Wanlov the Kubolor
{{Short description|Ghanaian musician}}
{{Infobox musical artist
| name = Wanlov the Kubolor
| background = solo_singer
| image = Wanlov (Fokn Bois)-1.jpg
| image_size =
| landscape =
| alt =
| caption = Wanlov performing at a concert
| native_name =
| birth_name = Emmanuel Owusu-Bonsu
| alias =
| birth_date =
| birth_place = Ploiești, Romania
| origin = Ghanaian Scalo Kay
| death_date =
| death_place =
| genre = Afro Pop
| occupation = Musician, Singer, Rapper{{cite web|url=http://www.thefader.com/2015/09/02/azizaa-wanlov-interview|title=How Ghanaian Artist Azizaa Is Challenging Christianity’s Grip On Ghana|website=The FADER|accessdate=12 July 2017}}
| years_active = 2007 – present
| label = Fokn Inc
| associated_acts = {{flatlist|
- King Ayisoba
- M3NSA
- Mutombo Da Poet
- M.anifest
- Medikal
- Sister Derby
}}
| website =
}}
Emmanuel Owusu-Bonsu, known by his stage name Wanlov the Kubolor (born September 8, 1980) is a Ghanaian-Romanian musician and film director born to an Akan father and a Romanian mother.{{Cite web|date=2020-10-13|title=Ghana: Wanlov the Kubolor to speak at Pa Gya! Literary Fest|url=https://www.musicinafrica.net/magazine/ghana-wanlov-kubolor-speak-pa-gya-literary-fest|access-date=2021-02-09|website=Music In Africa|language=en}} Kubolor is a Ga word that essentially means truant, but can be understood to be a wanderer or vagabond.{{cite web|title=Ghanaian Slang|url=http://www.timeout.com/accra/travel/ghanaian-slang-tribal-terms|website=Time Out|publisher=Time Out|accessdate=25 November 2015}} He is the brother of the television show host, model, and musician Deborah Owusu-Bonsu.
Early life
Kubulor's parents moved to Ghana before he was a year old, and he grew up in an artistic household where both parents were avid collectors of music and had an interest in the arts. He attended Adisadel College.{{cite web|title=Kubolor – I could have been a computer scientist or administrator|url=https://www.modernghana.com/music/8663/kubolor-i-could-have-been-a-computer-scientist-or-administ.html|website=Modern Ghana|accessdate=24 January 2009}} It was while he was at Adisadel that he began rapping his favourite lyrics with high school friends and performing the local circuit in Cape Coast and Takoradi. It was here that his enduring musical partnership with the songwriter M3NSA was formed. He then moved to the United States for college in 2000 where he attended the University of Mary Hardin Baylor. He dropped out after two years of studying computer science and business administration, to dedicate himself fully to his musical career.{{Cite web |title=Wanlov the Kubolor, Biography |url=https://www.ghanaweb.com/person/Wanlov-the-Kubolor-367 |access-date=2022-09-16 |website=www.ghanaweb.com}}{{Cite web |date=2022-07-17 |title=Wanlov the Kubolor, the Ghanaian rapper who doesn’t take himself seriously |url=https://www.paudal.com/2022/07/17/wanlov-the-kubolor-the-ghanaian-rapper-who-doesnt-take-himself-seriously/ |access-date=2022-09-16 |website=Paudal |language=en-US}}
Musical career
Kubulor released his debut album "Green Card" in late 2007 on his return to Ghana after a 7-year stay in the USA. Wanlov the Kubolor has collaborated with Gyedu-Blay Ambolley, Ghana's rap pioneer/Highlife legend, and Reggie Rockstone, the godfather of Hiplife, among other artists worldwide.{{cn|date=March 2024}}
