His marriage and last relationship ended because both women lost interest in sex. He says he wants an undertaking that we would have sex at least twice a week, unless one of us is ill or away.

I hate the idea of sex becoming a duty rather than a pleasure. Shouldn’t love be unconditional?

Well, this gives a new twist to the concept of a pre-nup. I suppose you could take it as a compliment that your partner is obsessed with your body, not your finances. However, I agree that there’s precious little that’s romantic about a sex schedule.

It’s very daunting to say that you’ll be up for sex twice a week, whatever happens, even if you are feeling depressed, or menopausal, or pregnant or exhausted.

And no individual can guarantee how they will feel about making love five years in the future, let alone ten or 20.

Indeed, why not ask your man how he would feel if his flag was at half-mast and you promptly dropped him. The truth is that you could make a deal on regular sex with the best of intentions and still find that circumstances change and you can’t fulfil the terms of that agreement.

Your partner must know this sex pact is unenforceable.
It seems to me this stipulation is really a statement of intent.

He has had the painful experience of having two serious relationships in which the women he loved stopped wanting sex with him and he understandably wants to try to ensure this does not happen again.

It’s important to remember that when people talk of ‘losing interest’ in sex, what they also mean is that they have ceased to desire their other half. This can prove devastating for the person rejected. There is no lonelier sensation than craving physical contact with the person lying next to you and knowing that they feel no such longing.

What I am saying is that you need to be compassionate about your partner’s need for reassurance. On the face of it, he’s being unreasonable, but when you look at his romantic history you can understand why he would make such a demand.

Where your boyfriend is right — even if he’s being heavy-handed about it — is that it’s good to discuss your sex life before you tie the knot to make sure you are on the same page. If one spouse prioritises daily love-making and the other thinks it’s fine to have sex once a month, then they are bound to run into serious difficulties.

Neither stance is inherently right or wrong, but it’s best to try to ensure you are vaguely compatible.

So what you need to do here is to ask yourself: ‘Am I a twice-a-week woman?’ If the answer is ‘yes’ then, Bingo, you’re sorted!

Don’t waste time feeling hurt because your man has been unromantic. Just reassure him that you think his notion of sexual frequency is entirely reasonable. That’s all he wants to hear, after all.

You could perhaps add that you don’t want sex to be so tightly scheduled that it becomes a Wednesday and Saturday routine, with no room for spontaneity.

The tricky issue here is what you do if you think twice-weekly love-making sounds way too arduous. Are you someone who would happily swap a bout of sex for a cuddle on the sofa in front of the TV?

Nothing wrong with that, of course, but it would be mistake not to be honest if that is the case. You must understand how important this is to your partner and that, if you truly love him, you owe him your honesty. It’s no good imagining that major differences in libido can somehow magically be resolved after a marriage ceremony.

It doesn’t mean your relationship has to end. But discussing differences now allows you to tackle them, rather than leaving them unresolved until you find yourself in front of a divorce lawyer.

In fact, most of the couples I know with sex schedules only have such pacts because they underwent relationship counselling to avoid divorce. In other words, they were sorting something out ten years into their marriage which you two could settle before you tie the knot.

Do remember that regular sex is an important part of the marital glue that bonds couples. It is also true that studies show many women are initially reluctant to respond to their partner’s sexual advances.

However, if they decide to comply for their spouse’s benefit, they often report they began to feel turned on and achieved an orgasm. Crucially, they also felt far happier for having had sex. Indeed, as a long-married friend once told me: ‘Sex is like exercise. You’ll make any excuse not to do it, but feel ten times better when you’ve done it.’

From: dailymail.co.uk

But have you ever faked it because you thought that doing so might prevent him from cheating?

But have you ever faked it because you thought that doing so might prevent him from cheating? A new study published in the Archives of Sexual Behavior found that 54% of women admitted to faking an orgasm, and that women who thought their partners might cheat were more likely to be the ones doing the faking.

While the idea of faking orgasm to keep a partner faithful is a novel one, one has to wonder about its potential effectiveness. I personally don’t know of any research to suggest that men are more likely to stay in a relationship with a partner who has orgasms, or that men are more likely to cheat if their partners do not have orgasms.

