A little about Nusɛ and the Worlasi behind it
So what the heck is this Nusɛ song and all that noise about it? Well, the noises had gotten too loud for #TheAfricanDream not to have heard about them already so we went straight to the source in our quest to comprehend it. Worlasi! Yes, that’s the name and voice behind Nusɛ.
Nus3 is a mixtape according to Ebenezer Attoh of supremeRights record label (sR); the production crew behind Worlasi. Ebenezer who is known popularly in the Ghanaian music production circles as Mannie tells #TheAfricanDream that the stars for some reason perfectly aligned and his crossing paths with Worlasi was by no means a chance adventure.
“We released the mixtape after a bunch of us had gotten together for a listening session in September 2015 after being underground for quite a while. We heavily relied only on three things to push it: 1. God Almighty, 2. Social Media promo and 3. Raw guts“. Well, something must have certainly turned the wheels of fortune in favor of the producer and his artiste because the evidence is all over Ghana now to show how the mixtape has been massively accepted.
Speaking for himself and his work in our interview with him, (more of that interview will follow after the next 3 paragraphs) Worlasi said: “The endless inferiority complex that plagues people especially the youth around me gives me the creeps. I’m trying to correct that through my music. My mission is to help us believe in us, to bolster confidence so we can evolve into titans.“
Anyway, Mannie welcomed us into the secret vaults of sR and ultimately granted #TheAfricanDream the opportunity to chat with Mr. Langani himself. Oh for those who are wondering, Langani is the last name of Worlasi. It was truly a humbling experience for us to speak to this young genius.
Dear reader, if you are in Ghana we highly recommend that you pay that studio a visit if you can, it is located at Kokroko junction in Chatan, very close to Lapaz which happens to be a suburb of Accra on the outskirts of the Ghanaian capital city. Mannie humbly describes himself as a hustler to us and if you listen to Worlasi and Nusɛ, maybe you might understand why.
Enough already, let’s shine the lights on the conversation we had with Worlasi who gave us just a glimpse into the amazing mind of his which we were drawn to by the power of his Nus3 lyrics, read on below and be warned, you will be enlightened and we can’t be responsible for that…
HOW WOULD YOU DESCRIBE YOURSELF AS AN ARTISTE?
I’m a pretty sensitive guy who believes in unearthing the best in people through his art, be it music or painting.
DO TELL US A BIT ABOUT THE MISSION AND VISION BEHIND YOUR ART
The endless inferiority complex that plagues people especially the youth around me gives me the creeps. I’m trying to correct that through my music. My mission is to help us believe in us, to bolster confidence so we can evolve into titans. It’s all fun and games making music but the most important take away is to empower people to be epic. Imagine a people unafraid to take on challenges. Such confidence, what heights wouldn’t we climb?
WHAT ARE SOME OF THE WAYS YOUR WORK HAS RECENTLY ENGAGED YOUR FANS AND HOW DID IT AFFECT YOU?
I’m still underground but the feedback and love for my recent project, Nus3 has been incredible. I’ve got big gunners like M.anifest, Edem and Wanlov da Kubolor hyping my work along with mainstream listeners it’s almost unbelievable. It’s really special for me because save for Wanlov who’s a really honest guy, I have no personal connections with them and them plugging me on their platforms without me asking means the love is genuine.
It’s also cool that people outside my circle and fan base vibe with the tape. No setup there man. The same goes for my fans who support me with encouragement and confessions of how my work has helped or resonates with them. Such earnestness makes me feel really good and pushes me. It’s an inspiration and tells me there’s so much work to do. It feels like a great baton has been handed to me. I have to be consistent with what I do. I’m their hope and this keeps me going. It makes me think and create better and it helps me grow.
TALK BRIEFLY ABOUT HOW THE MUSIC SCENE IN GHANA IS CHANGING AND HOW IT IS AFFECTING LOCAL TRADITIONAL MUSIC
It is super dynamic and evolving into all these different styles and genres to a point where the music scene is gonna be like space, littered with infinite possibilities. This evolution, however, pays homage to traditional music. You can feel it in the grooves and the spirit of the new songs, regardless of how much they incorporate from elsewhere. So as much as there’s a migration towards this evolution and modernity, it heavily borrows from the old. This gives it a new flavor that is sweet to the ears and very interesting, kinda like how your grandma’s cooking always leaves you smacking your lips.
