Ghana’s Ko-Jo Cue and Shaker to open for Lauryn Hill

Hill made the announcement via Twitter, with a photo of the line-up and these words: "Get your tickets and VIP Experiences to see Ms. Lauryn Hill’s The Miseducation Of Lauryn Hill 20th Anniversary Tour with special guests now at http://mslaurynhill.com."

Released in 1998, the album made the then 29 year old Hill the youngest recipient of the Grammy Album of the Year Award. It is also one of a few albums featuring rap music and R&B to receive that recognition and is today regarded as a classic.

The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill consolidated its maker's place in the music industry. A live album and several concerts followed. Hill also travelled around the world performing on different stages. In 2015, after a much-publicised failure to turn up for an earlier event, Hill performed in Lagos in August. A year before she had performed in Ghana’s capital Accra.

"This album chronicled an intimate piece of my young existence," Hill said in a statement. "It was the summation of most, if not all, of my most hopeful and positive emotions experienced to that date. I loved and  believed deeply in my community’s ability to both love and heal itself provided it received the right amount of support and encouragement. I hope the love and energy that permeated this work can continue to inspire change with love and optimism at the helm."

The former member of The Fugees has elected artists from both Nigeria and Accra for her Miseducation anniversary celebration. 

Ko-Jo Cue and Shaker, who perform as a duo, are signed to popular Ghanaian record label BBNZ, which courted attention in the local press late last year when its president, the award-winning rapper EL, left to form his own record label. EL had himself been associated with Hill, after she included him in an event last year tagged Diaspora Calling! In the same year, Ko-Jo Cue and Shaker released their joint album Pen & Paper.

Nigerian acts Patoranking and Mr Eazi will also feature at the Lauryn Hill concert. While Patoranking is enjoying airplay with the single ‘Yuh So Different’, Mr Eazi has released two songs, ‘London Town’ with UK act Giggs and ‘Overload’ featuring Slimcase and Mr Real. Both songs are precursors to an upcoming project, a sequel to his debut EP Life is Eazi vol 1: Accra to Lagos.

All four West African acts will join a line-up that includes US comedian Dave Chapelle as well as American recording artists Nas, SZA, Busta Rhymes and Talib Kweli. The dates for their respective performances are yet to be announced but the tour is scheduled to run from July to October.

For more information on the Miseducation of Lauryn Hill 20th Anniversary Tour, see here.