Of course, research into the female orgasm is fairly scant. Perhaps the women who are faking it in light of their partner’s potential infidelity are not doing so to keep their partners, but rather are faking it because the fear of their partner’s infidelity makes it difficult to have an orgasm in the first place.

“Maybe women fake orgasm more when they think their partner might cheat, not because orgasm persuades their partner to stay, but because the stress of not trusting their partner acts as a ‘brake’ on their arousal, making orgasm more difficult,” says sex educator Dr. Emily Nagoski. “If orgasm is expected by your partner, but isn’t easily achieved, faking is a way to meet that expectation and thus reinforce the relationship narrative that ‘everything is fine.’”
Of course, if a woman is faking it, everything is not fine, especially if she is worried that her partner could cheat.

“Faking it is by no means an effective strategy,” says Dr. Logan Levkoff, author of the book “How to Get Your Wife to Have Sex With You.” “A relationship won’t have longevity simply because someone pretends that they have an orgasm. In fact, lack of physical satisfaction (and, clearly, a lack of honest communication) will definitely not lead to relationship success.”

And in my experience as a sex counselor, women who fake it consistently are also more likely to eventually stray themselves in search of sexual satisfaction.

But as we know from the famous “I’ll have what she’s having” scene in “When Harry Met Sally,” men are easily fooled. According to the recently published National Survey of Sexual Health and Behavior, 85% of men said that their partner had experienced an orgasm during their most recent sexual event, while only 64% of women reported actually having had an orgasm.

The implication: Lots of women are faking it – and getting away with it. But if a woman fakes it and her partner thinks she is actually enjoying the sex, is her dissatisfaction really heard?

It isn’t easy to talk about sex, especially if you’re naïve enough to think that faking it is any sort of effective way to keep a partner from straying. But as Dr. Madeleine Castellanos notes, “The women in the study were mostly university students with a mean age of 21.8 years old and mean length of relationship of about 2 years and 9 months. There may be a higher level of anxiety in this population in regards to their relationship.”

Maybe that’s why women are said to experience their sexual peak later in life – not for physiological reasons, but because an older woman is less likely to fake it and more likely to pursue pleasure on a level playing field with her male partner.
And when it comes to faking, remember that the secret could come out.

“Faking can blow up in your face if a man finds out that his woman has been faking her excitement and orgasm all along,” adds Castellanos. “Talking to your partner about what you like and what really pleases you is more likely to develop a genuine erotic connection that he will value.”

From: CNN

Mariah Carey and husband Nick Cannon

“I’d do it again? definitely, no question. Oh yeah, and once you’ve done it, you definitely look at older women in another way.” –Nick, 33

We’ve made our position known and shared the thoughts and experiences of the women to whom we talked. Now it’s time to let the men speak for themselves. One important question we asked was what they felt an older woman has to offer. Here are some answers which are clear, articulate and to the point. Their sentiments represent a very large proportion of the opinions we heard expressed.

“I met Karolina at a party given by some friends. When I saw her, I thought she was just the perfect woman for me and I was sure about that. I wasn’t looking for an older woman and Karolina wasn’t looking for a younger man, but it just happened. (I was 39 and she was 55 then.) Our relationship is unique, because it’s not just built on sex, but on trust, respect and love. We are both morning people and nearly always in a good mood. We are both hard-working with many hobbies in common. In my opinion, age has nothing to do with our relationship. In our twenty-five years together, we have never had a serious problem and we are still very happy.” –Paolo, 64
“Pat is very special. Not only is she beautiful, but she has a wonderful sense of humor and is very giving. The ability to talk about anything with her was refreshing and engaging. In fact, when I first met her, I didn’t know I was attracted to an ‘older’ woman. I knew she was older than I, but I didn’t realize the disparity in age until she told me (which didn’t happen until a couple of dates into our relationship). Pat offered me space, devotion and herself, which I couldn’t find in anyone else. I take better care of myself now. She is a best friend who reflects back to me what a good person I am, which builds my confidence and self-esteem. I now have a better job and feel better about myself than ever before.” –Neil, 35

Nigel, at 37, finds himself attracted to older women, in part for their clarity and substance and also their relaxed attitude about life:
“I find that I’m attracted to a woman who has some degree of self-possession. I like the stimulation of a sharp intellect. I enjoy sitting down to dinner with someone who has a level of conversation I can appreciate and enjoy. I think younger women are sometimes too focused on starting families and that is rarely an issue with older women. I’ve always had relationships with older women. They know themselves. They have so much more to offer and they are looking for different things. They are not just looking for guys who will be good fathers and providers. Older women can be more playful. They are more relaxed. It’s really a personality thing for me regarding what is attractive. I enjoy a confident attitude and older women definitely have the upper hand in that area.”

