I am amazed as to how quick Ghanaians forget things—perhaps, the rebranding of Nana Yaw Kumi by Mark Okraku Mantey has worked so well that people do not even remember the fact that, Kumi Guitar has ‘always’ been in the industry…
The whole talk and extensive buzz about Kumi Guitar (real name Nana Yaw Kumi) nearly got me confused into thinking that, out of no where a musical ‘revolutionist’ has emerged. To be frank, Nana Yaw Kumi has always loved music but has struggled to get the attention he deserves.
Before I take you back to the early days of Kumi Guitar, let me reveal the ‘obvious secret’—Kumi Guitar was featured in a song by Reggie Zippy some years ago. At the time, he called himself ‘Nightmare’.
Watch Kumi Guitar (Nightmare) in Reggie Zippy’s song-Virgin
Any individual who was at Adisadel College between 2001-2003 will remember the nickname ‘Nightmare’ or the formal name-Nana Yaw Kumi, of Canterbury House.
Full of humour and with great understanding of music, Nana Yaw Kumi thrilled us to great self-composed high life songs almost every weekend during our school Entertainment nights. Sometimes, he challenged himself by taking up rap music and he was really good at that too.