Tictac in Focus

Nana Kwaku Okyere Duah aka Tic Tac is originally from Kwamo a suburb of the Ashanti Region. The story began in 1997, when he and another boy formed a group named 'Natty Strangers'. Young as they were they became the toast of many shows. Tic Tac stood out from the rest of the group, his voice described by most as similar

to Busta Rhymes.
Tic Tac went on to feature on Azigiza's 'Woye Bia' which became a big hit in Ghana. He then went to ollaborate with Slim Buster's 'Masan Aba' and Dassebre's 'Ahofe. These collaborations helped Tic Tac establish a name for

himself in the industry. 'Philomena' his debut album hit the streets in June 1999 and saw songs like 'KKBK' and 'MMAA 4MULA' top the charts in Ghana for several weeks.

The pressure was on after 'Masom' to deliver a another hit album, but it wasn't until the third album 'Masem' which means 'my story' that gave him another big hit 'Menkabio' fondly called (Shoddies) a ladies song which

stayed on the charts for no more than 23 consecutive weeks. This gave him 6 nominations at the Ghana Music Awards of that year and won him best collaboration.

After a two-year hiatus which gave him the opportunity to develop his song writing skills and himself lyrically, Tic Tac released his fourth album 'Wope' an album dedicated to Africans within and in the Diaspora. He became

the first hip life artist to collaborate with anyone outside of Ghana with Freddie Meiway of Ivory Coast 'Wope' and Nigerian star Tony Tetuila on the explosive 'Fefe Na Efe', which received several awards around the world.

Over his 9-year career he has managed to win no less than 11 Ghana Music Awards, performed at the Notting Hill Carnival in London, also alongside artists such as 50 Cent, Lloyd Banks, Kanda Bongoman, Judy Boucher, Mark

Morrison, Buju Banton, and Joe. Tic Tac continues to break new grounds, 2004 saw him pick up the coveted Musician of the Year Award at the Ghana Music

Awards and became the 1st ever hip life artist to become the face of Kasa a popular phone card in the UK to call Africa. The GMA Awards that took place in April 2005, Tic Tac had a record nine nominations! Including two nominations in the Best Collaboration category a first for any Ghanaian artist, which he won.

In late 2005 he took part in the MTV Base Africa launch in Ghana earlier this year and events like the Shoreditch festival as part of Africa 05 is the biggest celebration of African culture ever organised in Britain sees him crossing over into the commercial market. BBC Newsround came to Ghana to film a documentary on him as part of their African Lives season, which was screened in the UK in July 2005. Another highlight of 2005, he headlined a Black history month show in Southwark, performing alongside Ras Kwame (Radio 1), Richard Blackwood,( Choice FM) Kelly le Roc and Shola Ama.

He is currently involved in a campaign with the United Nations in Sierra Leone and Ghana alongside Ramsey Noah and Oswald Boateng, as part of the WFP raising funds for children. He is also the current vice chairman of the Greater Accra region of Musiga, and is constantly involved in numerous campaigns with Musiga to educate and

unite the musicians of Ghana.
Tic Tac performed at last year's RISE Festival 80,000 people gathered to part-take of the annual celebration. He was the highlight of the African Village stage. RISE has been major music and entertainment festival for all Londoners and for the last 5 years, has been the prominent showcase of the Mayor of London's commitment to cultivating and developing the capital as a great multi-cultural city with a proactive campaign that denounces racism and works to eradicate it.

Also in attendance from Ghana were Ghana's Tourism Minister Mr. Jake Obetsebi Lamptey and the late Madam Hawa Yakubu. Whilst in London recorded a live session on Ras Kwame's award winning radio which was broadcasted on Radio 1 in July 06.

Puma Africa released a compilation album featuring the biggest artists in the world, In aid of the 2006 Fifa World cup the album will feature artists such as Tic Tac, Akon, John legend, Baaba Maal and The Roots. In August 2006 MTV Base, Akon and Gil Green visited Ghana, to embark on a project to film a video for Akon and one for a Ghanaian artists. Tic Tac was chosen.

Tic Tac will be the 1st Artist in Africa to benefit form this initiative, and also the 1st African artist to have a MTV “Making of the Video”. The video crew included director Gil Green (director of videos for Brandy, Lil' Jon, Akon, 50 Cent Busta Rhymes). The video for his current single “Kangaroo” will be shown worldwide on the MTV Network from March 07 as part of the celebrations for Ghana @ 50.

May 2007 saw Tic Tac become #1 on the MTV BASE chart!!