Naughty by Nature, Reggie, Obrafour resurrect the 1990s at Back In The Day concert

A little loss of concentration and one will mistakenly think he or she was at a concert in the 1990s. Well you can’t blame such a soul, blame it on organization.

This year’s ‘Back In The Day’ concert, organized by Empire Entertainment, cast a spell on revelers. A spell from the 1990s that brought back memories of Tims (Timberland boots), hoodies, baggy jeans and authentic rap.

With legendary American hipop group Naughty by Nature as the main acts, Empire Entertainment took the concert, which started last year, a notch higher. Last year’s concert featured only local acts.

For those who may not know, the ‘Back In The Day’ concert reminisces some of the 1990s great artistes and tunes. It affords Ghanaians a unique opportunity to relive the glorious days of a young but vibrant hiplife music genre.

This year’s concert came off at the Accra International Conference Centre (AICC) and the first things that hit you – the patron – when you enter the venue was the ‘Poki’ (ice cream) and ‘Alewa’ (candy) that were being given out.

Another unique sight was the stage design. True to the core theme of the 1990s, organizers of the concert designed a stage that had the look and feel of that era – the backdrop of the stage was a ghetto blaster!

Nii Ayi Tagoe of Joy FM, who was preoccupied by the turn tables, for hours, warming up patrons, introduced T-Blaze as the first act for the night. In his relaxed posture, the rapper set the tone for what patrons should expect. He dished out some of his well known tunes, including ‘Feeling No Ye Deep’, and ‘Secretary’.

T-Blaze climaxed his performance with a minute silence to the late Ronnie Coaches of Buk Bak who passed away on November 21 at the Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital after suffering from a heart attack. Empire Entertainment had announced that this year’s concert would be dedicated to the late rapper who died at age 36.

After a quick performance by ‘Short Clan’, renowned DJ Andy Dosty of Hitz FM and Adom FM took charge of affairs dishing hit after hit from the 1990s. His impressive mixes cast a spell on patrons! They had no choice but to get off their seats to show off their 90s dancing skills.

Representing the Western region, TH4Kwages took the stage after that prelude. The group, who carved a niche for themselves for their crazy break dance moves and authentic Fanti rap, beamed with smiles as they hit the stage. They thrilled with some of their hits songs, including ‘Nana Esi’, and ‘Meye Aware’, laced with intermitted break dance.

‘Reggie and Obrafour’s collabo’

Many were those who were looking forward to a battle between Reggie Rockstone and Obrafour. The two music legends, one the Hiplife Grandpapa and the other Ghana Rap Sofo, were in the test tube music lovers.

Music lovers agree that the two have, and continue to, pay their dues to the Ghanaian music industry and while the former is credited for starting the hiplife movement in Ghana, the later is also believed to be one of the country’s finest rappers.

To the surprise of many, the two were not going to put up individual performances – they have been paired!

Their entry on the stage was magnificent! Both artistes sat in chairs specially meant for Kings and dressed in all white. Reggie’s T-shirt had the inscription ‘HIP’ while Obrafour’s read ‘LIFE’.

With crowns on top of their heads, the two intermittently performed several of their well known tunes back to back. As they unleashed the songs, patrons were up standing, soaking all the hits being performed by the two.

Obrafour performed tunes like, ‘Yaanon’, ‘Twe Wo Ho’, ‘Heavy’, ‘Asem Sebe’, ‘Who Born You By Mistake’, and Oye Ohene (remix) while Reggie Rockstone thrilled with ‘Plan Ben’, ‘Keep You Eyes On The Road’, ‘Different You, Different Me’, and ‘Ya Bounce Wo Visa’.

‘…and it time for some Naughtiness’

After that impressive show, the stage was set for legendary American hiphop group, Naughty by Nature, to give Ghanaians their first ever performance.

The group, made up of Treach, Vin Rock, and DJ Kay Gee, burst onto the stage with such energy – ready to deliver!

Known as one of the world’s best hiphop groups of all time, Naughty by Nature did not hesitate to prove to an elated Ghanaian audience why they are the best.

They gave patrons an impressive track list of some of the biggest hits including ‘O.P.P.’, ‘Uptown’, ‘Dirt’, ‘Craziest’, ‘Everything’, ‘Jamboree’, ‘Feels Good’, and ‘Feel Me Flow’.

The group capped their performance by inviting some of their teeming Ghanaian fans to join them on stage to help perform their smash hit, ‘Hip Hop Hooray’.