Co-produced by Abraham Kunin (The Dalai Lama, Teeks, Home Brew, Phodiso, Freddy Reynold, Jujulipps). Right from the drop Sika lets ‘dem know’. Along with the urgent, palpable energy there is a soulful undercurrent to the vocals which speak on the subject matter with open vulnerability. ‘Sick me a sick inna me head money burst my brain money run inna me vein.’ The title itself, Sika, translates as money in Akan (Twi), Dewuro’s native tongue. Sika appeals to our universal need, the many ways of filling it, and the moral conundrums that follow.
Auckland based Richmond B Brentuo, better known by his stage name King Dewuro, is an artist from the Eastern region of Ghana, Koforidua. Dewuro’s music is an organic fusion of Reggae, Dancehall, Hip-hop, Afrobeat, and Highlife. The ‘King Dewuro’ moniker comes from a traditional gong, used to draw attention in the Ashanti Kingdom palace, the residence of Ghanaian royalty.
King Dewuro’s music journey started in church, where his father was the music director, and they interchanged as resident drummer. Dewuro’s works are inspired by his environment and life experiences, with music influences which include Tracy Chapman, Buju Banton, Bob Marley, and Ghana’s legendary Highlife artists.
Jamaica’s link to Ghana is well documented, and their shared history can be felt through the authenticity and authority with which Dewuro’s hybridized Ghanaian patois rocks a mic. Fans of modern Jamaican music will hear common threads in Sika to artists such as Chronixx and Masicka.