Okyeame Kwame facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Okyeame Kwame
Okyeame Kwame
Background information
Birth name	Kwame Nsiah-Apau
Also known as	Okyeame Kwame, Rap Doctor
Born	(1976-04-17) 17 April 1976 (age 49) Kumasi, Ghana
Genres	Hiplife hip-hop Afropop
Occupation(s)	Singer songwriter actor
Years active	1997–present
Associated acts	Asumadu Ebony Reigns Kwaw Kese Stephanie Benson Amerado Kwabena Kwabena Deborah Vanessa Daddy Lumba Kojo Antwi Ofori Amponsah
Okyeame Kwame Spouse(s) Annica Nsiah-Apau ​ (m. 2009)​ Children Sir Kwame Nsiah Bota, Sante Antwiwaa Nsiah-Apau

Kwame Nsiah-Apau (born April 17, 1976), known as Okyeame Kwame, is a famous Ghanaian musician, songwriter, and activist. People call him the "Rap Doctor" because he's great at rapping. He's also known as an "artivist" because he uses his art to help people and make the world better.

Okyeame Kwame's Life and Career

Early Life and Education

Kwame Nsiah-Apau was born in Kumasi, Ghana. He is the third of six children. His two younger brothers, Kwaku Nsiah Boamah (Flowking Stone) and Kwaku Nsiah Amankwah (Kunta Kinte), are also musicians. They perform together as a duo called "Bradez."

Even though his parents wanted him to be a doctor, Kwame loved rap music from a young age. He started writing his own songs and performing at local shows while at Anglican Senior High School.

Kwame faced challenges in primary school because he has dyslexia. This made reading and writing difficult for him. Because of his own experiences, he now works to include dyslexia support in school lessons in Ghana.

Kwame studied Akan and Sociology at Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology. He also learned about music from Dr. Daniel Amponsah, also known as Agya Koo Nimo. Later, he earned a master's degree in Strategic Marketing from the University of Ghana in 2016.

Music Journey

In 1997, Okyeame Kwame became well-known as part of the "Akyeame" hiplife group with Daniel Kofi Amoateng. They released several albums together, including "Nyansapo" (1997) and "Apam Foforo" (2002).

After the group split in 2004, Kwame started his solo career with his own record label, "One Mic Entertainment". He has worked with many famous Ghanaian artists like Daddy Lumba and Kojo Antwi.

In 2009, Okyeame Kwame won the Artist of the Year award at the Ghana Music Awards. He called himself the "Best Rapper Alive" in a song, which led to a famous disagreement with another rapper, Obrafour. Obrafour challenged him to a rap battle, but Kwame didn't accept. In 2011, Kwame explained that winning the award was enough proof of his talent.

Okyeame Kwame's rap lyrics often teach lessons and talk about social issues. His songs are even studied in some Ghanaian universities.

Music Style

Most of Okyeame Kwame's songs are in the Twi dialect of Ghana's Akan language. However, he also sings in English. His stage name, Okyeame, means "linguist" or "speaker for the royal court" in Akan. This name shows how good he is with words.

He can perform many types of music, including hip-hop, reggae, highlife, R&B, and jazz. This has earned him the nickname "Mr. Versatile."

Special Music Events

In 2012, Kwame started "The Versatile Show," which he produces and performs twice a year at the National Theatre. This show combines poetry, drama, and music.

In 2016, Kwame and his wife created "Flaunt Your Lover." This event gives couples a chance to celebrate their love together.

Other Activities

Since 2019, Okyeame Kwame has organized the "Hiplife Party" every year. This event helps people remember and enjoy the history of hiplife music. He also started "Ok Stripped" in 2016 to raise money for the Ghana Paralympic Team and his hepatitis B vaccination program.

Business Ventures

Kwame runs his own record label, OK Music, which used to be called One Mic Entertainment. He also co-founded Firm Bridges Communications with his wife. His labels have helped many Ghanaian music artists.

He is also a partner in Horseman Shoes, a shoe company. Plus, he's a partner in Sante's Hair for Kids, a hair product business for children. His daughter is the face of this brand.

In May 2021, Okyeame Kwame and his wife released two books called Finding a lasting love relationship and Maintaining a lasting love relationship. These books are guides to healthy relationships.

Promoting Tourism

In 2023, the Ministry of Tourism, Arts, and Culture honored Kwame for his work in tourism. His "Made in Ghana" album, released in 2019, was a project with the Ghana Tourism Authority. It aimed to make Ghanaians proud of their country and encourage tourism.

He has also worked with Adansi Travel and Tour to improve local and international trips, especially for families.

On his 47th birthday in 2023, Kwame launched his own line of boxer shorts called ''Love Equation''.

Working with Companies and Causes

Okyeame Kwame is a well-known figure in Ghana, so many companies want to work with him. He has been a brand ambassador for companies like MTN Group, GT Bank, and Coca-Cola in Ghana.

He was also the public relations officer for the Musicians Union of Ghana (MUSIGA) from 2012 to 2013. In 2014, he joined the Ghana Music Right Owner (GHAMRO).

