D-Black

D-Black
Background information
Birth name	Desmond Blackmore
Also known as	D-Black Da Ghana Bwouy
Born	(1987-01-12) 12 January 1987 Ga, Accra, Ghana
Origin	Accra, Ghana
Genres	Hiplife hip hop Afrobeats
Occupation(s)	Rapper Songwriter Record producer entrepreneur
Instruments	vocals lead vocals
Years active	2009–present
Labels	Black Avenue Muzik
Associated acts	Sarkodie 2 Face Idibia R2Bees Ice Prince Wizkid Efya Davido Reggie Rockstone E.L Shatta Wale M.I Stonebwoy Phyno Cassper Nyovest
Website	Dblacklive.com

Desmond Kwesi Blackmore (born 12 January 1986) better known by his stage name D-Black is an anglophone Ghanaian hip-hop star.^[1]

Career

D-Black is a multiple award winning afrobeats / hiphop artist from Ghana. He owns and operates a marketing/advertising/events firm Black Avenue Works that specializes in corporate and social events, product/brand marketing and advertising. Directed by D-Black, subsidiary companies of Black Avenue Works include Black Avenue Muzik, an independent record label and distribution outlet, Black Avenue Clothing, Livewire Events and Black Avenue TV (producers of THE EFGH Show). D-Black is also the CEO of Club Onyx, an upscale nightclub located in the plush Cantonments neighborhood of Accra.^[2] D-Black has signed onto his Black Avenue Muzik Label, producer and D.J, DJ Breezy and rapper Joey B.

D-Black has released two solo albums,Music, Love & Life and " The Revelation" with this third album set to drop in 2016. He has received more than 70 award nominations with 15 wins at various awards shows continentally and worldwide.^[3] He signed a 2-year digital distribution deal with Universal Music, Africa for his third album.

In 2011 D-Black was nominated at the BET Awards in the USA for Best African Act following the release of his first studio album "Music, Love & Life" that spawned the award winning hits "Somebody FT. Kwabena Kwabena" and "Get On Da Dancefloor ft. Dr. Cryme". His first nationwide tour 'The Yes Boss Tour' as a massive success as he sold out stadia and auditoriums in 10 cities in Ghana. D-Black released three singles off his 2012 'The Revelation' album "My Kinda Girl" featuring fellow Ghanaian rapper Sarkodie, "Falling" featuring Nigeria's Mo Cheddah and the smash hit single "Vera" made big rounds on Ghanaian and African radio and television. The azonto club banger "Vera" featuring Joey B was the number 1 song on the Ghanaian urban music charts on over 15 Ghanaian radio stations 12 weeks after its release and was the most popular song in Ghana through 2012.

D-Black also won awards for "Song of the Year" and "Collaboration of the Year" for his hit track "Vera" at the 2013 Ghana Music Awards, U.K in August 2013. D-Black has performed with Jay Z, Chris Brown, Fat Joe, Akon, Busta Rhymes , Stevie Wonder, Omarion, Lyold at concerts in Ghana. D-black has performed in countries including the USA, (UAE) Dubai, Italy, Holland, South Africa, U.K, Nigeria and more. In July 2013 he headlined at the O2 Arena at the U. K. Afrobeats Music Festival Concert with label mate Joey B, which kicked off his U.S.A Tour in September 2013 and the first leg of a European tour in February 2014 in Amsterdam, Holland, Bologna, Italy, London, United Kingdom, Coventry.

In 2014, D-Black begun working in the studio on his third album. The first single off this upcoming album, Personal Person featuring Ghanaian crooner Castro, was released in April 2014 and received massive airplay on Ghanaian and African radio. In July 2014, Personal Person was the number 1 song on the top 10 charts across Ghana. Castro doubled up with his 'Seihor' record featuring D-Black that also shot to number 1 on all radio and TV charts in Ghana. The second single off the album 'Kotomoshi' released in November 2015 is currently one of the biggest records on the continent as D-Black readies to release his third studio album "Lightwork" in May 2016.

D-Black signed an advertising deal with Ciroc Ultra Premium Vodka in 2014 then a brand Amabssador deal with the Diageo owned brand in 2015.^[4] and for Ghanaian Electronic giants RLG, VIVA brand of phones. He is also the face of his Black Avenue Clothing label. D-Black is also the CEO of Club Onyx, a plush nightclub set to open in Cantonments, Accra.

Discography/Albums

• 2009: Target Practice - joint album with Kwaku-T (Black Avenue Works)^[5]

December 2008 saw the release of three major singles from his joint album ‘Target Practice’ with ex-big brother housemate, Kwaku-T. The self executive produced album which was marketed by D-Black’s Black Avenue Works firm boasted the singles “Move” which was nominated in the Best West African Category at the last Channel O Music Awards in South Africa, “Breathe” ft.Jay So and “Bust ma brain” respectively. The perfect breakthrough for dblack as bagged multiple awards with the release of the album.

