R2bees reminds world of their roots with 4th Studio Album: ‘Back to Basics’
With huge excitement around the album, each tune on the release list will bring a buzzing feeling for both people on Ghanaian and international streets that love Afrobeats, highlife or are just diehard global R2Bees fans.
The Ghanaian R2Bees duo are one of Africa’s most popular Afrobeats artists, and their new album follows Omar Sterling’s successful ‘Same Earth, Different Worlds‘ album, which was released this June. Their fourth studio album released this week and titled “Back To Basics” is causing good trouble in my mind as I can’t stop listening to it.
This album, which was released on November 24, 2021, drew a large number of celebrities and fans to show their support and partake in the celebratory occasion both online and at the listening session at Accra in Ghana. I hope you enjoy this snippet video below that I tweeted earlier online.
I wanted to give this album 6 stars, but the pundits say 5 stars will do, in my heart it will always be a 10 star.
Celebrities in attendance during the listening session included Efya, Efia Odo, Kelvin Bwoy, King Promise, Mona4reall, Gyakie, Yaw Tog, MzVee, Kidi, Fameye, K.O.D, and a slew of other Ghanaian stars and others were spotted showing their support for the music pair. Although R2Bees road manager Ahmed Abdul-Rasheed AKA General Tombo who happens to be a senior high school mate of mine (and a bosom friend since 1995) threw me a super-early invite to the album listening. I was unable to fly into Ghana to attend, but was there in spirit as I joined my crew at TheAfricanDream.net jam with Mugeez and Paeday, the duo that forms R2Bees.
The new album features King Promise of Legacy Life Entertainment, Stonebwoy of BHIM Nation, Gyakie of Flip The Music, Darkovibes of La Meme Gang, 2022 Grammy award nominee Wizkid, Mr Eazi of Banku Music, and the Nigerian, hot-tracking Joeboy.
Since the release of ‘I Dey Mad‘ and ‘Yawa Girl‘ by R2Bees in 2008, which became instant hits, the music duo have undoubtedly become prolific in Ghana and Africa if you ask me. Faisal Hakeem, better known as Omar Sterling, and Rashid Mugeez, better known as Mugeez, are two cousins that I was introduced to by General Tombo some 25 years ago.
Back then we were all young boys in Tema, there was no R2Bees. But today as I write this piece and bop my head while listening to ‘Back to Basics‘ I am surprised about why I am even so amazed by how fine these two have grown in the Ghana, Africa and the global music industry — churning out back-to-back hits with a slow-but-sure attitude which was still evident from the last time we met in March 2017 at the Washington DC metro area of the United States!
Anyway, prior to the release of ‘Back To Basics,’ the pair had released their third studio album, ‘Site 15,’ in 2019, a few days after the global COVID19 shutdown which I also have a copy of. Look don’t let me impose my favorites on you because if you know R2Bees then you know ‘Back To Basics‘ is a great album you should be already streaming since yesterday at ziikimedia.lnk.to/back2basics.
Everyone here at TheAfricanDream highly recommends that you should add it to your playlist and jam to it yourselves. And for those asking what my favorite track is on ‘Back To Basics,’ well it is all 15 tracks. So yes the entire album — including that surprise on it! I say this because the whole project is about highlighting simplicity by sticking to their fundamental principles and spiritual awareness as they explore their Ghanaian roots and African origins to positively impact a global audience via the power of music.
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.