He has campaigned for the cause of OAfrica,{{cite web|url=http://www.oafrica.org|title=OAfrica|first=Blue Wave Media|last=GH|website=www.oafrica.org|accessdate=12 July 2017}} a charity for out-of-home children and various similar causes, in particular, those linked to ecology or pollution in Ghana. In 2017, he told members of Blogging Ghana that he "is considering making a third installment to his Ghanaian Pidgin-English musical Coz Ov Moni".{{cite web|url= https://msbwrites.co.uk/2017/11/10/ghanas-afro-gypsy-mulls-over-a-third-pidgin-english-musical/ |title=Coz ov Moni|website=www.msbwrites.co.uk|accessdate=22 June 2019}}
Discography
=Solo albums=
- 2007 -"Green Card"{{Cite web |title=Green Card, by Wanlov The Kubolor |url=https://wanlov.bandcamp.com/album/green-card |access-date=2022-08-20 |website=Wanlov The Kubolor |language=en}}
- 2010 - "Yellow Card - Stomach Direction"
- 2012 - "Brown Card - African Gypsy"
- 2017 - "Orange Card: Fruitopian Raps" {{cite web|title=Ghana People|url=http://people.peacefmonline.com/pages/musicians/wanlov/biography/|website=Peace FM}}
=FOKN Bois Albums=
- 2010 - “Coz Ov Moni” OS - Movie Soundtrack
- 2011 - “Coz Ov Moni - The Kweku Ananse Remix EP” - EP
- 2011 - “Coz Ov Moni - The DJ Juls Dw3t3i Remixes” - EP
- 2011 - "FOKN Dunaquest in Budapest" - EP
- 2012 - "FOKN Dunaquest in Budapest Remixes" - EP
- 2012 - “FOKN Wit Ewe” - Album{{Cite web |title=FOKN Wit Ewe, by FOKN Bois |url=https://foknbois.bandcamp.com/album/fokn-wit-ewe |access-date=2022-08-20 |website=FOKN Bois |language=en}}
- 2013 - “Coz Ov Moni 2 (FOKN Revenge)” OS - Movie Soundtrack
- 2016 - "FOKN Ode to Ghana" {{cite web|url=http://www.okayafrica.com/audio/fokn-bois-ode-ghana-offers-soul-cleanse-for-children-of-the-sun/|title=FOKN Bois' New Album 'FOKN Ode to Ghana' Offers a Soul Cleanse for 'Children of the Sun'|date=1 July 2016|publisher=|accessdate=12 July 2017}}
- 2019 - "Afrobeats LOL" {{Cite web|url=https://enewsgh.com/2019/02/afrobeats-lol-fokn-bois-drop-new-album/|title=Afrobeats LOL! FOKN Bois drop new album|website=Proudly Ghanaian! {{!}} Enews|language=en-US|access-date=2019-05-10}}
Awards
- 2006 WCS International Song Contest - Winner (World) - "Human Being" {{Cite web |date=May 7, 2007 |title=Wanlov's |url=https://www.ghanaweb.com/GhanaHomePage/entertainment/Wanlov-s-Human-Being-wins-WSC-Best-World-Song-123887 |access-date=2022-09-16 |website=GhanaWeb |language=en |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220820154041/https://mobile.ghanaweb.com/GhanaHomePage/entertainment/Wanlov-s-Human-Being-wins-WSC-Best-World-Song-123887 |archive-date=2022-08-20}}
- 2006 International Songwriting Competition - Finalist (World) - "Never Die"
- 2007 Peacedriven Songwriting Award - Runner Up - "Human Being"
- 2008 Ghana Music Awards - Nominated for Discovery Of The Year, Record Of The Year (Smallest Time), Video Of The Year (Kokonsa), & Hip-hop Song Of The Year (Kokonsa){{cite web|title=Ghana People|url=http://people.peacefmonline.com/pages/musicians/wanlov/biography/|website=Peace FM|publisher=Peace FM}}
Activism
