Jay Ghartey, also known as Kweku Gyasi Ghartey, is a Ghanaian–American
music producer
A record producer or music producer is a music creating project's overall supervisor whose responsibilities can involve a range of creative and technical leadership roles. Typically the job involves hands-on oversight of recording sessions; ensu ...
, singer, and songwriter based in New York City, describing his style as African Rhythm and Blues. He released his debut album ''Shining Gold'' in 2011. He is most famous for the singles "My Lady" and "Papa". He is also the co-founder and co-owner of "GH Brothers", an independent record label and production company with his brother DJ and music producer Joe Ghartey.
Early life
Jay Ghartey (pronounced Gar-té) was born in the United States to a Ghanaian father and a Canadian mother. His Ghanaian grandfather Joseph Ghartey was a poet and playwright who managed
Ghana Broadcasting Corporation
The Ghana Broadcasting Corporation (GBC) was established by law in 1968 with a triple mandate as a State Broadcaster, Public Service Broadcaster, and a Commercial Broadcaster in Ghana. Headquartered in the capital city, Accra, GBC is funded by g ...
(GBC) for many years, and his grandmother Sabina Hope was an established singer and musician. Winneba and Cape Coast are his ancestral areas and his father hails from the Fante tribe.
[Museke.com: Interview with Ghanaian musician Jay Ghartey.](_blank)
/ref> His brother Joe Ghartey is a DJ. His brothers Tufu and Moses were also in music and rap.
At the age of nine, Ghartey moved to Accra
Accra (; or ''Gaga''; ; Ewe: Gɛ; ) is the capital and largest city of Ghana, located on the southern coast at the Gulf of Guinea, which is part of the Atlantic Ocean. As of 2021 census, the Accra Metropolitan District, , had a population of ...
, Ghana
Ghana, officially the Republic of Ghana, is a country in West Africa. It is situated along the Gulf of Guinea and the Atlantic Ocean to the south, and shares borders with Côte d’Ivoire to the west, Burkina Faso to the north, and Togo to t ...
, where he spent several years. While in Ghana, he studied music with his grandmother. He began performing at the age of 10, originally as a rapper. He formed a group called Chief G and the Tribe, where he was known by the stage name Chief G. The rap group, one of the pioneers of rap in Ghana, also included Kwaku T and Abeiku and Jay Ghartey's brothers Tufu and Moses.[GhanaMusic.com: Jay Ghartey biography]
/ref> The group won the Ghanaian national rap and dance competition several times, performing on the same stages as Ziggy Marley and the Melody Makers, Public Enemy and Ghanaian highlife legend George Darko.
He returned to the United States to finish high school in Brooklyn, NY
Brooklyn is a Boroughs of New York City, borough of New York City located at the westernmost end of Long Island in the New York (state), State of New York. Formerly an independent city, the borough is coextensive with Kings County, one of twelv ...
, and later attended college in Boston
Boston is the capital and most populous city in the Commonwealth (U.S. state), Commonwealth of Massachusetts in the United States. The city serves as the cultural and Financial centre, financial center of New England, a region of the Northeas ...
. Settling in New York he worked as a singer, songwriter, arranger and producer in partnership with his brother Joseph "Joe" Ghartey.[ He spends his time between New York and Accra where he records, produces and directs videos. He also works on various charity projects such as the GH Brothers Youth Foundation with its first school opened in Nima, Accra. Ghartey recently described his style as smoothly transitioning between R&B, ]Hip Hop
Hip-hop or hip hop (originally disco rap) is a popular music genre that emerged in the early 1970s from the African-American community of New York City. The style is characterized by its synthesis of a wide range of musical techniques. Hip- ...
, Highlife
Highlife is a Ghanaian music genre that originated along the coastal cities of present-day Ghana in the 19th century, during its Gold Coast (region), history as a colony of the British and through its trade routes in coastal areas. It encompasse ...
, Hiplife but with a universal sound and appeal.
Music career
His first album, a 12-track entitled ''Shining Gold'', was released in September 2010 in Ghana. On his decision to release the album in Ghana, GhanaMusic.com noted: "He is inspired by Ghanaian music, especially those of Kojo Antwi and George Darko... he wanted to use his music to attract US attention to Ghana music. Though popular in his homeland Ghana, Jay has attracted hundreds of thousands of fans all over the world with his universal sound and appeal. His song "My Lady" was on heavy rotation on the specialized pan-African music station Channel O
Channel O is a South Africa–based music channel that started transmission in 1997. Its main concept is African music in Africa and the diaspora.
Channel O can be accessed via DStv, a satellite pay TV service for pan-African households. The ch ...
. The music video was directed by Ogee from Phamous People Philms. On April 4, 2012, Jay was the first Ghanaian artist to be featured on BET
Black Entertainment Television (BET) is an American basic cable channel targeting Black American audiences. It is the flagship channel of the BET Media Group, a subsidiary of Paramount Global's CBS Entertainment Group. Originally launched ...
's ''106 & Park
''106 & Park'' is an American hip hop and R&B music video show, set up in a countdown format, that was broadcast on weekdays at 6:00 pm ET/5:00 pm CT on BET; it aired on a one-day delay on BET International. It was the network's highest- rated ...
'' show with his hit "Papa". He has also collaborated with rapper AJ Nelson and is featured in the latter's single "Faith". Jay Ghartey has done collaborations with artists such as Samini
Emmanuel Andrews Sammini (born 22 December 1982, in Accra, Ghana), known by his stage name Samini (formerly as Batman Samini), is a Ghanaian reggae and dancehall recording artist from Wa, Ghana. His genre of music is a melodious mixture of hig ...
, Sarkodie, Kwaw Kesse, Okyeame Kwame, E.L, Stay Jay
William Kojo Johnson (born 5 January 1986) known by the stage name Stay Jay is a Ghanaian Hip hop music, hip hop and afrobeat artist, songwriter and performer from Tema. He is best known for his hit single "Shashee Wowo" produced by Ghanaian produ ...
, B-Nice among others.
Awards
*Won "Best Male Video" at the 2010 Ghana Music Video Awards for the video for his first single, "My Lady", and was nominated for three more awards. In 2011, he was nominated for five awards at the 2011 Ghana Music Awards and won the award for "Best Video".
*Won "Best New Artist" award in Africa during the 2011 Afrotainment Museke Online Music Awards.
*Nomination for the "Best Afro Pop Song" for his hit "Papa" at the 2013 Ghana Music Awards.
*Nomination for Young Influential Africans by FACE of Africa at the 2013 Face Awards.
Discography
Albums
Singles
*2009: "My Lady"
*2009: "Me Do Wo" (feat. Okyeame Kwame)
*2010: "Black Star"
*2011: "I Don't Give a Damn"
*2012: "Papa"
*2012: "Waiting for You"
*2013: "Somebody (Azozo)"
*2013: "My Love' (with Stay Jay)
*2014: "No Fronting" (feat. E.L and AJ Omo Alajah)
*2014: "Love You Better" (feat. Juliana)
*2015: "Se wo do me a bra" (feat. Stone)
*2016: "Chop Something"
References
External links
Official website
{{DEFAULTSORT:Ghartey, Jay
Year of birth missing (living people)
Living people
American people of Ghanaian descent
Singers from New York City
American male singer-songwriters
Record producers from New York (state)
21st-century Ghanaian male singers
Singer-songwriters from New York (state)