced album after Bessem migrated to the UK to train as a Commercial Pilot. During his early career, Tic Tac modeled his style after his idol Busta Rhymes
. Bessem Bikhazi, now a fully qualified pilot is currently managing Tic Tac.
Tic Tac reached a wider audience when he was featured on Azigiza's song "Woye Bia", which was a hit in Ghana. Collaborations with Slim Busterr and Daasebre Gyamenah followed. In 1999 Tic Tac released his debut solo album, Philomena, which spawned several hits.
"Menka Bio (Shordy)", a single from Tic Tac's third album, Masem, topped the Ghana music chart for 22 consecutive weeks in 2002-2003, which was a record at the time. The launch of his fourth album, Wope, was one of the largest ever in Ghana. Wope was groundbreaking for the hiplife genre in that it featured several major international stars, including Freddy Meiway from Côte d'Ivoire
on the title track and Tony Tetuila
of Nigeria
on "Fefe n'efe", which sampled Fela Kuti
. His fifth album, Accra Connection, featured collaborations with Sway DaSafo
, Rhian Benson
, D'Banj
, and JJC
.
Tic Tac has performed internationally, alongside artists such as 50 Cent
, Lloyd Banks
, Kanda Bongo Man
, and Buju Banton
.
Africa charts.
During the 2008 Africa Cup of Nations, the Ghana national football team
began using the song, with its accompanying dance, to celebrate goals.
in Sierra Leone
and Ghana alongside Ramsey Noah and Oswald Boateng, as part of the WFP raising funds for children.
He is also the current vice chairman of the Greater Accra region
of Musiga, and is constantly involved in numerous campaigns with Musiga to educate and unite the musicians of Ghana.
Hiplife
Hiplife is a Ghanaian musical style which fuses highlife and hip hop. It is also influenced by dancehall and reggae. Recorded in Ghanaian languages such as Twi, Ewe and Ga, hiplife is rapidly gaining popularity throughout West Africa and abroad, especially in the United Kingdom, United States,...
musician originally from Kwamo, a suburb in the Ashanti Region
Ashanti Region
The Ashanti Region is the third largest of 10 administrative regions in Ghana, occupying a total land surface of 24389 square kilometers or 10.2 per cent of the total land area of Ghana. In terms of population, however, it is the most populated region with a population of 3,612,950 in 2000,...
in Ghana
Ghana
Ghana , officially the Republic of Ghana, is a country located in West Africa. It is bordered by Côte d'Ivoire to the west, Burkina Faso to the north, Togo to the east, and the Gulf of Guinea to the south...
.
Career
Tic Tac began his music career while a secondary school student in AccraAccra
Accra is the capital and largest city of Ghana, with an urban population of 1,658,937 according to the 2000 census. Accra is also the capital of the Greater Accra Region and of the Accra Metropolitan District, with which it is coterminous...
. He first began performing in 1997 with a group called 'Natty Strangers' along with his best friend Bessem Bikhazi (famously known as Cold Sweat. After becoming the most eagerly awaited group in Ghana, winning awards at events such as Kidafest, Fun World, Source etc., Tic Tac later went on to release an self-produced album after Bessem migrated to the UK to train as a Commercial Pilot. During his early career, Tic Tac modeled his style after his idol Busta Rhymes
Busta Rhymes
Trevor Tahiem Smith, Jr., better known by his stage name Busta Rhymes ,Smith is an American rapper, producer and actor. Chuck D of Public Enemy gave him the alias Busta Rhymes after NFL wide receiver George "Buster" Rhymes...
. Bessem Bikhazi, now a fully qualified pilot is currently managing Tic Tac.
Tic Tac reached a wider audience when he was featured on Azigiza's song "Woye Bia", which was a hit in Ghana. Collaborations with Slim Busterr and Daasebre Gyamenah followed. In 1999 Tic Tac released his debut solo album, Philomena, which spawned several hits.
"Menka Bio (Shordy)", a single from Tic Tac's third album, Masem, topped the Ghana music chart for 22 consecutive weeks in 2002-2003, which was a record at the time. The launch of his fourth album, Wope, was one of the largest ever in Ghana. Wope was groundbreaking for the hiplife genre in that it featured several major international stars, including Freddy Meiway from Côte d'Ivoire
Côte d'Ivoire
The Republic of Côte d'Ivoire or Ivory Coast is a country in West Africa. It has an area of , and borders the countries Liberia, Guinea, Mali, Burkina Faso and Ghana; its southern boundary is along the Gulf of Guinea. The country's population was 15,366,672 in 1998 and was estimated to be...
on the title track and Tony Tetuila
Tony Tetuila
Anthony Olanrewaju Awotoye better known as Tony Tetuila is an Afro hip hop artist from Nigeria. His name, Olanrewaju, means "My wealth is the future". Formerly a member of The Remedies , he split with the group and has been successful as a solo artist...
of Nigeria
Nigeria
Nigeria , officially the Federal Republic of Nigeria, is a federal constitutional republic comprising 36 states and its Federal Capital Territory, Abuja. The country is located in West Africa and shares land borders with the Republic of Benin in the west, Chad and Cameroon in the east, and Niger in...
on "Fefe n'efe", which sampled Fela Kuti
Fela Kuti
Fela Anikulapo Kuti , or simply Fela , was a Nigerian multi-instrumentalist musician and composer, pioneer of Afrobeat music, human rights activist, and political maverick.-Biography:...
