Sunday, August 11, 2013

SHOCKING: 'I Used to Sell Akara, Agidi In Ajegunle' - Don Jazzy Tells His Story

According to Don Jazzy, he and brother Jay used to walk from Awodiora through Mba, through Orege to Boundary market to sell agidi, akamu, fried yam and plantain.
And he thanks God more when people hear his 'Back when' stories and don't believe him.
See his Tweets here when you continue:
                     

A Must Read - The lowdown on Ice Prince’s rise to fame

Many words come to mind when you hear the name Ice Prince Zamani. These words include Talented, Successful, and Ambitious.  He took the industry by storm and in no time, surpassed the achievements of those before him.

Ice Prince, real name Panshak Zamani grew up in the mining city of Jos, Plateau State, Nigeria, which is his parents' home state. He received his secondary education at St. Murumba College, the same school that produced superstars such as P-Square and Mikel Obi.

He took up interest in writing hiphop music in 1998. In 2002, he got together with a couple of friends and formed a group called the Ecomog Squad, which was dissolved a year later. In 2004, he met M.I. and Jesse Jagz who took interest in him and signed him on Chocolate City in 2009.

In 2009, he got his first shot at the limelight as he won Hennessy Artistry competition.

Fast-forward to 2010, he dropped his smash hit, Oleku and later his debut Album, E.L.I "Everyone Loves IcePrince"" and he hasn't looked back as it has been one award after the other. Following up with another Smash hit, "Aboki" and "VIP" in 2013, it's clear this 27 year old has no plans of slowing down anytime soon.

To certify his status as on of Africa's finest rap exports, he clinched the BET award for Best African Act 2013 and is said to be collaborating with several international acts. While on his US Tour, he has been spotted with the likes of Neyo, Birdman among others. He stated in an interview that he is also dropping a track with US rapper, French Montana and dropped a snippet featuring Wale.
"It's been amazing and the love has been very different from the last time I was there. Apart from just performing here, I've been working a lot too on the music and I'm trying to seize every opportunity I have here to make the music bigger before I getback home" Ice Prince is real! My music comes from the heart and I guess that speaks for itself. I make music from my experience and things that I witness everyday in life and no matter where I go, I will always remember where I came from.

As characteristic of fame, he has also had his fair share of downsides especially the loss of his mum  a few months to the launch of his first album. He made it clear she was very supportive of his career and is happy she witnessed the success of his smash hit, Oleku.
And he can't avoid the controversies, especially as regards his relationship status. He fathered a son with a lady who he claims he has a cordial relationship with. He also sees his son whenever he can and has indicated his desire to take him on tours as soon as he is grown enough.

He has been linked with two ladies, Yvonne Nelson the Ghanaian actress and Yvonne Nwosu, the Nigerian fashion designer , he surprisingly states he is still single because "Many girls broke his heart",

Whichever it is, he still lists MI as an inspiration" MI has taught me well and he's definitely proud of me that I was able to create my own lane and move with it, if not I still would have probably be asking him for money for jeans."

Ice Prince who is currently in Amsterdam with Wizkid, is set to release his sophomore album "Fire of Zamani" on the 7th of September 2013, it is without doubt this superstar is going to be around for a long time to come.

Nollywood Actors & Actresses Who Have Turned Born Again Christians

Some Nollywood actors and actress who have had a fair share of the fast superstar life, and today profess to live for Christ.

Eucharia Anunobi
Probably, the most publicised conversion to Christ is that of Eucheria Anunobi. The actress fondly called UK by her friends has been the subject of various controversies and scandals, topmost of which bordered around her relationships, broken marriage and eventually her demand for her ex-husband to keep providing for the only son of their union, whom she has in her custody.

After many years of being in the news for all the wrong reasons, many were surprised when she announced she had given her life to Christ. Few months after the news broke, UK was ordained at the Fresh Oil Ministry, Egbeda, Lagos, as an evangelist.

The ordination was performed by Pastor Psalm Okpe, who anointed the top Nollywood actress, accompanied by other men of God. Some of her close colleagues like Susan Peters and Clarion Chukwurah were on hand to support their friend during the ceremony.

With her ordination, Eucharia can fully preach as a pastor. In fact, it is said that she already counsels youths in the church. This, however, has not taken away some of the traits that made her fans term her "a bad girl" before now. UK is still flashy. Just weeks after the ordination, she got a BMW X5. It is not clear if it's a gift or a personal purchase.

UK has, however, vowed to use her fame to win souls for Christ. She also assured her teeming fans that she would not abandon her acting career, pointing out that she would be choosier in accepting roles in movies.