WHAT ARE THE CORE VALUES THAT DRIVE YOU AS A PERSON FIRSTLY AND ALSO AS AN ARTISTE?
All artists are people so I’ll just answer this as one. Fulfillment, respect, and communication are my three core values that drive me. I love what I do and there’s no better reward than feeling fulfilled after getting things done. I do what I do out of respect not just for myself, but for my peers, friends, fans, and listeners.
I believe my music elicits positive vibes and makes you think. It is a lot of respect just for people to listen to my message and flow with it. I reciprocate this by sharing only what I think is most uplifting and beneficial, which leads to communication. I want to make an impact and communication serves me well. I believe my work invokes in listeners the same passion and desires I created it with. If I make music feeling great, my listener would feel same.
WHAT WOULD YOU BE DOING INSTEAD IF YOU DIDN’T END UP DOING WHAT YOU DO NOW?
I doubt I’ll be doing anything different. I’ve always been an artist, it’s my first love. If not music, then definitely something in the creative arts, painting most likely maybe even architecture. I love to give life to ideas. There’s nothing more fantastic than that.
IF THERE’S ONE THING YOU’D LIKE TO BRING TO THE ATTENTION OF PEOPLE IN YOUR SOCIETY, WHAT WOULD THAT BE?
Self-belief is very important to me my friend. We are each blessed with a brain, a heart and hands and even for those who are not blessed with all these things, there’s something great in the human spirit that keeps all wanting to breathe–believe in self! Greatness should ooze from us unrestrained. We can be so much more if we just tap into our inner strengths and cauterize our insecurities. We should be self-reliant and stop being so dependent on foreign aid. With enough passion, focus, will and a bit of thinking, nothing should be impossible.
WHAT IS NEXT FOR WORLASI?
I’m shooting a couple of videos to promote my tape and I’ve also begun work on my debut album. It’s gonna be a live piece of art and I’m excited about it. It should be done by the close of next year and will show my growth as a person and as an artist.
As an artist however, I’m opening an art studio for young budding artists in the painting and drawing department. I want to create a space in which they can comfortably express themselves, a place to embrace and nurture talents. Something akin to a fine arts school that runs on the weekends, holidays and during school vacations until I have enough to expand it into an actual school.
WHAT IS THE HARDEST CONCERN FOR YOU AND HOW DO YOU TACKLE IT?
Spreading my music has been pretty hard. The Internet has been very helpful so far but there’s more that I can do. TV and radio would be great additions but payola is a stubborn thorn that keeps showing up. I’m just out of school and can’t and will prefer not to be pricked by it and neither will supremeRights, my record label. Payola notwithstanding, shooting videos, logistics among other such are pretty expensive and that’s been a challenge.
Because I am still fresh, I also don’t really get funds playing gigs so my team and I have to rely on alternate (re)sources like my paintings. The passion remains though and we’re trying nonetheless.
With that answer, Worlasi left #TheAfricanDream wanting for more, we felt like our interview with him over the Internet needed to keep going but the man is a creative artiste and we can’t monopolize the opportunity we had from Mannie to interview him so yes, go out there and get your very own piece of this sophisticated lyricist inebriated by the exuberance of his own intellectual prowess and passion to see his fellow man rise.
My name is Oral Ofori and I am Founder of TheAfricanDream LLC; an African affairs news media and communication consultancy based in the USA with a hub in Ghana. For now, I know who the heck Worlasi is so going follow him on Twitter, he’s @Worlasirb oh and no hurry, I’ll wait, and while you’re at it listen to his Nusɛ: Strength Within mixtape on SoundCloud.
Written by Oral Ofori
Oral Ofori is Founder and Publisher at www.TheAfricanDream.net, a digital storyteller and producer, and also an information and research consultant.