Dan, age 24, also expressed a similar theme:
“When I meet a woman over 30, she’s usually very clear and focused. She knows what she wants in life and it makes being with her so much easier. I look at a lot of my friends who have girlfriends their age and younger and the problems they have strike me as ridiculous. They frequently act foolish and immature. I don’t have time for that behavior — that’s why I like mature women.”

That life experience is sexy was also a repeated theme:
“Just the fact that there’s so much to learn from an older woman, that they have so many more life experiences to draw upon, is an adventure to me. It’s like a rush.” –Vincent, 31

Some young men saw themselves reflected back in an older woman and realized the woman’s own specialness:

“She was very beautiful and caring and we had similar interests. She offered me the opportunity to see another perspective on a lot of different issues. I mean, older women think differently on certain issues and they’ve got more experience. I grew up a lot with her. Yeah, definitely, she helped me to grow up. She made me realize how important I could be in making someone else happy. Not that I was doing it for her, but just being with her.” –Art, 27

Fred, age 28, told us what qualities attracted him to older women: “The experiences in life that they’ve had make them more grounded and realistic.”

When asked what a mature woman offered him that he couldn’t find in a younger woman, Fred answered: “Emotional stability. Need I say more? There have been nothing but positives in my relationships with two older women. They were able to see things in me that I could not see in myself. Also, there were levels of honesty unlike anything I’ve experienced even with best friends.”

Fred gave us a wealth of information over several interviews. Open, upbeat and extremely handsome, he revealed the enormous love and respect he shared with his former partner and now shares with his current partner.
Fred’s first older-woman experience occurred when he was 21 years old and Gretchen was 37. They lived together for two years. They are both still very close and see each other regularly. Not only did they have a tremendous friendship as the basis of their relationship, but an extraordinary sex life as well. Recently, this woman underwent major surgery and it was her ex-boyfriend Fred, not the woman’s current older boyfriend, who was by her side. Gretchen, now 44, was involved with a man of 51 and he was simply too busy with work and personal commitments to be available when she really needed him. It was Fred who visited her on a regular basis and saw to it that she had what she needed during her recuperation.

After his relationship with Gretchen ended, Fred tried dating girls in their early twenties. He explained, often quite humorously, how ridiculous he felt trying to have meaningful conversation over blaring music at a dance club. His brief experimentation with younger females only reaped endless head games, confusion and immature behavior. Resolutely, Fred abandoned the “young woman trial period.” He knew he liked older women and that was his standard. He decided this time to accept it.

His next relationship was with Marla, a co-worker. They were great friends and then she began to pursue him. Why not? he thought. She was older. Maybe it would work. But Marla’s flaw seemed to be that she was only five years older — and for Fred, that still wasn’t enough to produce the kind of emotional maturity and depth for which he searched.

After a year or so of taking a “time-out,” Fred met Lynne. She is 10 years older. Fred’s respect and appreciation of older women was clear when he spoke:

“The way mature women carry themselves shows they know who they are. It equates to stability. They’ve already figured out who they are. Maybe not all the time, but a lot more often than younger women. They are all-around much more attractive to me.
“Also, they are much more experienced with life. You know this is the kind of person who’s going to tell you exactly what they want and they are more sure of themselves than the people my age or younger. Older women are much more well rounded — they know what they feel and why they feel it.

“It’s easier to have a relationship with an older woman, because she knows how to communicate what she wants. It has a snowball effect all the way around.

“I have a preference for women starting at about 10 years older than myself and up. It’s adventurous for both of us, because it’s a whole new exciting journey. Younger women just don’t allow me to grow in the ways older women do.”

Not all older woman/younger man relationships last forever, but Fred’s answer to how he handled the ending of his relationship with an older woman was especially insightful: “I went on with my life and took with me many memories and experiences that made me mentally and emotionally rich. I considered it a hell of a jump-start on life.”

