Throwback: MzBel feat Castro – Yoopoo
Today marks the third year since Castro disappeared. Till date, no concrete news has been adduced for his disappearance. Whatever has been in the news reel is based on plausible speculations. Today’s throwback isn’t deliberately to celebrate Castro, even though it would not been out of place. It’s just a coincidence that the throwback song for this week features him.
For starters, let me state emphatically that I’m a MzBel fan for two great reasons: one, she has consistently worn her sexuality with such offending resplendence since she first emerged on the music stage a decade and half ago. Two, MzBel is a strong person who hasn’t allowed her past to define her. She has been raped, abused and judged negatively by society, yet the singer/rapper, Nana Akua, walks with her chin high and her upper lip tight.
Of course, she hasn’t been very professional in expressing her opinions on certain subjects, be it political or social level. Her comments have always been more stronger than her physique. The backlash her actions often court is self-inflicted.
These notwithstanding, MzBel is a trail blazer. She succeeded in shattering the ceiling as far as how female artistes were suppose to carry themselves. She entered the music scene when being ‘descent’ was the general expectation. She, however chose to show that moral code the middle finger and bring her baddest behavior to the fore.
The Sassy Girl’s showbiz persona was heard in her music, seen in her videos and during performances. The lyrics of her songs were explicit and suggestive, her performances ridiculously rauchy and her videos, often steamy. MzBel wasn’t a good girl who went bad. She was damn bad from the onset.
https://youtu.be/RoQ7G54cLBI
One of her songs that confirmed these qualities was the 2004 hit song ‘Yoopoo’. From every angle you look at it, ‘Yoopoo’ (a slang which loosely translate as excellently done) was bound to be a hit. From the production to artistes featured to the music, ‘Yoopoo’ was a hit from the first day.
MzBel had prior to the song established herself as the foremost female artiste on the secular music scene. Her debut single ‘Ade d33d3’ (Sweetest Thing) had earned her deserved popularity. The producer behind ‘Yoopo’, JQ, was also establishing himself as one of the hit makers in the country (he was adjuged the best producer at the 2004 Ghana Music Awards). JQ was then managing a young, vibrant and multi- talented singer/rapper Castro. Also, Screwface, a rising dancehall artiste was also sliding atop the dancehall wave.
MzBel ensured she showcased her bad behaviour on the song. ‘Yoopoo’ is very sexually toned yet claded in metaphors to conceal its true meaning. The Two language employs a lot of metaphors especially in expressing sexual thoughts making it easy for artistes to incorporate in their music.
But, despite this observation, MzBel was MzBel on the song; singing and rapping about her sexual encounter/intentions for a man as the chorus indicated : he loves it when I’m sitting on him but gets mad when i get up and leave/ my love do it quick/I don’t have capa (the strength)’.
Castro also took the baton from MzBel and painted a nice picture of MzBel’s fearsome sexual abilities which could get you confused: ‘get me my cigarette to light up my matches’. In a trade-off of verses, she emphasized her naughtiness again: ‘i’ll ride you to heaven when I get you’. Screwface’s verse completed the narrative. He was indicative of her sex is the magic that keeps him staisfied.
JQ’s production was absolutely splendid. His signature beat which combines elements of highlife and Ga Jama rhythms (with it’s soft bubbling drums) and trombone (horn) placements gave Yoopoo an element of catchiness. This jama influenced sound made JQ a go to producer for artistes seeking that big commercial tune.
It has been more than 10 years since Yoopoo was released. Yet, it still sounds evergreen and nostalgic. Not only would you sing along the memorable hook, if not the entire song, it still carries the magnetic pull that would get you to twirl around even if your dancing is as depressing as mine.
MzBel has a place in my heart still. She made some of the best music of her career songs from the early 2000s to around 2010. Songs that still sounds timeless. And in my eyes, MzBel shattered the ceiling and inspired some of today’s female musicians like Ebony to let the sexuality pervade the music they make. After all, there’s nothing shameful about being slutty on wax and videos.
And for that single act, MzBel deserves her praise. Yoopoo, just like other songs by her is certainly a classic tune.
