Two young budding African talents have been named winners of the “Black Commando” track competition put together by Guinness #madeofblack and Ghanaian singer Fuse ODG.
Guinness and Fuse ODG on October 22, 2014 announced they have settled on Desmond Galabe, a sound technician from Cameroon and a law student Osamudiamen Obasogie of Nigeria in their search for Africa’s hottest new #madeofblack talent.
The competition forms part of the Guinness #madeofblack campaign which was launched across Africa via a hijack on MTV Base in August this year. Entrants were asked to listen to Fuse ODG’s “Black Commando” track and write their words for the two empty verses in the track.
Led by Fuse ODG, the Africa-focused campaign celebrates young persons who are not afraid to express themselves and have carved their own path in life.
The winners will now go on to work with their respective #madeofblack mentors, Stanley Enow and Olamide, as they put finishing touches to the beats and rhymes for their verses. The campaign provides a stage for them to showcase their flair, imagination and share their own #madeofblack attitude. Desmond and Osamudiamen will work with Fuse ODG as they lay down the final track.
Commenting, celebrated Ghanaian musician Fuse ODG said “With Guinness, I have been looking for musicians with energy, passion and creativity to join me on this all African collaboration…we have found two lyricists who are #madofblack, Desmond and Osamudiamen. I have high expectations for the final track”.
Once the track has been recorded, the music video for Black Commando will be filmed by award winning Nigerian music video producer, Clarence Peters. The video will be premiered on MTV Base’s Guinness Hour Black show on Thursday, October 23, 2014 on MTV Base, Viasat 1 and 4Syte TV at 9pm. Fuse added “I am very excited about working with the amazing Clarence Peters to film the music video at Hour Black.”
Desmond Galabe is a sound technician, who was encouraged to enter the competition as his favourite artist is Fuse ODG. He said “I am so excited at the prospect of being part of such a cool music collaboration and sharing my own #madeofblack attitude. I can’t wait to work with Fuse ODG.”
For Osamudiamen Obasogie who is a law student at the University of Benin, Nigeria, he said “I submitted my selfie video to madeofblack.com as love the Guinness #madeofblack campaign. I am looking forward to working with Fuse ODG, Olamide and Stanley Enow and I expect the experience will make me a better rapper.”
#madeofblack is not about colour, Black is an attitude; an attitude that epitomises the individuals who aren’t afraid to express themselves.