Certainly, there are challenges for the men as well as the women in these relationships. For example, the issue of having or not having children came up repeatedly:

“My first relationship with an older woman — I was 20 and she was 36 — lasted two and a half years. My second — I was 28 and she was 41 — lasted three years and we lived together for one year. The main thing that attracted me was the overall calm of an older woman. There is a frenetic energy with a younger woman that can be very exciting and very cute, but not for my personality. Neither of my relationships was about being mothered. Both women were professionals, very focused on their work lives and extremely confident and sure of themselves. That was very attractive to me.” –Lenny, 38
Ultimately, Lenny’s last relationship ended when he wanted children and his partner of 43 did not.

Of course, the issue of “Will I want children later on?” has become a less significant challenge to a relationship between older women and younger men than it has been in the past. In vitro fertilization by donor eggs and other reproductive methods have greatly changed the fertility prognosis for older women. Pregnancy at ages once reserved for “miracles” is now a medical possibility.

Other challenges for the younger men occurred in the form of disapproval and criticism from friends and colleagues similar, although not as severe, to what the older women experienced.

“I got more of a reaction from men than women. The men my age and older were jealous that I was with her. They would look at me as if I had something they wanted and didn’t have and, because I was younger, they reacted more strongly. And women my age disapproved of the relationship.

“Every morning, I would wake up happy and feel like I had the world on a string. I guess some of these people thought I was trying to prove something — I wasn’t. Our relationship just made me feel great. She was great! I was proud of who she was and what we had together.” –Barry, 26

Overall, however, it seems that such criticism is not as big an obstacle for men in these relationships as for women. In fact, some men received support and admiration from peers and co-workers:
“Friends and colleagues all admired my decision to have a relationship with a mature woman. They respected what I had with her, which was an emotional connection with an experienced, centered person. Most people’s reactions have been good. There have been no negative attitudes or comments given to me that stick out in my head. Actually, many people have asked my partner and me for advice.” –Patrick, 34

The men to whom we talked spoke about the advantages of being in relationships with older women in terms of the serenity and comfort, the growth opportunity and the honesty they were afforded. But more than any other advantage, they talked about the positive sexual relationships they experienced. They all commented that sex with older women was better.

“Negatives? What negatives? I cried, I laughed, I went back for more. The advantages can be summed up in two words: intense marathon.” –Zach, 32

“Advantages of having sex with an older woman? Are you kidding? An older woman is more sure of herself and brings that to the relationship. She knows what she wants and how to communicate that to her partner. I like not having to worry about pregnancy and an unwanted child. I do not feel the desire to have one and the lack of anxiety over that issue is relieving. Lisa is also in her prime and we have the most intense sexual relations I have ever had.” –Gary, 39

“The biggest advantage is that they know what they want so there’s no guesswork. You may try to please them and they’ll tell you if it isn’t working. I loved it. That’s a turn on. Absolutely no negatives about sex? it was the best. The best!” –Scott, 25

“Phenomenal! The sex was important — but I was really concerned about what she needed and desired. She would take over and go from there. It made things a hell of a lot easier, because we were just there to have fun. It was like breaking through a major barrier that takes other people forever to figure out. There was a ‘click’ sexually. It was easy and it was great!” –Russ, 29

“If I look at a girl in her twenties, I might find her attractive, but thoughts are only on sex. I can’t really do anything with her. She’s not formed yet. She’s like a lump of cold clay — very pretty clay, but still unshaped. When I look at older women, I see real women. They feel like women. They are solid. Their bodies are solid. Their thoughts have solidified. A relationship with an older woman can be very rewarding.” –Mel, 32

“I learned how to make love to a woman. She took me by the hand and said, ‘Slow down.’ I mean, I was 20 — and at 20 you’re just so happy to actually be doing it? you never think about how.” –Rick, 27

“The only reason I’m interested in young women is strictly physical — I haven’t met one in the last year or two who has the maturity that I’m looking for these days. Older women have definitely changed my taste as to who I’m attracted to. With most young women, I’m bored to death. Bored to death.” –Lenny, 38

“In a relationship, there is an intellectual component, a grounding component and a physical component. The physical is very important for a man? the sexual side is a big thing. It makes sense when you think about it? the greatest sex in my life has been with older partners. Even when it’s early in the relationship, it’s still much deeper.” –Michael, 35

Fred, who was mentioned earlier, expressed his own fulfillment: “Although my initial fear was that I wouldn’t be good enough sexually, my larger fear was that I’d overwhelm her — like call too many times a day or say one too many ‘I miss yous.’ Instead, our mutual pleasure went from one high to another.”

