Andy Nii Akrashie, a name that might not instantly ring a bell, but say “OJ Blaq” and music notes start to dance in the minds of Ghanaians far and wide, has left the shores of this earth.
Thursday, August 17, 2023, bore witness to a sombre symphony of its own as news broke of OJ Blaq’s untimely departure.
At the tender age of 40, the enigmatic artiste bid adieu to the world he had serenaded for decades.
The cause of death has not yet been confirmed, but the rapper had been battling kidney disease for several years. Back in 2021, OJ Blaq was diagnosed with this illness and had to get dialysis treatment.
Even though he seemed to get better and was active again, he lost a lot of weight, which worried many people.
OJ Blaq was famous for his special way of rapping and for talking about important things in his music.
He began his music career in the early 2000s and released his debut album, “The Blaq Mixtape” in 2006. He went on to release several more albums and singles, including his hit song “Chalewote”.
He was also a well-liked actor and appeared in many Ghanaian movies, including the famous ‘Suncity’ TV series.
Below we drop the top five list of Ghanaian celebrities who died at the peak of their prime.
- Ebony Reigns
Five years ago, sensational dancehall queen Ebony Reigns sadly passed away just before her 21st birthday.
Ebony’s death was a massive shock due to her young age and the fact that her career was just skyrocketing through the roof!
Ebony died whilst returning from a trip to Sunyani to see her mum.The car she was travelling in hit a road barrier and somersaulted off the road around Mankranso.
Ebony, her friends Franky Kuri and Atsu Vondee all died in the accident.
The dancehall sensation’s stunning career arch led to her posthumously winning the Artiste of the Year at the 2018 edition of the Vodafone Ghana Music Awards
2.Suzy Williams
Another superstar who died in her early 20s whilst it seemed the entire country was at her feet was Suzzy Williams.The burgeoning actress had become the toast of all Ghanaians after appearing in several movies and television series such as ‘Suncity’.
Her light-skin made her stand out and her loveable personality adhered her to all.
Unfortunately, Suzzy, like Ebony, died in a car crash at just 23 years of age!
3.Terry Bonchaka
Another young superstar who died too soon, hiplife sensation Terry Bonchaka also perished in a car crash! Bonchaka, born in 1982, was only 21 at the time of his passing on October 30th, 2003.
Bonchaka had become a national sensation with his unique ‘Puulele’ dance. His name was on every lip and he was a must-see for every Ghanaian.
Bonchaka died in a car accident whilst returning from a performance during a Legon Hall Week celebration.The accident occurred on the Legon-Madina road when his car veered off the road and hit a tree!
4.Castro
Hiplife legend Castra da Destroyer also died in an untimely accident, although this time it was on water and not on land.
Real name Theophilus Tagoe, Castro had taken Ghanaian hiplife by storm in the 2000s.
His mega hits such as ‘Sradenam’, ‘Boneshaker’ and ‘Toffee’ were on the lips of every music-loving Ghanaian.
Aged only 32 at the time, Castro disappeared in a jet ski accident on the Ada Estuary on July 6th, 2014.
Castro was on vacation with other celebrity friends including Asamoah Gyan at the time.
He went out on a jet ski with a lady known as Janet Bandu, never to return.
A thorough search of the area never found his body.
To this day, there are those who believe Castro is still alive but the more likely outcome is that he drowned.
5.Vybrant Faya
Vybrant Faya, also known as Emmanuel Kojo Quayeson, was a dancehall artist from Ghana’s Central region.
The ‘Mampi’ hitmaker died tragically on Sunday, October 23, 2016, when he was knocked down by a motorbike and was pronounced dead at Accra’s 37 Military Hospital.
Pulse