He is an activist for the rights of LGBT+ people in Ghana. In 2021, when the Ghanaian anti-LGBT bill was introduced, he spoke against the intent of the bill.{{Cite web |last=Kaledzi |first=Isaac |date=2021-09-01 |title=Musician Wanlov the Kubolor fights for equal rights |url=https://www.dw.com/en/meet-musician-wanlov-the-kubolor-ghanas-lgbtq-activist/video-57603955 |access-date=2023-05-17 |website=Deutsche Welle |language=en}}{{Cite web |date=2021-12-06 |title=Red lipstick, blue nails - Wanlov the Kubolor causes stir with new photos |url=https://www.ghanaweb.com/GhanaHomePage/entertainment/Red-lipstick-blue-nails-Wanlov-the-Kubolor-causes-stir-with-new-photos-1416934 |access-date=2022-09-16 |website=GhanaWeb |language=en}} He collaborated with Angel Maxine and Deborah Owusu-Bonsu to use their music as a form of activism against homophobia in Ghana.{{Cite news |last=Bhalla |first=Nita |date=2021-07-30 |title=Ghana's first openly trans musician fights homophobia with song |language=en |work=Reuters |url=https://www.reuters.com/article/us-ghana-lgbt-trfn-idUSKBN2F02TS |access-date=2023-05-17}}
He is also an activist against plastic waste Ghana.{{Cite web |last=Azongo |first=Albert |date=2021-01-16 |title=Wanlov the Kubolor passes a worrying verdict on sanitation in upper east |url=https://www.dreamzfmonline.com/entertainment/wanlov-the-kubolor-passes-a-worrying-verdict-on-sanitation-in-upper-east/index.html |access-date=2022-08-20 |website=DreamzFMOnline |language=en-US}}
In September 2023, He alleged that Sam George, one of the lead proponents of the Ghanaian anti-LGBT bill, was sponsored to push such laws in Ghana. He further claimed a linkage between the Ghanaian parliamentarian and the World Congress of Families. {{Cite web |date=2023-09-15 |title=Anti-LGBTQ+ Bill: Sam George being sponsored by an American organization - Wanlov alleges |url=https://www.ghanaweb.com/GhanaHomePage/NewsArchive/Anti-LGBTQ-Bill-Sam-George-being-sponsored-by-an-American-organization-Wanlov-alleges-1844474 |access-date=2023-09-28 |website=GhanaWeb |language=en}}{{Cite web |date=2023-09-14 |title=Sam George is being sponsored by an American organization to push anti-LGBTQ bill - Wanlov the Kubolor alleges |url=https://www.ghanaweb.com/GhanaHomePage/entertainment/Sam-George-is-being-sponsored-by-an-American-organization-to-push-anti-LGBTQ-bill-Wanlov-the-Kubolor-alleges-1844336 |access-date=2023-09-28 |website=GhanaWeb |language=en}}{{Cite web |last=Tali |first=Selorm |date=2023-09-19 |title=Wanlov calls out Sam George and Moses Foh over anti-LGBTQ bill (VIDEO) |url=https://www.pulse.com.gh/entertainment/celebrities/wanlov-calls-out-sam-george-and-moses-foh-over-anti-lgbtq-bill-video/ck0w49z |access-date=2023-09-28 |website=Pulse Ghana |language=en}}{{Cite web |date=2023-09-15 |title=Anti-LGBT bill is foreign and hateful, we have always had gays in Ghana - Wanlov the Kubolor |url=https://www.ghanaweb.com/GhanaHomePage/entertainment/Anti-LGBT-bill-is-foreign-and-hateful-we-have-always-had-gays-in-Ghana-Wanlov-the-Kubolor-1844669 |access-date=2023-09-28 |website=GhanaWeb |language=en}}{{Cite web |last=Agambila |first=Dorcas |date=2023-09-13 |title=WCF is sponsoring Sam George, others to push ‘stupid’ anti LGBTQ law – Wanlov claims |url=https://www.pulse.com.gh/entertainment/celebrities/wcf-is-sponsoring-sam-george-others-to-push-stupid-anti-lgbtq-law-wanlov-claims/5th8f6p |access-date=2023-09-28 |website=Pulse Ghana |language=en}}
References
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Category:Ghanaian people of Romanian descent