From: ivillage.com

Sexual desire doesn’t diminish once we hit our 40s, but other things do, such as our overall health and lifestyle. To get the frisky sex back in our lives, you have to work at it. Learn new sexual positions, or make love in the morning when you have more energy.

2. Marriage can be sexy
Statistics show that married couples and people over 40 in monogamous relationships have more sex and better sex than most single folks over 40. Don’t fret if you’re divorced or unattached. Get your social life on track and met more people.

Take advantage of dating services for people over 40. Get out after work and meet potential mates. If you’re going through a rough patch and can’t find a partner, masturbate. It will keep the vaginal wall flexible and sexual juices flowing in females, and prevent males from becoming too frustrated.

3. Learn about natural sex boosters
Some natural supplements do work. Look for ones that contain ginger, ginseng and the Chinese herb dong quai. Eat foods that increase strength and energy levels, like salmon, steak and cottage cheese.

Salmon, which contains Omega 3 fatty acids, revs up blood flow which fights impotence in men and increases libido in women. Adding spices like curry, cayenne pepper and horseradish to foods perks up your libido, too. If natural libido boosters fail, there’s always Viagra for men and doctors are currently working on libido and menopausal medications for women.
4. Exercise for better sex
If you’re overweight or your joints are a little sluggish, your sex life will slow down as well. If you feel better during the day, you’ll have more energy for sex at night. Jog, play tennis, do yoga or engage in other sports and exercise routines. Get in touch with your body with an occasional massage at the health club or spa.

5. Schedule a tryst
With all the responsibilities of work, family and society and the natural aches and pains of aging, people over 40 may experience reduced sex drive from the stress and strain of everyday life. Although the constant, unbridled college passion may be a pipe dream for most, scheduling romantic dinners or massages with your partner can pep up your sex life.

Get a babysitter or Grandma and Grandpa to watch the kids and make a “date” to go to a nice hotel for the weekend. These scheduled interludes are a sure way to fire up sex after 40.

From: livestrong.com

Jennifer Aniston was advised to get a ‘sperm donation’ from Brad Pitt after they broke up in 2005, it has been claimed.

Desperate for a baby? Jennifer Aniston was reportedly advised to attain sperm from Brad Pitt after they split up

Columnist, Maureen Dowd revealed the news today as an article about the ballsy film industry legend is published in New York Times Magazine.

Dowd claimed that Mengers admitted telling Jennifer to arrange taking some semen form her ex-husband.

Bizarre request: Apparently Hollywood agent Sue Mengers told Jennifer to arrange collecting semen from her ex-husband

While she already had adopted son Maddox, now ten , when they started dating, Pitt accompanied her on her trip to Ethiopia to collect daughter Zahara, six ,

Then in 2006 the Mr and Mrs Smith actress gave birth to their first biological daughter, Shiloh Nouvel, five , but the child rearing didn’t stop there.

Doing it for the kids: Brad has gone on to become a family man with his new partner Angelina Jolie

Meanwhile Jennifer and her other half, Justin Theroux, 40 , may not be producing offspring as yet but they are taking the next big step in their relationship.

The couple have created a personalised Christmas card together which they have sent out to family and friends in celebration of the festive season.

Source: dailymail.co.uk

Actress, Vicky Zugah was there!

Peacefmonline.com was there and brings you exclusive pictures from the glamorous event.

Some looked quite good, others were too flamboyant and daring whiles some just looked….

Check out the exclusive pictures below:

Vicky Zugah be careful they don't fall

Prince David Osei, Chris Attoh and Prince Tsegah

Prince and Alex Biney of Big Brother Africa fame

Chris Attoh and Prince "The Dead" Osei

Chris Attoh and John Dumelo share them equally

The Founder of Ghana Movie Awards, Fred Nuamah and actress Nadia Buari

Salinko what are you doing to the lady?

Actress, Beverly Afaglo

Miss cutie Helen Asante, Sydi Buari, Chris Attoh's fiancee and John Dumelo

Wayoose who has beaten you?

