D-Black
D-Black | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Background information | |
| Birth name | Desmond Kwesi Blackmore |
| Also known as | Da Ghana Bwouy |
| Born | 12 January 1987 Accra, Ghana |
| Genres | |
| Occupations |
|
| Instrument | Vocals |
| Years active | 2009–present |
| Labels | Black Avenue Muzik |
Desmond Kwesi Blackmore (born January 12, 1987), known by his stage name D-Black, is an anglophone hip-hop and Afrobeat musician and entrepreneur from Ghana.[1] He has been described as "a successful entertainment mogul"[2]
Early life
 | This section of a biography of a living person does not include any references or sources. (March 2022) |
Born Desmond Kwesi Blackmore on 12 January 1987 to Ghanaian & English parents, Blackmore attended Ridge Church School then to Pope John Senior High School and Minor Seminary before the University of Cape Coast to study B.A Economics and University Of Ghana, Legon to study BFA Theatre Arts / Music.
Career
In 2009, D-Black began his career as an independent artist in the group D-Black & Kwaku T releasing a group album ‘Target Practice’. In 2010 D-Black and his rap partner both went solo. He went on to release three albums (Music, Love and Life, The Revelation, Lightwork’ 1 E.P (Smoke and Mirrors) and 1 mix-tape (Hunger & Thirst) over the years. He has been nominated for numerous awards and won several, including the 2011 BET Awards.[3]
He has collaborated with some of African acts including Davido, Mayorkun, M.I, Phyno, Ice Prince, Seyi Shay from Nigeria, Cassper Nyovest, Bucie, HHP from South Africa, Stanley Enow from Cameroon, Stella Mwangi from Kenya and Vanessa Mdee from Tanzania as well as Sarkodie, Shatta Wale, StoneBwoy, Castro, Bisa Kdei, Efya, King Promise, Kuami Eugene E.L, Kwabena Kwabena, VVIP and more from his homeland Ghana.[citation needed]
Black Avenue Muzik
D-Black is the CEO of record label Black Avenue Muzik, with act including himself, DJ Breezy, Sefa, Ms. Forson, Osayo & rapper Nina Ricchie, as well as music producer Rony, Turn Me Up. Former acts include Joey B, Freda Rhymz, Dahlin Gage & Wisa Greid.[4] It won record label of the year at the 2018 Ghana - Naija Entertainment Awards in Lagos, Nigeria.[5] and was nominated for the record label of the year at the 2019 Ghana Entertainment Awards in New York.[6]
Other ventures
Black Avenue Clothing
Founded in 2012, a design company, marketer and importer of men and women's apparel.[7]
Livewire Events
Livewire Events is an events management company founded in 2015. In 2015 they produced the Bukom Banku vs Ayittey Powers boxing match at the Kumasi Sports Stadium. It included performances from Sarkodie, Shatta Wale and Efya.[8] Other notable events include the 2018 Kundum Festival Jam in Axim for the Ministry of Tourism.[9]
Black Avenue Films/TV
Produced Why Should I Get Married movie starring John Dumelo, Maria Nepembe, Princess Shyngle, Eya, Prince David Osei, and The EFGH Show hosted by Peace Hyde in 2015.
Discography
| This section of a biography of a living person does not include any references or sources. (March 2022) |
Albums
- Target Practice (2009)
- Music, Love & Life (2010)
- The Revelation (2012)
- Lightwork (2016)
- Hunger & Thirst Mixtape (2017)
- Smoke & Mirrors E.P (2019)
Singles
- "Move" w/ Kwaku T (2009)
- Breathe" w/ Kwaku T (2010)
- "Somebody" ft. Kwabena Kwabena (2011)
- "Get On the Dancefloor" ft. D Cryme (2011)
- "Ma Me Five" (2011)
- "Asabone" ft. Reggie Rockstone (2011)
- "My Kinda Girl" ft. Sarkodie (2012)
- "Change Your Life" ft. E.L (2012)
- "Vera" ft. Joey B (2012)
- "Black Clouds' ft. Waje (2013)
- "Conference Call" ft. Kwaw Kese, Sarkodie (2013)
- "Woara" ft. Kesse (2013)
- "Setewaa D3nky3" (2013)
- "Party Gbee" (2013)
- "Carry Go" ft. Davido (2013)
- "Personal Person" ft. Castro (2014)
- "Seihor" w/ Castro (2014)
- "Kotomoshi (2015)
- "Champ" ft. M.I Abaga (2016)
- "Omega" ft. Sarkodie (2016)
- "Bottles" ft. Medikal (2017)
- "Julie" ft. Bisa KDei (2017)
- "Makoma" ft. Mayorkun (2017)
- "Nobody" ft. King Promise (2018)
- "Badder" ft. Kuami Eugene(2019)
- "Dat Ting" ft. Joey B (2019)
- "Obiba" ft. Kidi (2019)
- "Miracle" (2019)
- "Falaa" ft. Medikal (2019)
- "Heaven Or Hell" ft. Sefa (2019)
- "Stay" ft. Simi (2019)
Awards and nominations
| Year | Event | Award | Song | Results |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2009 | Channel O Music Video Awards | Best West African | Move | Nominated |
| 2010 | Vodafone Ghana Music Awards | Hip-Hop / Hip-life Song of the Year | Breathe | Nominated |
| Music Video of the Year | Breathe | Won | ||
| Museke African Music Awards | Music Video of the Year | Breathe | Nominated | |
| African Music Awards, London | Music Video of the Year | Breathe | Won | |
| Channel O Music Video Awards, South Africa | Best Hip-hop | Breathe | Nominated | |
| Best Music Video | Breathe | Nominated | ||
