M3NSA

M3NSA is the stage name of Mensa Ansah, a British-Ghanaian MC, songwriter and producer from Accra and London, born in 1981. He works across hip hop, hiplife and alté, and is also described as an indie-soul singer and emcee.

Background and family

He is the third son in his family, a detail reflected in the Ghanaian saying “afie biara Mensa wo mu”, which refers to a third-born son in every household. His father, Tumi Ebo Ansah, is a guitarist with Osibisa and also appears in Heritage Africa. His mother teaches him piano when he is eight years old and is described as his biggest musical influence.

His wider family is also involved in the arts. His cousin, Joey Ansah, appears in The Bourne Ultimatum and Batman Begins. He is also the nephew of film director Kwaw Ansah, who directs Heritage Africa, and fashion designer Kofi Ansah, who designs clothes for the royal family wedding in the 1980s.

Career

M3NSA begins his music career by forming The Lifeline Family, a short-lived hiplife group that releases one album. After the group ends, he develops a reputation as a producer. Reggie Rockstone, known as a founder of hiplife, enlists him to work on two tracks for Rockstone’s fourth album, and those songs become widely acclaimed.

He then becomes a sought-after producer in laid-back hiplife, working with Wanlov the Kubolor on the track “Kokonsa” and recording with VIP, Obrafour, Tic Tac, Tinny, KK Fosu and Samini. He also tours with acts including Wu-Tang Clan and The Roots.

Style and releases

His music combines true-school hip hop with West African hiplife, and his sound is also associated with indie soul. The references in his work include influences such as Gnarls Barkley, The Foreign Exchange, J Dilla, Mos Def and Peven Everett. His lyrics are described as witty, playful and provocative, and he is known as a singer, emcee and producer.

Among his underground tracks is “Suicide in the Disco”. He is also preparing an 11-track debut opus titled The Weather Report.

Recognition

M3NSA’s work receives recognition from the Kora Awards, the MOBO Awards, the Ghana Music Awards and M-Net’s Channel O. The BBC also names him one of the Top 50 Ghanaians to Watch.