Andy Dosty has more than enough

Cheers! Alex Cheers!!!

Martha Ankomah where have you been?

Actress, Emilia Brobbey and actor, Samuel Ofori (Kumasi Jim Iyke)

Actress, Nadia Buari burning hot.

Miss cutie, Helen Asante

Nadia and Prince toooo close!

Actor, Agya Koo was a musician on the night

John Dumelo take it easy that is for Emilia Brobbey's husband

Nadia Buari where is yours?

Source: Eugene Osafo-Nkansah/Peacefmonline.com/Ghana

Ladies with huge or very small breast size, deliberately dress to show their tempting cleavage. Peacefmonline.com has in the past published pictures of unknown ladies who show their breast at events but this time the focus is our female celebrities.

Our female celebrities are often seen at events and other public places showing their cleavage. Even though some look very nice and attractive others look very disgusting but as the saying goes flaunt it if you have it.

Peacefmonline.com has gathered a number of Ghanaian female celebrities and how they display their cleavage. Would you call this fashion or mere indecent exposure?

Check out the exclusive photos below: Who is your pick?

Clink here for all pictures

Tonto

She said;

That’s not the reason I didn’t attend her wedding,it’s surprising,why people think you just have to be everybody’s friend.

In the industry,I don’t know half of the producers and I work for them,I don’t even know half of my colleagues but I work with them.

I kiss and hug them on set.We flow,we enjoy the friendship on set based on the energy and connection that exists between myself and the next person on set but that does not mean we are friends in the real sense of it.

You can’t just be a friend to everybody,it’s a normal thing.
Mercy Johnson is not just my friend.

Asked if she had a serious quarrel with her,she said; Even if I had,I had let go everything.It doesn’t really matter to me anymore.

Mercy

Everybody is doing well,It’s just because we are not close,we only did about two or three movies together.We have never been close friends.

Source: nigeriafilms.com

Sarkodie

A few days ago, I was afforded a unique opportunity to meet, greet, and follow Sarkodie as he prepared for his first concert in the nation’s capital, Washington D.C. Sarkodie, Ghana’s King of Rap, was in town to show another nation his skills and ability. It was his first time in the U.S, his first time in D.C, the first weekend after Hurricane Irene, the first week after the first major East Coast earthquake, and his first time sitting down for an in-depth behind the scenes interview—Sarkodie was intertwined in a lot of “firsts”.

As I walked down the long and majestic halls of the hotel in which he was staying, I finally reached my destination, knocked on the door, and was greeted by three men: DJ Mensa, another young man, and Sarkodie. Surprisingly, Sarkodie was standing in the back of the group, very innocently and somewhat reserved. Sarkodie is an observer- he mentally soaks up everything around him, similar to the way a dry sponge soaks up water. With this being our first meeting, it is safe to assume that we were both mentally cautious of each other. I didn’t know how far I could go with my questions and he didn’t know what I was going to ask and how I was going to ask my questions. What I did find out very quickly is that he is a man who does not waste words- he says what he means and means what he says, so you better pay attention.
Lesson 1: Sarkodie does not waste his words

The most noticeable things about Sarkodie are his voice and his eyes. His voice is as rhythmic and fast-paced as his freestyle. As he talks and says simple things about his childhood and work, it’s almost like he is singing a tune due to his naturally melodious and relaxing voice. At the same time, it is quite fast. ‘Do you ever bite your tongue when you’re rapping that fast?’

One word reply: “No.” Sarkodie, dressed in a very simple black outfit and chain, seems shy, in terms of his off-stage presence, but he is not afraid to look you dead in the eye. Sarkodie talks directly into you, with his piercing eyes, which in a way have a hypnotic effect. His glare is so intense that if you are not careful, you will forget what you are saying and lose your train of concentration because it is so direct, as if he is tapping into your inner consciousness. But everything about Sarkodie is intense. Sarkodie wants to know how long the interview is going to be and has issued a reminder that he needs to get some rest before the concert. Sarkodie is serious. A joke is cracked. No laugh from Sarkodie. More intense staring. Sarkodie is intimidating and intense. If anyone knows how to make
anyone nervous, it is Sarkodie.

