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 When in 1996 Ghanaian reggae artiste Rocky Dawuni burst onto the African music scene, just a handful of people knew he was from Ghana. Even most of his own country-folk thought of him as coming from Jamaica.
His first album, The Movement, shot him into instant international fame. The debut album was the beginning of a journey that would lead into a path of social and spiritual consciousness.
The album received rave reviews in the Ghanaian press, with perhaps the most popular track, "What Goes Around", receiving endless airplay on the radio stations.
He was soon to feature in other international press such as the British influential weekly, New Nation. He was praised as Ghana’s answer to reggae-legend Bob Marley.
Back in the United States where he has been based since, the album received positive reviews and his penchant for consciousness received praise from the press.
Rocky Dawuni was subsequently described by the ‘The Beat’ as a "thoughtful, spiritual and involved debut-recording artiste.” Again, the underground publication ‘Urb
Magazine’, one of the most influential news magazines in the US, listed him as one of the "Next 100 People to Watch in the Entertainment Industry."
The song ‘What Goes Around’ was licenced by Mesa/Bluemoon Records, a subsidiary of Atlantic Records, as well as the video for release in the U.S. market.
Two years later Rocky Dawuni was to release ‘Crusade’ on the AQUARIAN Records/Who Dun It Records. The album was written, arranged and produced by himself
One writer described the album as Rocky’s “sprawling philosophical journey into rhythm and soul with songs of pain, spirituality, love, revolution and redemption.”
“From the Nyabinghi-tinged tropical jam "Sweet Bright Day", which Dawuni describes as "an invocation of the perfect day when all elements fall into place in our lives", to a hauntingly powerful piece entitled "Conqueror" which highlights a traditional African kora player, Crusade is Dawuni's musical and spiritual war promoting love, justice and righteousness,” added one of the rave reviews.
"It's about hope in the human spirit and allowing God to empower us to attain the unattainable."
The title song of the album ‘Ghana’ was an instant hit, receiving international acclaim on both radio and television. The album was inspired by Ghana’s 40th Anniversary Celebrations. He said of the song “as a celebration of 40 years of independence...as the first Black African country to attain independence, it's a personal ode to the individual's continuing search for freedom."
His third album ‘Awakening’ was released in Ghana in 2001. The album was to further establish his path of political and spiritual enlightenment.
Rocky saw Awakening as an urgent medium to initiate the consciousness of African unity in the spirit of the first President of Ghana, Dr. Kwame Nkrumah. Awakening received rave reviews from West Africa Magazine, Billboard, Voice of America and the BBC.
The song “I'll Try" won the "Best Reggae Song" at the 2002 Ghana Music Awards.
His current album ‘Hymns for the Rebel Soul’ has already begun receiving rave reviews and has featured on the BBC’s Network Africa programme.
PULL-QUOTE
Rocky saw Awakening as an urgent medium to initiate the consciousness of African unity in the spirit of the first President of Ghana, Dr. Kwame Nkrumah. Awakening received rave reviews from West Africa Magazine, Billboard, Voice of America and the BBC.
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