Ernest Asuzu
Do you remember Ernest Asuzu? The Imo State-born actor was the toast of movie lovers some years ago. He took on the role of the lover boy with great skills, and was indeed the ladies' man in real life. But not long after, he disappeared from the radar. Before his withdrawal from the movie scene he was engulfed in scandals and controversies, which got him negative media attention.

During his hiatus, it was rumoured that he was down with mental illness while some even said he was dead. However, he resurfaced with a turn-around in more ways than one. In a chat, he told some reporters that the world rejected him, and he had to go back to Christ.

With this discovery, he underwent a period of rebranding and soul-searching, coming out strong as a gospel artiste. He now calls himself El Cream. With his new musical identity, he has released a music video for his single, 'Go Under'. The new single is coming off his forthcoming album, Return of the Don.

Rita Nzelu
Not much has been heard much from this popular 90s actress for some time. Now, we hear that the former actress, who has been in the UK for over 10 years, has become a born-again Christian and has been ordained an evangelist in a UK-based Nigerian church. She is said to be very active in church, as she keeps posting invitation to churches on her social media handle.

She still acts in Nigerian movies shot in London.

Kanayo O. Kanayo
Veteran Nollywood actor, Anayo Modestus Onyekwere, popularly known as Kanayo.O.Kanayo, is now a pastor. He has been preaching in some churches in recent times. He is mostly seen teaching the word of God at Christ Mission Worldwide Church, Egbeda.

Though he does not preach there regularly, it is said that the number of church members has grown since the day he first preached there.

That is not the only church he has ministered in at. His face has also graced banners and posters of other churches' programmes. This recent development comes as a shock to some of his friends and colleagues who know him well.

There are allegations of nefarious activities that go on in his Surulere office. The place is described by some of his colleagues as a magnet for young girls.

Pat Attah
Where is Pat Attah? From what we gather, the once-upon-a-dreadlock-turned clean cut actor has left his life in the country behind. Pat, currently, is based in Hamburg, Germany and has turned a preacher. Though he does not preach in churches, he is now very much a born-again.

Many knew him before he left the country to be close to the ladies and in love with the bottle. Today, reading his posts online, one would know things have changed in his life. Pat often uses social network sites including Facebook to deliver his sermon and messages to all who care to read.

Zack Orji
Actor, Zack Orji, has been ordained a full-time evangelist by Bishop Emma Isong of Christian Central Chapel International (CCCI). In fact, the veteran actor has engaged in various evangelical activities in Abuja, Nasarawa and Makurdi with the church.

Zack has hardly been linked to any scandal. Only close friends know that he goes to a bar in National Stadium in Lagos, where he usually takes a particular brand of drink. Zack Orji is married to Ngozi Orji and they have three children.

Liz Benson
Elizabeth Benson, popularly known as Liz Benson, began acting when she was just a kid. Her journey to stardom began when she appeared on the set of the popular television soap opera, Fortunes, in 1993. Liz Benson played the part of Mrs. Agnes Johnson in the soap, which ran for about two years on the Nigerian Television Authority network. After that, she acted in various TV series and many movies.

In 1994, her role in Glamour Girls, a very successful home video that focused prostitution as the theme, literally changed her fortunes.

The movie shot her into prominence and gradually she wormed her way into the heart of millions of Nigerian movie fans. As popularity came, so did media scrutiny. Several media reports linked her with different men and she was said to be dating some men in power.

However, after a quiet court ceremony in Abuja, she got married to a Bishop Great Emeya in 2009 at the Rainbow Christian Assembly in Warri, Delta State. She too was ordained an evangelist in the church.

Presently, she runs the church with her husband.

Peter Bunor
This veteran actor missed death by the whiskers last year. It took the intervention of the Delta State Government to keep him alive. The actor suffered a stroke that left him almost totally paralysed. Since he recovered, Peter has turned a new man.

In a chat with journalists, he said: "All I can say now is to thank God that I am alive. I have also given my life to Jesus Christ as you can see that I am now a pastor."

The man is known to attend Winners Chapel.

Living in Bondage is believed by some sectors to be the film that brought Nollywood to where it is today. The man behind the movie, Kenneth Nnebue, owns Nek Videos.

After two decades of making a success of that two-part Igbo language movie, the pioneer producer disappeared into thin air. The last time he was spotted at a Nollywood function, was in 2009, where he was among the special guests that attended that year's BOBTV, Africa's premiere film and television programmes expo, which held in Abuja.

From what we hear, Nnebue has retired to evangelism. Close friends say he is very active in his church.