. His fifth album, Accra Connection, featured collaborations with Sway DaSafo
Sway DaSafo
Derek Andrew Safo is a Ghanaian British musician who uses the stage names Sway DaSafo or Sway. He is signed to Akon's Konvict Muzik record label and he is also a producer, establishing DCypha Productions.-Childhood:...
, Rhian Benson
Rhian Benson
Rhiannon Afua "Rhian" Benson is a Ghanaian soul and jazz singer, songwriter, and composer.-Early life:Benson was born in Accra, Ghana to a Welsh mother, who was a singer, and an Ashanti father, who was a guitarist, and she has a younger sister.She was raised in Ghana, India, where her family moved...
, D'Banj
D'banj
Dapo Daniel Oyebanjo , is a Nigerian singer-songwriter and harmonica player. He has won several music awards including the awards for Best African Act at the MTV Europe Music Awards 2007, Artist of the Year at the MTV Africa Music Awards 2009. and BET Awards of 2011 for Best International Act; Africa...
, and JJC
JJC
JJC a.ka Skillz, is most known in the UK as the producer and creator of the multi-platinum and award winning group Big Brovaz. He has also worked with the likes of Jamelia, Lemar, Jennifer Lopez, Liberty X and Genuwine....
.
Tic Tac has performed internationally, alongside artists such as 50 Cent
50 Cent
Curtis James Jackson III , better known by his stage name 50 Cent, is an American rapper, entrepreneur, investor, record producer, and actor. He rose to fame with the release of his albums Get Rich or Die Tryin and The Massacre . Get Rich or Die Tryin has been certified eight times platinum by...
, Lloyd Banks
Lloyd Banks
Christopher Charles Lloyd , better known by his stage name Lloyd Banks, is an American rapper and member of the rap group G-Unit. Raised in South Jamaica, Queens, he dropped out of high school in 1998. G-Unit released two albums, Beg for Mercy in 2003 and T.O.S. in 2008...
, Kanda Bongo Man
Kanda Bongo Man
Kanda Bongo Man, born 1955 in Inongo, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, is a prominent soukous musician.Kanda Bongo Man become the singer for Orchestra Belle Mambo in 1973, developing a sound influenced by Tabu Ley...
, and Buju Banton
Buju Banton
Buju Banton is a Jamaican dancehall, ragga, and reggae musician.Banton has recorded pop and dance songs, as well as songs dealing with sociopolitical topics....
.
"Kangaroo"
The video for Tic Tac's 2006 single "Kangaroo" was directed by Gil Green and reached the top of the MTV BaseMTV Base
MTV Base is a 24-hour music and general entertainment channel from MTV Networks International. The channel focuses primarily on music from the world of R'n'B, hiphop, reggae, soul and urban. The MTV Base brand first launched in the United Kingdom and in the Republic of Ireland on July 1, 1999,...
Africa charts.
During the 2008 Africa Cup of Nations, the Ghana national football team
Ghana national football team
The Ghana national football team, popularly known as the Black Stars, is the national association football team of Ghana and is controlled by the Ghana Football Association...
began using the song, with its accompanying dance, to celebrate goals.
Awards and recognition
Tic Tac has been the recipient of eleven Ghana Music Awards, including Musician of the Year in 2004. At the 2005 Ghana Music Awards, he had a record nine nominations.Humanitarian work
Tic Tac is currently involved in a campaign with the United NationsUnited Nations
The United Nations is an international organization whose stated aims are facilitating cooperation in international law, international security, economic development, social progress, human rights, and achievement of world peace...
in Sierra Leone
Sierra Leone
Sierra Leone , officially the Republic of Sierra Leone, is a country in West Africa. It is bordered by Guinea to the north and east, Liberia to the southeast, and the Atlantic Ocean to the west and southwest. Sierra Leone covers a total area of and has an estimated population between 5.4 and 6.4...
and Ghana alongside Ramsey Noah and Oswald Boateng, as part of the WFP raising funds for children.
He is also the current vice chairman of the Greater Accra region
Greater Accra Region
The Greater Accra Region is the smallest of Ghana's 10 administrative regions in terms of area, occupying a total land surface of 3,245 square kilometres or 1.4 per cent of the total land area of Ghana...
of Musiga, and is constantly involved in numerous campaigns with Musiga to educate and unite the musicians of Ghana.