• 2010: Music, Love & Life (Black Avenue Muzik)

After swooping the video of the year awards at the Ghana Music Awards; the duo were the first and only hiphop artists to be nominated for a GMA in its eleven year.Dblack took the bull by the horn as he dropped his debut album and featured top notch artistes like Wyclef Jean, Maggz and Bongani Fassie (South Africa), Tay Grin (Malawi), Segal (Gabon), Buffalo Souljah (Zimbabwe), STL (Kenya), 2 Face Idibia, Sauce Kid, M.I & J Martins (Nigeria), Reggie Rockstone, Kwaw Kese, X.O, Ayigbe Edem, Tinny, Sarkodie, Stonebwouy, Efya, Samini and Kwabena Kwabena (Ghana).The album's first single/video, "Somebody", premiered exclusively on MTV stations across Africa, and made the Ghanaian Top 10 lists of nine radio stations within 3 weeks of its June release.Whilst "Asabone", ft. Reggie Rockstone, leaked in January.34 songs graced the album starting with One more drink (prod by Green Gafacci). next came Hustla Muzik ft. Samini (prod by Killmatic). True Love ft. Efya (prod by Kwam 1),Get on da Dancefloor ft. Dr. Cryme (prod by Dr. El),Intoxicated ft. X.O (prod by Coptic-USA),Whazzulp ft. Sarkodie, Kwaku-t (prod by Killmatic),Never Leave ft. Stonebwouy (prod by Killmatic),Yes Boss (prod by Greeen Gafacci),Stop it ft. 2Face,J town & Kwaku-t (prod by D.Evolution-USA),How Make i do am ft. Guru (prod by Sammie Blacc),Wonderful World ft. Wyclef Jean (prod by M.A),Can i get a hug ft. Dee Moneey (prod by Gafacci),Somebody ft. Kwabena Kwabena (prod by Jounide),Chaskele (prod by Green Gaffacci),Asabone ft. Reggie Rockstone (prod by Piesie),Galanja ft. Sammie Blacc (prod by Sammie Blacc),Good Life ft. Segal(Gabon) (prod by Kwam 1),Light up the skies ft. Memphis Bleek (prod by Coptic-USA),No Other Lover ft. Sauce Kid(Naija) (prod by Q.C Funk -USA),Firewoman ft. Buffalo Souljah (Zimbabwe) (prod by Kilmatic),Disgustingly Beautiful ft. Zeus(Botswana) (prod by Green Gafacci),Heated up ft. HHP (South Africa) (Prod by T-Nice-Canada),Believe (prod by Chantelle Myers - Canada),Long Ting ft. Tinny and Kwaku-t (prod by Kwam 1),Africa Rise ft .Tay Grin(Malawi),Buffalo Souljah (prod by HOTWAX),Blame ft. Efya and Rockstone (prod by M.A),You Scared ft. Kwaw Kese (prod by Killmatic),All i Need ft. Chase (prod by Sammie Blacc),Freaky with You ft. Stella Mwangi (Kenya) (prod by Q.C Funk -USA),Bust ma Brain w/ J Sleek and Kwaku-t (prod by J-Sleek-Naija),Still w/Sante (prod by Green Gafacci),Knock u awt ft. Paedae and Mugeez (R2bees) (Prod by Green Gafacci),Plastic Smile ft. Iwan (prod by Jounide),Hurt ft. Jay Ghartey (prod by Joe Ghartey was the last song on the album(in order of arrangement). The album was released in August 2010.

• 2012: The Revelation (Black Avenue Muzik)
• 2016: Lightwork (Black Avenue Muzik)

Hit Singles

• 2009: Move (with Kwaku-T)
• 2009: Breathe (with Kwaku-T)
• 2010: Somebody (feat. Kwabena Kwabena)
• 2010: Believe
• 2010: Get on da Dance Floor (feat. Dr. Cryme)
• 2012: My Kinda Girl (Black Avenue Musik)
• 2012: My Kinda Girl (feat. Sarkodie)
• 2012: Falling (feat. Mo'Cheddah)
• 2012: Vera (feat. Joey B)
• 2013: Change Your Life (feat. EL)
• 2014: Party Gbee
• 2014: Carry Go (feat. Davido)
• 2014: Personal Person (feat. Castro)
• 2015: Setewaa D3nky3
• 2015: Red Card
• 2015: Kotomoshi (feat. VVIP)
• 2016: Aben Dada (feat. Ofori Amponsah)^[7]
• 2016: Champ (feat M.I)^[8]
• 2016: Elale feat Cassper Nyovest

featured in

• 2014: "Seihor" (Castro feat. D-Black)
• 2016: I Will Be There As a featured artiste^[9]

Videography

Awards and Nominations

References

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Dblack (rapper).

• dblacklive.com