NDC or ndc may refer to:

IATA code for Nanded Airport, India

ndc, "name daemon control program" in some Unix-based BIND name-server environments

''N.D.C.'', a 2002 single by Australian band Jebediah

National Defence Commission of North Korea

National Democratic Congress (Ghana), a political party in Ghana

National Democratic Congress (Grenada), a political party in Grenada

National Dental Centre of Singapore

National Destination Code, a segment of the phone number in the E.164 specification

National Development Complex, an industrial complex in Pakistan

National Drug Code, a medication-labelling mechanism used in the United States of America

NATO Defence College

National Defence College, graduates use the post-nominals ''ndc''.

NCR Direct Connect Protocol (NCR Corporation), a communication format used by automated teller machines

Negative differential conductivity

Network distribution center, a mail processing facility for the United States Postal Service

New Deal for Communities, a U.K. Government-established organisation

New Democrat Coalition, a group in the U.S. Democratic Party

Nippon Decimal Classification, a system of library classification used mainly in Japan

non-degree candidate, someone attending an institution of tertiary education but not eligible for a baccalaureate or higher degree

Normalized device coordinates, a system of coordinates used in computer graphics

Nuclear Dehydrogenating Clostridia - serotypes of the genus clostridium that produce carcinogenic compounds from the metabolism of bile salts and may have a role in the pathogenesis of colorectal cancer

See also

National Defence College (disambiguation)

de:NDC it:NDC ja:NDC sv:NDC

Name	Kool G Rap
Background	solo_singer
Birth name	Nathaniel Thomas Wilson
Alias	Kool G. Rap, G Rap, Giancana
Origin	Corona, Queens, New York City, U.S.
Birth date	July 20, 1968
Birth place	Queens, New York City, US
Genre	Hip hop, mafioso rap, hardcore hip hop
Occupation	Rapper, record producer, screenwriter, author
Years active	1986–present
Label	Cold Chillin'/Warner Bros. RecordsCold Chillin'Cold Chillin'/Epic Street/SME RecordsKOCH'
Associated acts	DJ Polo, Juice Crew, Marley Marl, Big Daddy Kane, Rakim, Fat Joe, Canibus, Five Family Click, Wu-Tang Clan, Nas, MF Grimm, Mobb Deep, R.A. The Rugged Man, Ras Kass, DJ Premier, Rick Ross, Game (rapper)
Website	}}

Nathaniel Thomas Wilson (born July 20, 1968), better known by his stage names Kool G Rap (or simply G Rap, and originally Kool Genius of Rap) is an American rapper, from the Corona neighborhood of Queens, New York City. He began his career in the mid-1980s as one half of the group Kool G Rap & DJ Polo and as a member of the Juice Crew. He is often cited as one of the most influential and skilled MCs of all time as he is a pioneer of mafioso rap/street/hardcore content and multisyllabic rhyming. On his album ''The Giancana Story'', he stated that the "G" in his name stands for "Giancana" (after the mobster Sam Giancana), but on other occasions he's stated that it stands for "Genius".

He has also been cited as a major influence to some of hip-hop's most critically acclaimed figures such as Eminem, Nas, Jay-Z, Big Pun, RZA and more.

Biography

Early years

Wilson grew up in the poverty-ridden streets of Corona Queens, New York with legendary producer Eric B. In an interview with The Source he stated;

Around this time, Wilson was looking for a DJ, and through Eric B., he met DJ Polo, who was looking for an MC to collaborate with. In 1986 on Mr Magic's Rap Attack radio show on 107.5, the duo got their first exposure which created more buzz. They eventually released "It's a Demo" as a single with "I'm Fly", along with two more singles. Shortly after this, Kool G Rap appeared on the Juice Crew's classic posse cut 'The Symphony' before they released their debut album, ''Road to the Riches'' in 1989. This album and their two later albums, ''Wanted: Dead or Alive'' (1990) and ''Live and Let Die'' (1992), are highly regarded and considered Hip-Hop classics. Eventually in 1993, Kool G rap parted ways with DJ Polo in pursuit of a solo career.

Solo career

In 1995, G Rap started his solo career with the album ''4,5,6'', which featured production from Buckwild, and guest appearances from Nas, MF Grimm and B-1 – it has been his most commercially successful record, reaching No.24 on the US Billboard 200 album chart. This was followed by ''Roots of Evil'' in 1998. He was then meant to release his next album, ''The Giancana Story'' in 2000, on Rawkus Records, but due to several complications with the label, the album was pushed back several times, and eventually released in 2002. "My Life" the hit single from the album featuring Talk Box legend G-Wise reached No.5 on the US Billboard Hot 100 charts. In 2008 he released the EP ''Half a Klip'' on Chinga Chang Records, featuring production from, among others, DJ Premier and Marley Marl.