Lesson 2: Do not waste Sarkodie’s time

Born and raised in Tema, Michael Owusu , a.k.a “Sarkodie”, was his mother’s fourth child, out of five children. Sarkodie attended Achimota Prepatory and Tema Methodist Day Secondary. During his early days of rapping, Sarkodie looked up to Obrafour, another Ghanaian rapper. “Obrafour was someone I followed when he came out. He’s a good rapper,” said Sarkodie. Sarkodie began writing his own songs by the time he reached Class 4 and found himselfinundated in the world of rapping and rhyming. After receiving a certificate in Graphic Designing from IPMC (Tema Branch), Sarkodie delivered shocking news to his whole family. “After IPMC, I got a job working for a billboard company but I did not take it. Instead I was thinking about the studio. The moment I see computers and a studio, I get inspired,” Sarkodie stated.

Inspired by the studio, Sarkodie broke the news to his family that he wanted to concentrate on making music instead of working a “normal” job. However, Sarkodie assured them that he’d pay the bills with his music, he just needed time. According to Sarkodie, “wherever your heart is, is where your treasure is” and he knew his heart was in music. Free from employment responsibilities, Sarkodie was free to make music 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

Lesson 3: Sarkodie knows what he wants and goes after it. He is not afraid to take risks.

Sarkodie’s family has always been a musical family- his mother is a singer, along with his little brother. “My family is fun,” Sarkodie states matter-of–factly. Not only is his family fun but they love music, and according to Sarkodie, “my dad LOVED Michael Jackson.” In fact, Sarkodie received the birth name of “Michael” due to his father’s adoration of Michael Jackson. There is only one Michael Jackson. And there is only one Sarkodie. Learning that Sarkodie was named after Michael Jackson led to the discussion of names, and the importance of names in regards to success. How important are names? Very important, according to Sarkodie. In fact, the name “Sarkodie” was an intentional name Sarkodie picked out for himself. The name “Sarkodie” is not part of Sarkodie’s birth name at all. While growing
up, Sarkodie’s father had at least two friends who went by the name
“Sarkodie”. Sarkodie realized that both men had the same name and were also very wealthy, so at a very early age, Sarkodie equated the name “Sarkodie” with wealth.

Sarkodie revealed that he “loved the names Antwi-Buasisako and
Sarkodie. There’s something about that name.” Talking about Michael Jackson, an artist whom Sarkodie also admires, seemed to relax him. The more he talked about music, the more relaxed he became. Eventually, Sarkodie insisted that I show him my moonwalking abilities. My moonwalking abilities were never discussed because it’s not worth bragging about, but Sarkodie insisted that the moonwalk be done.

Lesson 4: Sarkodie is quite convincing and persuasive. He is also very
direct and precise.

The moonwalk was done..in 5 inch heels… but it was done-without any Michael Jackson music playing in the background. ‘Hey Sarkodie, are you going to show me your moonwalk skills now that I have shown you mine?’ Answer: No. ‘Not at all?’ Answer: No.

Lesson 5: You can not make Sarkodie do anything he does not want to do Period.

Sarkodie is quite funny. As time goes by, he becomes funnier and funnier, adding to his already unique character. Now his radiant Colgate –like smile is apparent and his intense glare has softened a bit. When asked about the progression of his career, Sarkodie states that he did a lot of free shows in the beginning, at secondary schools, and other places all over Ghana. “The first interview I ever did was for 4Syte TV. They were the first people to put me on TV. The first time I appeared in a video was with Edem. He did a song that featured me approximately 3-4 years ago, and it was the video
for the song entitled, “U Dey Craze.” When asked about the first time he recalls hearing his song on the radio, a slight grin appears on his face as he gleefully recalls the moment. “ I was at the barbershop, when all of a sudden I heard “Baby” (with R2Bees). So I kept it to myself.”

Managed by Duncan Williams, Sarkodie’s first major show was Joy FM’s “Night of the Stars.” Sarkodie points out that he didn’t have an album or a song when he was asked to perform, but he took the stage confidently with his freestyle. It was the same freestyle he was showcasing all over Ghana, the same freestyle he had used to “murder” 25 MC’s on a local radio show. “You do know what murdering an MC is, right?” Yes. “Wherever you are coming from, you capture the place first and then you move forward,” says Sarkodie. “Fans have to remember you. I want to go international, but I know my limits.
Daddy Lumba is a star because he is unpredictable and not that accessible.” Just like Daddy Lumba, Sarkodie is not that easily accessible and far from being predictable.

