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Amsterdam, The Netherlands – October 5, 2009 – Leslie ‘Lee’ Kasumba, the Musical Director of Ghetto Radio interviewed Freddy Will for the Ghetto Radio website: Ghetto Radio is located in Amsterdam, The Netherlands (Europe). It features noteworthy contemporary urban music artists from all over Africa and the Diaspora. October 5th, 2009 Freddy Will was featured on their homepage as, Today’s Artist, and his track, City Boy, was also featured. A full-length interview on Freddy Will was written by Leslie ‘Lee’ Kasumba featured on their music blog:
Leslie ‘Lee’ Kasumba – “Your thoughts on whether the best Hip-Hop comes from Struggle or Celebration or both?”
Freddy: “Hip-hop is the new talking drums. I named my album While I’m Still Young – The Talking Drums 1. 2v because it’s entertainment and enlightenment. It’s a poetic piece of music that comes alive with the right mix of rhymes and adrenaline. Depending on the song, Hip-Hop can be a celebration, or it could be about struggles. Many times it’s about the growth from the struggle to a celebration. I notice that nowadays-younger artists are talking less about their struggle and more about their swagger. But either way, they’re still communicating through their music, it’s still the talking drums. I try to send a message with my songs.”
Ghetto Radio website exists, “…to broaden people’s perspective of Africa via great contemporary urban music and street life/culture,” said Omar Jabbar, the Editor of Ghetto Radio. The music featured is primarily Hip-hop, Reggae and Dance plus there are non-stop music streams that give hungry music listeners a chance to hear something that they might otherwise not get to hear. Ghetto Radio provides its audiences with music, featuring interviews with artists, as well as news reports from all over the African continent and beyond. The streets of urban Africa hold more interesting places that people might otherwise believe. Only if people paid attention to the usual reports of poverty, crime and underdevelopment” said Omar.
To Ghetto Radio’s credit, their audience reach is undeniable. Ghetto Radio’s airwaves reach listeners not only in Europe but also in Dares Salaam (Tanzania), Nairobi (Kenya), Kampala (Uganda), Johannesburg (South Africa), Dakar (Senegal), Lagos (Nigeria) and Harare (Zimbabwe).
Leslie ‘Lee’ Kasumba: “African Hip-Hop is really making waves around the world, anyone you salute?”
Freddy Will: “I would have to say my favorite African act is Akon. I also tilt my hat to French and Wolof rappers or just anyone who does it in an African language. I plan on recording a Krio language album because I got that influence from French and Wolof rappers when I lived in Dakar, Senegal. K’Naan is another talented African act. Back in the day in Sierra Leone, Jimmy B was pretty dope, so I think he paved the way as well. Then there was this guy who I went to school with called AJ Fresh, I think he goes by the name Shadow now; he’s also very talented.”
After the Ghetto Radio article was published, Freddy Will’s MySpace page crashed. It was down for 4 solid days! So many people accessed his page that on the 5th day, all his songs (and page) had to be re-uploaded. A very special thank you goes out to both Omar and Lee for making the article happen.
QUOTE: “I have a growing fan base in Europe, and as my African base grows at an excessive speed, I think my MySpace page will crash a few more times (He laughs.) Special shouts out to Lee and Omar at Ghetto Radio and all my new fans in Amsterdam, Europe and all over Africa.” – Freddy Will
I do not even know how I stopped up here. Africa stand up. Cheers!