Samini

In 2006 Samini won Best African Act at the MOBO Awards in London. Twelve years later the Wa Naa enskinned him as a chief in his home town, with the title Pebilii Naa, King of the Rocks.

Early life

Emmanuel Andrews Samini was born on 22 December in Accra (sources give 1981 or 1982) to G.A. Samini and Theresa Nusala, and moved to Dansoman at nine. His family comes from Wa in the Upper West Region. He sang in his church choir from 14 and later earned a degree in project management at GIMPA, where he was SRC president in his final year.

Career

He turned professional in 1999 and signed first with Ashanti International. His debut album, Dankwasere (2004), included "Linda", and at the 2005 Ghana Music Awards he was named Artiste of the Year. Albums followed steadily: Samini (2007), Dagaati (2008), C.E.O (2010), which was Album of the Year at the 2011 Ghana Music Awards, Next Page (2013), Breaking News (2015) and Untamed (2018), named album of the year by the reggae site Reggaeville. Origin8a is listed for 2026.

He won Best Performer at the 2009 MTV Africa Music Awards and an award at The Headies in Nigeria. Through his own label, High Grade Family, he signed Kofi Kinaata in 2013, and his singles include "Party Away" with Stonebwoy (2016) and "Hallelujah" (2019).

Chief and family

He was enskinned Pebilii Naa in Wa on 13 December 2018. He has five children.