Meet
The G.A.N.G Everything happens for a reason. So when Chima "Kizzle"
Etekochay (singer/songwriter) was introduced to Anthony "Nero" Iluobe
(rapper/songwriter) and Trea "Heatrock" Barber (producer) at a party on
Christmas Day 2007, little did they know that this meeting was the
starting point of a great musical adventure called The G.A.N.G that
would see them perform at several major festivals and release their
first single, "Kick n Snare" within the next 2 years. Infused with the
spirit of Bob Marley, James Brown and Michael Jackson, their music is a
tasteful blend of hip hop, RnB, indie, soul and alternative rock,
influenced by Kool and the Gang, Notorious B.I.G, Fela Kuti, The Fugees
and Phil Collins and refined by the members' very own talents and
styles. Not aiming for fame and fortune but for a rewarding experience
through music-making, The G.A.N.G, which stands for Growth And Not
Glory, intends to spread its message to the world: "Dare to be
different". Growth And Not Glory Several projects await The G.A.N.G
members such as the Ventilation mixtape and the launch of their website
(www.dare2bedifferent.ning.com) which will also serve as a platform for
other artists trying to be heard or seen. But the biggest and most
exciting one is their first album, Xperiment. At the moment, they
already have four tracks which are airplay-ready: "Shadow of The
Night", "Kick n Snare", "Only You" and "Sex, Drugs & Rock n
Roll".
They are also in talks with the local council to create a place where children can go and learn different skills related to the music industry, from song writing to sound engineering, in order to gain early experience and skills within the music industry as well as generate talent within their home city. In the long run, the members wish to broaden their horizons by venturing into video production, music production and song writing for other artists. Music first As they were eager to share their music and message with the world even without the support of a label, The G.A.N.G members released their first single "Kick n Snare" on their own, together with a music video. This decision paid off as "Kick n Snare" took the 1 spot on The People's Music Awards and 17 on Channel AKA's TV Chart show and got them a slot on BBC Radio Humberside's Raw Talent twice. The song is still available for download from all major download websites. It's showtime No matter its style or background, a band only reveals its full potential when playing in front of an audience. Thus The G.A.N.G has been building its stage presence, as well as its fan base, by performing at various festivals.
They opened for Florence and the Machine at Freedom Festival,
performed at Thurrock Festival alongside Asher D (The So Solid Crew),
played at TribFest 2009 and appeared on the stage of the 2009 Miss
Ghana UK pageant. They also have performed on various occasions
alongside acts such as Florence and the Machine, Tinchy Stryder,
N-Dubz, Taio Cruz, Giggs, Artful Dodger, Shola Ama, Blak Twang, S.A.S,
Biggs, Jagged Edge, Blackstreet, to name a few. Impressed by last
year's gig, TribFest organizers invited them back to play this year as
well. Dare to be Different Chance got them together, the love of music
and the pursuit of self-fulfilment bound them together as The G.A.N.G
and now Kizzle, Nero and Heatrock are ready to take on exciting new
challenges and deliver their own philosophy through their songs. Will
you dare help them to make a difference?
