DJ KATAPILA - TROTRO VINYL
DJ KATAPILA - TROTRO VINYL
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DJ KATAPILA - TROTRO VINYL

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DJ KATAPILA
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The repeating lyrics in Ga and Twi focus on daily life and the lessons Katapila observes around town. His views on the world shine through. He paints a vivid picture of Accra life refracted through his own distinctive lens:

“Sakawa” refers to Ghana’s current youth trend of internet scammers who use witchcraft to gain special criminal powers.

“Trotro" is about the privately-owned buses that circle Accra. If you want to make money you need to use these to get from place to place, and it’s often uncomfortable and time-consuming. His daughter shouts out the familiar destinations, “Makola, UTC, Kaneshie” normally the voice of young male bus drivers’ assistants. That’s life, Katapila concludes.

“Cocoawra” refers to the local Ghanaian porridge made from fermented corn, which is ubiquitous on the streets of Accra each morning. Katapila mimics the typical sales call of the people who sell it. Loud and often shrill, you can hear coco sellers in markets and bus stations over the din of street side hustle and bustle.

“Nkran Dokunu” (Accra kenkey) critiques people in debt who go out and enjoy themselves anyway, eating Accra’s famous and delicious kenkey (fermented corn-based staple).

“Lalokat” is an intro for DJ Lalo, an early supporter via airplay. Lalo gave gbe ohe and other dance styles a lot of love and he got Katapila some performances.

“Ice-Inc” was inspired by trips to Ghana’s Volta Region, where the population is predominantly Ewe-speaking. Influenced by the less-familiar rhythms of that locale, Katapila put together this track to reflect what he heard on trips to the region bordering Togo.

“Zoomlion" is a loving tribute to his tough and hardworking mother who was a street cleaner with Accra Metropolitan Assembly for years starting in the 1970’s. Known as diligent and aggressive in keeping the area clean, her notoriety led to comparisons to Zoomlion, the Chinese construction and sanitation machinery that began operating in Ghana in 2007. “She is more Zoomlion than the company itself,” he says. (Zoomlion reps even got in touch with Katapila after hearing his song.) It can’t be a coincidence that Katapila and his mother both have nicknames based on construction machinery.

DJ Katapila’s late start at producing his own music (and his reputation for tireless effort) indicates he has only just begun. Trotro is just his first full-length album. Considering the producer’s single-minded focus—he is dealing with music in one way or another day and night—there is certainly more to come.