THE ACROPOLIS

The video opens like a movie, with a variety of low angle and medium shots of Yaw P in his signature ‘rope chain’ – which he assures me is mainly a fashion statement piece – and sunglasses, looking très chic on the cobbled streets of Paris. I’ve been intrigued by Yaw P since being introduced to his work behind the scenes, on Kay-Ara’s projects as they both rep the same ‘label’ – NeoSpirituals – turning his hands at director, producer and label head. And now, rapper.

When I catch up with him, I want to start from the beginning so I ask about NeoSpirituals. He explains that it is a label but not in the traditional sense – more of a creative umbrella, where artists can collaborate with each other, while offering them some promo links to media and select radio stations. Did I is a track from the Acropolis EP, a project by Yaw P and Temple, recorded over a year – all produced by Yaw P. They describe it as a “sound, a time, a place that we’re in… it’s a whole vibe”. The name, Acropolis, comes from a part of Adisco where their headmaster stays, his residence – both artists attended the school (different years though), a common ground for both artists to pull from.

Shot over two days while sightseeing (spot the Louvre-Pyramide, Eiffel Tower and Notre Dame), they decided to shoot the picturesque video as well. The video doesn’t have a storyline – which by the way isn’t a bad thing – but consists of fast paced shots of both artists posing, slow-mo walking and performing to camera. I especially love the silhouette shots behind a gate (1:10, 1:37, 1:40, 1:44 and 2:01 -11) at the Louvre. Like the last video I reviewed, it’s obvious this video was shot on the fly, but what the director did with it is super creative and stunning! - Yoyotinz

We are constantly speaking on how important it is to document our art and culture. And two rappers from Accra have done that so beautifully, it gained international recognition.

Music artists Yaw P and Temple from Ghana, recently produced a short documentary, titled Acropolis, directed by Bread9fe of Third Eye, to document the influences and creative processes that gave life to their music. The film was based on their 2016 released music project and recently won the Best Film award at the Urban Film Festival tour in Kampala .
The documentary takes you behind the scenes and gives viewers a firsthand look at creating as Urban Africans.

The EP project, Acropolis, produced in Ghana, birthed the Acropolis documentary. It is a vibe; a fusion of genres circulated for the world, totally disparate from the usual way music is expressed in Ghana.
“Ghanaian music has a void and lacks a sense of direction, thus the need for something new, a unique sound with authenticity. The reason for Acropolis,” says Yaw P.

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The artists shared, “the Acropolis project is for everyone and is purposed to push the concepts in the music video along with an overall promotion of the song, artists, brand and Ghanaian culture.”
The documentary recently won an award at the Urban Film Festival, an international gathering of urban film and film industry experts sharpening skills of filmmakers while allowing them to showcase their masterpieces.

The documentary won the overall best film from Africa out of over 40 entries and was part of the 40 films out of 500 films selected world wide to compete at the final show in Paris.
Acropolis will give rise to more creative music in Ghana and Africa as a whole, which will encourage artists to take unconventional approaches to gain exposure for their art.

Yaw P is a contemporary African artist pioneering a new wave of homegrown sounds, which reflect his society. With a love for film, sculptures and sounds, he is an artist in every sense, as a result he aims to influence his surroundings and beyond

Temple is a Ghanaian Hip-Hop Artist, based in Accra and represents the Pata Camp; a musical group in Ghana.

The Acropolis concept, is an organic piece of art with a quest to push the envelope on how art is expressed. The artists plan to release Acropolis II in the near future. - Harmattan Rain