If you asked many Ghanaian rappers why they rap, they would probably answer, “Because of M3NSA” ( born Bondzie Mensa Ansah ). Growing up in a family of artists, he was drawn to creativity. Following his brother’s passions, he immersed himself in Hip Hop, manga culture and the Ghanaian exciting music scene. When he was a teen, he was expelled from school for missing classes to spend days in a studio. What could be considered a regrettable episode was indeed a middle finger towards the conservative school environment and the inability to nurture a creative mind. But thankfully, it kick-started his career. Soon after discovering his love for playing and performing, he realised that producing was his gift. As much as he dislikes being called a “conscious rapper,” his vision expands beyond the music, whether he talks about the need for better representation for African artists ( “Pull Your Strings” ) or the responsibility to use his platform to uplift his community. His career spans two decades with a MOBO nomination debut album, production for the most prominent West African Artists, 3 Demon Albarn’s African Express Tours, playing music festivals and a dozen albums with his bands F.O.K.N BOIS and RedRed. After receiving the PRS Open Fund for Music Creators and successfully funding a Kickstarter in 2020, he has finally released his new solo album, “Bondzie” ( his first name, meaning ‘speak up’ ), available now!