It seems like Sarkodie is releasing music every week- it is very hard to keep track of all of his songs and collaborations. On his computer, Sarkodie displays the various soundtracks producers have sent to him, all awaiting lyrics. In the beginning, Sarkodie would write down the lyrics to songs and get the beat later, but now, due to his success, there is a large supply of beats awaiting his rhythmical freestyle magic. Sarkodie frequently verbally stamps his songs with the phrase ”1 tyme for your mind”. What does that mean? It’s simple. According to Sarkodie it means,”you don’t have to hear me twice to believe that I’m good.” Sarkodie is confident.

The D.C concert is Sarkodie’s second stop on his U.S tour. He is slated to go to Boston, Colorado, Atlanta, and other U.S cities in the following weeks. Having already performed in New York City, Sarkodie expressed his observations about his U.S fans, stating that, “people here in the U.S are more hyper because they are hungry and they have never seen you perform in person. And surprisingly, the people here know all the words to all of the songs.” While in the U.S, Sarkodie is being managed by TM Entertainmentz. The CEO of TM Entertainmentz, Terry Masson, a strikingly handsome man, stated that he got into the entertainment business because he “loves music”.
TM Entertainmentz has been responsible for Sarkodie’s overall well-being and seems to be setting high standards, keeping Sarkodie on schedule and ensuring that he gets to his events well rested and prepared. It all goes back to Sarkodie’s statement: wherever your heart is , is where your treasure is.

Around 2:10 am, Sarkodie was in his hotel room, preparing to take the stage at the D.C concert which was occurring a couple of floors below him. Although the room was packed with people and their random conversations, Sarkodie was not paying attention to them- he was in his own world. Surrounded by speakers, a computer, and an empty Jamaican pineapple juice bottle, Sarkodie was sitting with his back up against the corner wall, listening to Tracey Chapman. Amidst all the noise and commotion, Sarkodie was literally singing a duet with Tracey Chapman’s timeless song “I’m Ready”, and it was breathtakingly beautiful. Sarkodie marches to a different beat-his own. Sarkodie, known for his fast rapping abilities, was just as prolific of an artist singing a slow uncomplicated song.

Sarkodie at MAMAs

DJ Mensa and Sarkodie performed live (no lip-singing), giving the audience an intimate show to remember. With the microphone in his left hand, Sarkodie randomly chose songs to perform, because he has so many chart toppers. The crowd knew every single word to every single song and DJ Mensa and Sarkodie kept them entertained the whole time. The show ended with Sarkodie bringing fans on to the stage to display their Azonto-dancing skills to his hit song “U Go Kill Me”. The D.C crowd was well prepared to show Sarkodie what they were made of, and boy did they bring it!!
After the concert ended, Sarkodie took a few pictures with some of his fans, and headed back to his room. Back in his room, Sarkodie plopped onto his bed, and stared at the wall. When asked what he was thinking, the sneakerless and sunglass-free Sarkodie replied in a coarse voice that he was simply thinking about the show and preparing himself for the next one. As a kid, Sarkodie had two main dreams: to become a doctor and to become an artist. Music was his third dream. If Sarkodie is this great at making music, which is his third dream, imagine what kind of doctor he would have been if he had stuck with his original dream? In the words of Michael Jackson, Sarkodie is a “bad” man, who is “workin’ day and night”, “making a change” in the music world, making everyone “feel real good” “knocking us off our feet” ,and has all of us “ rocking the night away” and “shaking our bodies down to the ground” with his lyrical prowess. As long as Sarkodie continues , and doesn’t “ stop till (we) get enough” then “the way (he) makes (us) feel” will continue to be a “thriller”. There is nothing common
about Sarkodie. All the words in the dictionary are incapable of capturing the essence of Sarkodie because he is more than just an artist- he is a living icon.

Fun Facts about Sarkodie:

Favorite T.V Show: Keeping up with the
Kardashians

Favorite Food: Rice and Egg Stew

Fill in the blank: I can not do without: Music

Favorite Sarkodie Song: Life

Song that shocked him when it became a hit:Borga

Performers he would like to collaborate with: Jay Z and Busta Rhymes

Source: Amy Ansong