In 2015, the African Union chose Kwame to be an ambassador for the "My African Union, My Voice" campaign. This campaign helps people in African countries learn about the African Union's goals and get involved.

That same year, he became an ambassador for the Junior Boys Mentoring Conference in Accra. This group helps young boys learn important skills to face challenges in the world.

Kwame has also worked with MDS Lancet Laboratories on his Hepatitis B project. They have given free vaccinations to over 10,000 Ghanaians. This project aims to teach people about Hepatitis B, which is common in Ghana.

To help more Ghanaians get insurance, Kwame was chosen as an ambassador for the "GET INSURED CAMPAIGN" project. His job is to encourage people to get insurance to protect themselves from hard times.

In 2020, the Ghana Education Service made him an ambassador for Technical and Vocational Training (TVET). He promotes TVET among Ghanaians, working alongside important figures like Ghana's First Lady Rebecca Akufo-Addo.

In 2021, Climate Clock, a global climate group, named Kwame a Climate Ambassador. He helps to show how urgent it is to fight climate change. In 2022, he became a brand ambassador for Waylead Ghana Company Limited and Water Aid for their hygiene project.

Music Releases

Kwame released his first solo album, "Boshe Ba" (Promised Child), in 2004. Then came "Manwesem" (My Poetry) in 2008 and "The Clinic" in 2011. In 2012, he launched "The Versatile Show" ("Konfanko").

In 2020, he worked with Jamaican dancehall artist Sizzla Kalonji on a song called Come Home. This song encourages Africans living abroad to remember and return to their homeland.

Film and TV Work

Okyeame Kwame has helped find new African talent by being a judge on music reality shows in Ghana. He has also acted in Ghanaian films like Ties That Bind and The Comforter.

Family Life

Kwame married Annica Nsiah-Apau in 2009. They have two children, Sir Kwame Bota and Sante Antwiwaa. As mentioned earlier, his two younger brothers, Flowking Stone and Kunta Kinte, are also rappers known as Bradez. Okyeame Kwame has one sister.

Helping Others (Philanthropy)

In 2009, Okyeame Kwame started the Okyeame Kwame Foundation. This foundation works to raise awareness about hepatitis B in Ghana. It offers free screenings, prevention tips, and education. The foundation holds regular screening and vaccination events across Ghana, helping hundreds of people.

In 2014, he organized the "Celebrity Car Wash" event to raise money for his campaign. The goal was to provide free vaccinations to at least 1000 Ghanaians. The foundation has also helped build a hepatitis B treatment center in Tamale.

Because of his efforts to provide free screenings for people in need, Kwame has been named the Hepatitis B Ambassador for the Ghana Health Service.

After becoming a Climate Ambassador, Kwame started a project to train 2000 "Climate Champions" from junior and senior high schools. This project aims to teach children about climate change and how it affects them. Students learn using the Climate Clock, plant trees, and promise to protect them. This commitment is then passed on to others, focusing on growing and protecting trees for the climate.

Awards and Recognition

Okyeame Kwame has received many honors for his music and his work in the community:

• In 2016, the Mayor of Cincinnati, Ohio, USA, gave him a Key to the City. They also declared November 17 as 'Okyeame Kwame Day' to celebrate him as an International Cultural Ambassador.
• In 2017, he was honored by the Chartered Institute of Marketing Ghana for using marketing well in his creative work.
• He won the best video award at the 2017 Ghana Music Honours for his song "Small Small."
• He also received a United States Presidential Volunteer Service Award for his amazing work in fighting hepatitis B.
• In April 2017, he was named 'Outstanding Health Ambassador' by the Asantehene, Otumfuo Nana Osei Tutu II.
• In 2017, Okyeame Kwame joined David Beckham and Hugh Jackman as UNICEF Super Dad Ambassadors. He was chosen because of his wonderful relationship with his children.
• In 2024, Okyeame Kwame attended the Earthshot Prize Awards in South Africa. He proudly wore the traditional Ghanaian cloth, ‘Kente’, to the event.

Community Projects

Kwame is dedicated to making Africa a better place. He was named the Climate Change Ambassador for the Ghana Dedicated Grant Mechanism (DGM). This project helps reduce the impact of climate change in Africa. Okyeame Kwame and the DGM Project have visited many farming communities in Ghana. They use his fame to bring people together and discuss ways to protect the environment and use land wisely.

His Okyeame Kwame Foundation has been working on a Hepatitis B vaccination project since 2009. They have screened over 10,000 people and vaccinated about 5,000 for free.

His latest album, "Made in Ghana", encourages Ghanaians to be proud of their identity and buy local products. Because of this album, the Ministry of Trade and Industry appointed Kwame as an Ambassador for the ‘Made in Ghana’ campaign. He also worked with the Tourism Ministry to promote buying Ghanaian goods and services.

He is also a board member of World Reader, a group that provides e-books to people in developing countries. They use e-readers and mobile phones to offer a digital library of over 45,000 books. They also build solar panels in areas without electricity so people can read digital books.

Awards and Nominations