Jay Ghartey

Jay Ghartey, also known as Kweku Gyasi Ghartey, is a Ghanaian–American music producer, singer, and songwriter based in New York City, describing his style as African Rhythm and Blues. He released his debut album Shining Gold in 2011. He is most famous for the singles "My Lady" and "Papa". He is also the co-founder and co-owner of "GH Brothers", an independent record label and production company with his brother DJ and music producer Joe Ghartey.

Early life Jay Ghartey (pronounced Gar-té) was born in the United States to a Ghanaian father and a Canadian mother. His Ghanaian grandfather Joseph Ghartey was a poet and playwright who managed Ghana Broadcasting Corporation (GBC) for many years, and his grandmother Sabina Hope was an established singer and musician. Winneba and Cape Coast are his ancestral areas and his father hails from the Fante tribe. His brother Joe Ghartey is a DJ. His brothers Tufu and Moses were also in music and rap.

At the age of nine, Ghartey moved to Accra, Ghana, where he spent several years. While in Ghana, he studied music with his grandmother. He began performing at the age of 10, originally as a rapper. He formed a group called Chief G and the Tribe, where he was known by the stage name Chief G. The rap group, one of the pioneers of rap in Ghana, also included Kwaku T and Abeiku and Jay Ghartey's brothers Tufu and Moses. The group won the Ghanaian national rap and dance competition several times, performing on the same stages as Ziggy Marley and the Melody Makers, Public Enemy and Ghanaian highlife legend George Darko.

He returned to the United States to finish high school in Brooklyn, NY, and later attended college in Boston. Settling in New York he worked as a singer, songwriter, arranger and producer in partnership with his brother Joseph "Joe" Ghartey. He has also collaborated with rapper AJ Nelson and is featured in the latter's single "Faith". Jay Ghartey has done collaborations with artists such as Samini, Sarkodie, Kwaw Kesse, Okyeame Kwame, E.L, Stay Jay, B-Nice among others.

Awards Won "Best Male Video" at the 2010 Ghana Music Video Awards for the video for his first single, "My Lady", and was nominated for three more awards. In 2011, he was nominated for five awards at the 2011 Ghana Music Awards and won the award for "Best Video". Won "Best New Artist" award in Africa during the 2011 Afrotainment Museke Online Music Awards. Nomination for the "Best Afro Pop Song" for his hit "Papa" at the 2013 Ghana Music Awards. Nomination for Young Influential Africans by FACE of Africa at the 2013 Face Awards.

Discography

Albums Title and details Notes Shining Gold Type: Studio album Released: September 2011 Record label: GH Brothers

Singles 2009: "My Lady" 2009: "Me Do Wo" (feat. Okyeame Kwame) 2010: "Black Star" 2011: "I Don't Give a Damn" 2012: "Papa" 2012: "Waiting for You" 2013: "Somebody (Azozo)" 2013: "My Love' (with Stay Jay) 2014: "No Fronting" (feat. E.L and AJ Omo Alajah) 2014: "Love You Better" (feat. Juliana) 2015: "Se wo do me a bra" (feat. Stone) 2016: "Chop Something" 2017: "You Do All" (with DJ Black) 2019: "To Love a Father" 2020: "Kweku"

Featured in 2012: "Faith" (A.J. Nelson feat. Jay Ghartey) 2017: "You Do All" (DJ Black feat. Jay Ghartey)