fund our own recordings. We
would put our monies together
and record songs at studios like
Hush Hush. It got to the point
where I realized, we had to invest
more money into it. At that time,
the only way I believe I could get
my music out there was to be my
own boss. I was scheduled to go
to London that summer and you
know how it is during summer
vacations. I had to go and work –
but that sounded like a long shot.
I had my contacts in London who
hooked me up with the deal. It was
for me to pick up some drugs here
and carry them over to London.
CLS: What do you think blew the
alarm on you?
YNA: I am not certain but I believe
it is because I canceled my flight 5
days prior and I am a student fly-
ing with a working visa on a busi-
ness class. I had to pay about $120
for cancelling my flight - I believe
that was what raised eyebrows on
me. I was randomly called out of
the queue and at that point I had
some in my bag and in my system.
I was detained and kept under ob-
servation for while till I passed
out the ones I had in my
system. On July 29; a year
after I had been arrested
and remanded, I went
to court - pleaded guilty
and asked the judge for
leniency. Fortunately for
me, I was handed a mini-
mum sentence of 10years.
I did 7yrs in all out of good
behavior and also because in
the prison calendar 8 months
make a year.
CLS: All these happened in
31 | Colossium . December 2018
HOME
STREET
HOME
“
No one
prepares
for pris-
on time. The
only way to
prepare for
prison time is
to have your
lawyer mon-
ey.”
Ghana?
YNA: Oh yeah! I went to Nsawam
Prison. I was in Block 4
CLS: Tell me about your time
there.
YNA: Crucial! Hahaha Nsawam
is a place you would not like to
go. I was arrested when I was 22
and came out almost 30. I some-
times see myself as someone who
grew up in prison. Even though
it is a prison, I see it as the place
that made me. Some of the things
I know today, I will say I learnt
there - I will say the place changed
me. In prison, you just have to look
up to God and focus on the things
you want to do when you come
out.
CLS: Did you ever meet Exopa?
YNA: Yeah! He was my man. We
used to be on the same block and I
used to give him razor blades - you
know, he was bald. He would hold
me down when I was broke. He
used to show me love especially
on Islamic Holidays - he was a nice
guy.
CLS: How did you respond to his
death?
YNA: Hmmm. We shook hands
that day. He uses the officers’
washroom so he normally
passes by where I usually
cook and would touch my
head. We had a football
match that day. Although
we were on the same
block, we were going play
to against each other and
I remember telling him I’m
going to teach him a lesson on
the pitch but unfortunately I
didn’t play that match.