Gasmilla Treats Music Like His women

On 15th December 1984, a Ga was born with a course to provide music to the world with the Ga language.  The Ga singer has been involved in music since age 7, after a childhood influence from his father. Gasmilla, is the artistic name of this singer and he is currently one of Ghana’s finest artistes in the country with his hit song “Telemo” enjoying massive airplay.  Gasmilla shares his story and throws more light on “Telemo” with Gabriella Kubach Annan.

How is telemo doing?

Telemo is marvelously doing well. I am impressed about the fact that it is a Ga song and doing very well. It has become a nationwide hit. I am of thebelieve that it is heading international.

What is “telemo” all about?

“Telemo” has two sides; the fun side and the Inspirational side. The fun side being “Oyawo kakla yoo, aafↄlↄ bo tamo shito loo, telemo”, meaning you have gone in for a “knife lady” and she’s cutting you up like grilled tilapia, carry it’’ and the Inspirational side  is “esani ole, Nyↄↄŋmↄ gbeↄ ni ayeↄ. Nshↄ gajaa nƹƹ po efaa ni eyiↄↄ” literally meaning you should know, Its God who kills, for us to eat. Even this large sea, is able to overflow its boundaries. In the end my fans should remember that you can do all things through God, hard work and determination.

After “telemo” what is next for Gasmilla?

After Telemo I have my Homowo Beach Cleanup Jams coming up and after that my first album drops. “Homowo” is a festivity that brings people from all walks of life together to make merry and I want to change that mentality of it  been only a time for merry making. So in view of that during the Homowo festival  we go out in  our numbers to clean up  and in the evening we have a free jam  for the people to show  appreciation for coming out in their numbers to support the clean up exercise. This year, the artistes  on the bill include  Okyeme Kwame, EL, Edem, One love kuborlor, Ruff and  Smooth, Double, Adanny Best, LuckyMensah, Raquel, Eazzy, Obrafuo, Tinny, D.Black and Kwaw Kesse. These artistes are helping me out for five weeks clean up exercise; where cleaning is done in the morning and fun aspect follows in the evening.

The project which will commence on August 15, 2015 is done to eradicate the spread of Malaria and Chorela. This will be followed with clean ups at Osu, La, Teshie and Nungua. All the artistes on the bill are expected to pass through to support the clean up exercises in the various Ga communities.

Why are you so popular for your songs yet you have not received any award?

Awards are given out by human beings and sometimes they manipulate it but I believe there is your time and the Lord’s time which together makes a perfect time. To me, my perfect time is yet to come.

Apart from music what do you do for a living?

I do full time music. Music is too exhausting to do something else .Music is my first love and I treat it like the way  treat women. I devoted my hundred percent time to my music so I don’t think I can do anything aside music.

TGT: What do you do during your leisure time?

I don’t have a leisure time; I am the CEO of Fisherman Records and I have to run around and make money since I am the executive producer. So my leisure time is used in running around to get money.  I used to use my leisure time to read, swim and go for clubbing but all that stopped when full time music came in.

Who is Gasmilla?

Gasmilla is one International Fisherman from “JAMES TOWN‘’ precisely a Chokor boy who has two personalities. The educated part which makes up   Milla Joseph Odartei Lampety. This part of me  is the  cool, underground, the homely and not a trouble maker kind of guy and  the second part being the Gasmilla  brand I wear when I go out during interviews  but the real guy behind the camera is a cool and calm character.

How did the name Gasmilla come about?

The name Gasmilla came about through a game I used to play called Top Gear and in that game there used to be something called Gas, so when am playing the game I save all 3 nitrogen’s for the final round that is the Gas; which I used to win my final round and people started calling me Gas and Milla Lamptey is my real name so I added the Gas to the Milla and got Gasmilla that’s how it came about and it’s been my nickname since JSS.

How many songs do you have to your credit?

I have over 400 songs, because am always in the studio working. I am a workaholic but am thinking of doing 30 songs for first album.

Have you featured any underground artiste on your upcoming album?

Yes and my first album will be dedicated to the underground artistes and not superstars because I believe the underground artistes are the ones who need help. When popular musicians feature other celebrities on their album, I believe it’s like giving food to someone who doesn’t need it. In my opinion, underground artistes need help because most of them need a record label to push them so I featured them in my first album to unleash their talents to world.

Any advice to your fans out there?

“Don’t let anyone tell you that you can’t do it because people will tell you can’t do it, because they can’t   try. When you fall; wake up; dust yourself and keep going on and at the end of the day if you believe you have goals don’t let anyone dictate to you.

Is Gasmilla married?

No, I am not married because in between studio and running around, playing shows, interviews I am too swamped. It’s not on my mind now but I believe in time I will meet the right person.

 Who is your sound engineer/producer?

I don’t have one producer; I have lot of producers.  I believe in underground producers.

“ABODATOWE”my first hit song was produced by Decoder and Robbie Beatz with 3 points and Ayoo and some others underground producers. These underground people have so much   potential and talent, hence tapping into their potential.  My aim is to expose them to the world so that they can gradually climb the ladder to the top.

TGT: What should your fans expert from you before the year ends?

Wicked stuffs! I ask God for one and he gives me million; so I am asking for one album but I might drop three albums before the year ends. I believe I have not landed yet but rather warming up; when I start speeding up my music won’t only be about Ghana but rather placing Ghana on the map and making sure that we have more celebrities and superstars out there making Ghana Proud.

TGT: Talking about making Ghana proud, have you done any collaboration with any artistes outside Ghana?

Not yet, but I have sent words out for collaboration and looking forward to have a collaboration with Don Jazzy, Phino, Olamide, Flavor and Wande Cole.  I love the Nigerian style of music. These are great artists; when it comes to Francophone am crazy about 2fun, falipupa. I am working on getting much collaboration; the kind that will put Africa on the map and bring Ghana and other countries together to let the world know what we are made of.

What are your best childhood days?

The best feeling is the time when my late mother prepared Banku and Okro stew for me, the goosebumps that its gave me back then is one of the greatest the memories I have of my childhood.

How many siblings do you have?

We are six in all; from my mother’s side but I have a step brother and sister.

It’s been nice interviewing you Gasmilla.

Source: YEN.com.gh