| Sound City Music Awards, Nigeria | Best Collaboration | Somebody | Nominated | |
| Best New Video | Believe | Nominated | ||
| 4SYTE Music Video Awards | Best Overall Video | Breathe | Nominated | |
| Best Storyline in a Video | Breathe | Won[10] | ||
| Best Directed Video | Breathe | Nominated | ||
| Best Collaboration in a Video | Breathe | Won | ||
| Best Group Video | Breathe | Nominated | ||
| 2011 | Ghana Music Awards | Hip hop/ Hip-life Artist of the Year | None | Nominated |
| Hip hop Song of the Year | Get on Da Dancefloor | Won | ||
| Songwriter of the Year | Somebody | Nominated | ||
| Collaboration of the Year | Somebody | Nominated | ||
| Album of the Year | Music, Love & Life | Nominated | ||
| BET Awards | Best International Artist of the Year (Africa) | - | Nominated[11] | |
| Ghana Gospel Industry Awards | Alternate Gospel Song of the year | Somebody | Nominated | |
| Alternate Gospel Video of the year | Somebody | Won | ||
| Channel O Music Video Awards | Best African West | Get on Da Dancefloor | Nominated | |
| 4Syte Music Video Awards | Best Photography in a video | Somebody | Nominated | |
| Best Hip-hop Video | Get on da dancefloor | Nominated | ||
| Best Collaboration in a video | Somebody | Nominated | ||
| Best Edited Video | Get on Da Dancefloor | Nominated | ||
| Music Video Awards | Best African Act | Get on Da Dancefloor | Nominated | |
| Ghana Hip-hop Awards | Male Hip-hop Artiste(of the Decade) | - | Nominated[12] | |
| The Next Big Thing Award | - | Won | ||
| Hip-hop album (of the Decade) | - | Nominated | ||
| Best Collaboration | Breathe | Nominated | ||
| Hip-hop Artiste of the year | - | Won | ||
| 2012 | Ghana Music Awards | Hip-hop Song of the year | My Kinda Girl | Nominated |
| Music Video of the year | My Kinda Girl | Nominated | ||
| Album of the Year | The Revelation | Nominated | ||
| HSH Awards | Most Influential Artiste | - | Won | |
| Hip-hop World Awards | Best International Artiste | - | Nominated | |
| Channel O Music Video Awards | Best West Africa video | Falling | Won | |
| MTN 4SYTE Music Video Awards | Best Collaboration | Falling | Won | |
| 2013 | Ghana Music Awards | Artist of the year | - | Nominated |
| Song of the Year | Vera | Nominated | ||
| Hip-life Song of the Year | Vera | Nominated | ||
| Hip-hop Song of the Year | Falling | Nominated | ||
| Hip-hop/Hip-life Artiste of the Year | - | Nominated | ||
| Ghana Music Awards UK | Song of the year | Vera | Won | |
| Collaboration of the year | Vera | Won | ||
| Channel O Music Video Awards | Best Africa West | Vera | Nominated[13] | |
| 2015 | Ghana Music Awards | Hip-life Song of the Year | Seihor | Won |
| 2016 | 4Syte Music Video Awards | Male Video of the Year | Kotomoshi | Won |
| 4Syte Music Video Awards | Hiplife Video of the Year | Kotomoshi | Nominated | |
| 4Syte Music Video Awards | Best Directed Video of the Year | Kotomoshi | Nominated | |
| 4Syte Music Video Awards | Most Influential Artist of the Year | D-Black | Nominated | |
| 2017 | Ghana Movie Awards | Soundtrack the Year | D-Black ft. Efya | Won |
| 4Syte Music Video Awards | Hiplife Video of the Year | Bottles | Won[14] | |
| 4Syte Music Video Awards | Male Video of the Year | Bottles | Nominated | |
| 4Syte Music Video Awards | Photography Video of the Year | Bottles | Nominated | |
| 2018 | 40 Under 40 Awards | Entrepreneur the Year (Hospitality) | D-Black (Club Onyx) | Won |
| 2019 | Ghana Entertainment Awards Awards | Artist / Entrepreneur of the Year | D-Black | Won |
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References
- ^ "Who Is Desmond Kwesi Blackmore? –News Ghana". Newsghana.com.gh. 18 October 2015. Retrieved 18 October 2015.
- ^ "The Creative in the Numbers Game". 21 June 2019.
- ^ "D-Black". BET.
- ^ "D Black confirms exit of 4 artistes from Black Avenue Muzik -". 21 June 2019.
- ^ https://www.ghanaweb.com/GhanaHomePage/entertainment/Black-Avenue-Muzik-emerge-best-record-label-at-Ghana-Naija-Showbiz-awards-699045/ [dead link]
- ^ "D Black signs Wisa, two new acts to his label". 21 February 2017.
- ^ https://newsghana.com.gh/d-black-to-launch-the-trendy-comfortable-and-affordable-black-avenue-clothing-brand /
- ^ "Bukom Banku: I'll stop Ayittey Powers in Round 5". 17 December 2015.
- ^ "Musical concert climaxes successful Kundum festival | Ghana Music | Events". 20 September 2018.
- ^ "Good Year For D-Black With Several Awards Nominations" Ghanacelebrities.com
- ^ "Best International Act: Africa". BET Awards 2001.
- ^ Full Nomination list for Ghana Hiphop & R&B Awards 2011...J-Town, Obrafour, Kweku T and more included. Modern Ghana.
- ^ "D-Black shoots world class video for 'Change Your Life' in SA" Archived 2015-12-22 at the Wayback Machine Ghana Music.com
- ^ "Full List – 4Syte TV Music Video Awards 2017 Winners #4SYTETVMVAs17". 19 November 2017.
External links
