IOGRAPHY
Nana Binghi was born on the beautiful virgin island of St. Thomas, on November 1st, with his lineage from Kyebi, Ghana, West Africa. He attended Moravian Catholic School, All Saints Cathedral School, and Charlotte Amalie High School. He resided with his mother, Lena V. George, who worked hard as a caretaker for the elderly at Queen Louise Home, while raising two children, on the island and later passed away October 19, 2003. His father, Nana K.B. Ofori-Atta, a historian, well respected master drummer, wood carver, steeped in the tradition of herbal medicine, and a disciple of the martial arts named Nana Binghi as Otumfo Nana Kwaku Amoa Kofo Tete Ofori-Atta I.
The binghi man grew up in the savannah of the island. At the age of 8, he chose to follow in his father’s footstep by wood carving, drumming, listening to traditional Ghanaian music, and Reggae music, which is predominant throughout the islands. He also found interest in writing poems and later reading them publicly when he was 10 years old. From then on he was not only involved in poetry, but he was performing Traditional Akan Drums and singing at weddings for many functions. Especially in the early years when poets and lecturers like Dr. John Henry Clarke and Dr. Yosefben Jochannan, pronounced (Yo-sef-ben-Yeh-ke-nen), who is now in his 90’s and author of books like, “Black Man of The Nile and His Family” and “African Contribution to World Religion”, etc. came to the island to lecture on World History and the role that African people play in that history. It is under this umbrella that Nana was exposed to a wide variety of information and cultural diversity that brought him to where he is right now.
He later moved to the western part of the island where he met Caribbean Cultural Artist, James ‘Jamesy’ Brewster, one day while playing outside. James played the guitar, the banjo, a gourd like instrument known as the wiro, the congas, and he even made them at home in his front yard. After school Nana could always be found at James’s home, where music was a constant. After being invited to hold the wiro, a banjo, and lastly a guitar, he was taught a few chords. James became another musical mentor shortly after. Nana’s mother would allow him to go with James’s to shows with his band The Happy Seven. He studied James’s words, style, his stage presence, and incorporated it into his own style. It wasn’t long before James noticed the young man’s talent and requested that he become a member of the band, which lasted for about 3 years. Still it was then Nana felt the freedom, the need, the joy, and the strength in music because he could see the stress release in people. Not long after, he was viewed in the local newspaper with Jamesy and The Happy Seven.
Nana Binghi was introduced to many instruments by his father. He enjoys the Traditional Akan Drums , but he really fell in love with string instruments and his favorite is the guitar. He began teaching himself to play guitar 30 minutes a day, after school, like it was homework. He just couldn’t wait to get home for his guitar. Jamesy even taught him the banjo and at 12 years old Nana started writing music. Since then Nana Binghi has opened for numerous artists also. To name a few; Marcia Griffiths, Cocoa Tea, Capleton, Jah Tundah, Moses I, Elephant Man, Sean Paul, etc. Since then Nana Binghi has received a number of invites to appear in various performances.
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BIOGRAPHY
Nana Binghi was born on the beautiful virgin island of St. Thomas, on November 1st, with his lineage from Kyebi, Ghana, West Africa. He attended Moravian Catholic School, All Saints Cathedral School, and Charlotte Amalie High School. He resided with his mother, Lena V. George, who worked hard as a caretaker for the elderly at Queen Louise Home, while raising two children, on the island and later passed away October 19, 2003. His father, Nana K.B. Ofori-Atta, a historian, well respected master drummer, wood carver, steeped in the tradition of herbal medicine, and a disciple of the martial arts named Nana Binghi as Otumfo Nana Kwaku Amoa Kofo Tete Ofori-Atta I.
The binghi man grew up in the savannah of the island. At the age of 8, he chose to follow in his father’s footstep by wood carving, drumming, listening to traditional Ghanaian music, and Reggae music, which is predominant throughout the islands. He also found interest in writing poems and later reading them publicly when he was 10 years old. From then on he was not only involved in poetry, but he was performing Traditional Akan Drums and singing at weddings for many functions. Especially in the early years when poets and lecturers like Dr. John Henry Clarke and Dr. Yosefben Jochannan, pronounced (Yo-sef-ben-Yeh-ke-nen), who is now in his 90’s and author of books like, “Black Man of The Nile and His Family” and “African Contribution to World Religion”, etc. came to the island to lecture on World History and the role that African people play in that history. It is under this umbrella that Nana was exposed to a wide variety of information and cultural diversity that brought him to where he is right now.
He later moved to the western part of the island where he met Caribbean Cultural Artist, James ‘Jamesy’ Brewster, one day while playing outside. James played the guitar, the banjo, a gourd like instrument known as the wiro, the congas, and he even made them at home in his front yard. After school Nana could always be found at James’s home, where music was a constant. After being invited to hold the wiro, a banjo, and lastly a guitar, he was taught a few chords. James became another musical mentor shortly after. Nana’s mother would allow him to go with James’s to shows with his band The Happy Seven. He studied James’s words, style, his stage presence, and incorporated it into his own style. It wasn’t long before James noticed the young man’s talent and requested that he become a member of the band, which lasted for about 3 years. Still it was then Nana felt the freedom, the need, the joy, and the strength in music because he could see the stress release in people. Not long after, he was viewed in the local newspaper with Jamesy and The Happy Seven.
Nana Binghi was introduced to many instruments by his father. He enjoys the Traditional Akan Drums , but he really fell in love with string instruments and his favorite is the guitar. He began teaching himself to play guitar 30 minutes a day, after school, like it was homework. He just couldn’t wait to get home for his guitar. Jamesy even taught him the banjo and at 12 years old Nana started writing music. Since then Nana Binghi has opened for numerous artists also. To name a few; Marcia Griffiths, Cocoa Tea, Capleton, Jah Tundah, Moses I, Elephant Man, Sean Paul, etc. Since then Nana Binghi has received a number of invites to appear in various performances.