He may be known today as Ablekuma Nana Lace — a name that evokes streetwise creativity and lyrical flamboyance — but Andrew Nana Kwasi Poku has a history that reaches far beyond the studios and stages of Accra.
In an interview on The Delay Show, the rapper spoke about his upbringing, revealing a little-known but significant connection to Ghana’s former First Family — the Kufuors.
“I grew up at Airport Residential. Our house shared a boundary with former President Kufuor’s residence. Madam Theresah Kufuor, may her soul rest in peace, used to send me to buy things for her—sometimes crates of eggs—around Nyaho Clinic. She called me Nana,” he said.
That bond with the late former First Lady, however modest, left a mark on the young Andrew. But his journey wasn’t always lined with privilege. After moving to Labadi at age 15, life took on a different rhythm — one that eventually shaped the artist we now know.
“I stay at Labadi. I’m not from Ablekuma. I never lived there. But in 2020, someone told me I had a lot of fans in Ablekuma, so I went there. I chose the name because of its meaning — ‘settlement.’ In music, I’m here to settle,” he clarified.
And then there’s the “Lace” part. It’s not just for flair.
“‘Lace’ is an acronym. Lyrical, Attractive, Clever Entertainer,” he explained.
That cleverness began to take shape early. Raised by a mother who worked in the clearing business and a father who sold watches, Nana Lace’s childhood in Ridge and Airport Residential was full of contrasts.
He’s an old student of Akuapem Mampong PRESEC, where he studied visual arts. Though not a science student, his lyrics often brim with scientific references—something he credits to personal research and curiosity.
“I started music young—at church. I used to sing gospel songs, especially from Daughters of Glorious Jesus. But I started rapping in secondary school. Tinny really inspired me. I liked the way he rapped. Back in Labadi, I used to roll with people like Bandana (now Shatta Wale) and Tinny,” he recalled.
What sets Nana Lace apart isn’t just his origin story — it’s how he tells it. He threads the street with sophistication, mixes gospel roots with secular grit, and blends the ordinary with the bizarre in a way that’s uniquely his.
From Airport Residential to Labadi, from gospel stages to viral lockdown freestyles, and from egg errands for a First Lady to rap verses that echo across Accra, Ablekuma Nana Lace continues to evolve — unpredictable, unapologetic, and proudly grounded in his roots.
See the video below:
