The 2017 Vodafone Ghana Music Awards was typical in many aspects – unforeseen hitches, a late start, and lots of controversies – controversies which encompassed not just the decision to award Joe Mettle the Artist of the Year award but also Fancy Gadam picking up the Best New Artiste of the Year over Medikal and others.
Gadam, a Tamale based artiste who’s massive in the entire three Northern Regions, has been making waves into the national market prior to winning the award, but most casual music lovers in the capital knew little about him, thus cried foul over him winning the award.
But any keen follower of music would have known that Gadam winning the award was almost a foregone conclusion. At a young age, Gadam has accomplishments that some of the most mainstream music acts in Accra and Tema can only dream of. His story, from the cradle to the VGMA, is reproduced below to cure those ignorant of who the biggest star to ever come out of the North is.
httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P_4VGvllTMY
In The Beginning
Gadam was born Mujahid Ahmed Bello in September 1988. Growing up, the young Ahmed was obsessed with music, and he started performing at school and public events from as young as age 12. His talent was obvious even back then, with friends and family wowed by his ability to learn almost any song and sing them word for word.
Bello attended the Police Barracks High School in Tamale where he started honing his craft. Assigned topics to write, sing and act about in school, he started creating his own content and realised his proficiency in that as well. After school, he aggressively pursued his talent, visiting numerous studious looking for the chance to sing.
Whilst many artists develop interest in production work (beat making) late into their careers, Gadam got ahead of the curve in that instance as well, developing his beat making skills with every subsequent trip to a studio.
Breakthrough
Gadam built up his profile in those fallow years between completing high school and his first major record deal, which occurred in 2011 when he was snatched up by 5 minutes Entertainment. By then he had already built up a cult following in most of the three Northern regions, a following that has stuck with him since and made him the North’s biggest music export of all time.
Since that first record deal, Gadam has never looked back. His first album, ‘KALIPO’, was released in December 2011 and took the North by storm. It’s lead single, ‘KALIPO’ was the street anthem in the North for years after its release, whilst other tracks such as Alkawle Ft. Iwan And Bamba, Oyema, Nyaqsim and others all received tremendous airplay and rave reviews.
READ ALSO: Shocking Video Of How Fancy Gadam Was Welcomed In Tamale
Gadam’s meteoric rise to the top was materialised after ‘KALIPO’, which thrust him from underground success to the top mainstream act in his vicinity. He followed that up with his second album, ‘Ashili’, in 2012, which also became an instant success. Songs such as ‘Dawgu’ and ‘Alkaida’ permeated the southern market and launched him to national prominence as well.
The Tamale-based star is currently working on his third album.
httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RR9rktO6NKQ
Drawing power
Gadam has a fanbase so rabid that every venue he plays is sold out. His first album launch was held at the Picorna gardens in Tamale, which was sold out. His second album launch was at the same venue, and was sold out as well.
Due to his massive drawing power and ability to fill any venue he performs in, any star who goes to the North and wants a sold out show knows they need to get Gaddam on the bill. This has enabled the young star to share the stage with prominent names such as Davido, Wizkid, Sarkodie, Stonebwoy and many others.
Gaddam regularly draws crowds to his shows that even the biggest stars in the country would be jealous of. He’s sold out the Tamale Sports Stadium on more than one occasion. At one event in Kumasi, a stampede broke out due to the oversized crowd.
httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oMlMEtJFnqA
Recognition
Fancy Gadam won the Discovery of the Year award during the 2016 Bass Awards, which he’s now followed up with the Best New Artiste at the 2017 Vodafone Ghana Music Awards. That clearly denotes a rising career path and there’s no doubt there are more awards in his future, especially now that the whole Ghana has risen and taken notice of his VGMA win.
Style
Gadam is a hiplife/dancehall act who has quite a distinctive sound. His biggest influences include Kaya, Banky W , Wizkid And Davido. The impeccability of Gadam’s flow is beyond question, and with his strong song writing and beatmaking skills, he presents a formidable, 3-in-1 package which no doubt will threaten the southern monopoly which has existed in Gh music since the beginning of time.
Many continue to wonder how Gadam, with stiff competition from Medikal, Feli Nuna, Nii Funny, Eugy, Article Wan, Ebony and Rudebwoy Ranking was crowned VGMAs Best New Artiste Of The Year. What they don’t know is, Fancy Gadam is actually a superstar in the three Northern Regions and the below overwhelming welcome he received in Tamale after the VGMAs attests to that.
Learn more about Fancy Gadam at his official website – fancygadam.com
httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mdgVWTplHEI