Criticisms of Kool G Rap's solo albums usually focus on the production not being up to the standard of the rapping.

While Kool G Rap has always been popular and well respected in Hip-Hop circles for his lyrical skills, He is known for consistently making records which are hardcore, dark, intelligent, and underground. Kool G is described by Kool Moe Dee as "the progenitor and prototype for Biggie, Jay-Z, Treach, Nore, Fat Joe, Big Pun, and about twenty-five more hard-core emcees", MTV describes Kool G Rap as a "hip-hop godfather", adding that he paved the way for a lot of MCs who we would not have heard of otherwise. Rolling Stone says, "G Rap excelled at the street narrative, a style that would come to define later Queens MCs like Nas (who was hugely influenced by G Rap on his early records) and Mobb Deep".

Other artists who have named Kool G Rap as a major influence include Notorious B.I.G., Eminem, Jay-Z, Tajai of Souls of Mischief, Vinnie Paz of Jedi Mind Tricks, Steele of Smif-n-Wessun, Havoc of Mobb Deep, Termanology, Black Thought of The Roots, M.O.P., R.A. The Rugged Man, Bun B of UGK, Rah Digga, RZA and Raekwon of Wu-Tang Clan, Lady Of Rage, Big Pun, O.C. of DITC, Memphis Bleek, Kurupt, Pharoahe Monch, and Twista, among others.

He is also often very highly rated in terms of his technical ability comparing his skill level to that of Kool G Rap. Allmusic calls him "one of the greatest rappers ever", "a master", and "a legend". A number of rappers, such as Ice Cube, Rakim, Big Daddy Kane, Lloyd Banks, and Nas have put him in their lists of favorite rappers. Kool Moe Dee ranked Kool G Rap at No.14 in his book ''There's A God On The Mic: The True 50 Greatest MCs'', sometimes all in the same rhyme scheme for a whole verse, such as on Sway & King Tech's 'The Anthem'.

He has also been cited as one of Hip-Hop's greatest storytellers, alongside Slick Rick and Notorious B.I.G., with "laser-like visual descriptions", also providing insight into his rhyming technique.

Mafioso/Street content

Kool G Rap is often credited as the first rapper to infuse his lyrics with mafioso and hardcore street content. – this was long before albums such as Raekwon's ''Only Built 4 Cuban Linx…'' (1995), and Jay-Z's ''Reasonable Doubt'' (1996) made such references popular.

Since his debut, he has used various references to mob movies in his lyrics, album covers, and titles. For example, the first line of 'Bad to the Bone' from ''Wanted: Dead or Alive'' (1990) is, ''I'm bad to the bone / with a style like Al Capone'', the album ''Live and Let Die'' (1992) uses samples from the film ''The Untouchables'', the album cover of ''Roots of Evil'' (1998) uses elements from ''The Godfather'' and ''Scarface'' theatrical posters, and ''The Giancana Story'' (2002) album title references Mafia boss Sam Giancana.

Rolling Stone says, "before Kool G Rap, New York didn't really have the street rap that could hold its own against what artists such as L.A.'s Ice-T and N.W.A were churning out" and that "G Rap excelled at the street narrative".

His take on crime, violence, and the mafioso lifestyle ranges from remorse and contemplation (e.g. 'Streets of New York', described by Rolling Stone as "a vivid look inside the misery of the hood"), to glorification (e.g. 'Fast Life' featuring Nas). '''

Personal life

Wilson dated Karrine Steffans, they have one son, he also has children with other women.

Discography

with DJ Polo	Year
''Road to the Riches''
''Rated XXX''
Solo Albums	Year
''4,5,6''
''Roots of Evil''
''The Giancana Story''
''Half a Klip''
''Riches, Royalty, Respect''
Compilations	Year
''Killer Kuts''
''Greatest Hits''
''Kool G Rap & Twinn Loco Present – I Live Hip Hop – The Mixtape''

Collaborative Albums	With	Year
''Click of Respect''	''The 5 Family Click''
''Legends Vol. 3'' (digital album – Napster)	''J-love Enterprise''
		2012

Featured appearances

1988: "The Symphony" (on the Marley Marl album ''In Control Volume 1'')

1991: "Don't Curse" (from the Heavy D album ''Peaceful Journey")

1991: "The Symphony Vol. II" (on the Marley Marl album ''In Control Volume 2: For Your Steering Pleasure'')

1992: "Death Threat" (from the Brand New Heavies album ''Heavy Rhyme Experience Vol. 1'')

1993: "You Must Be Out of Your Fuckin' Mind" (from the Fat Joe album ''Represent'')

1993: "Pee-Nile Reunion" (from the MC Shan ''Don't Call It Comeback 12"'')

1993: "This Is How We..." (from the Pudgee Tha Phat Bastard album ''Give Em The Finger'')

1996: "Representin'" (Ruffa featuring Kool G Rap)

1996: "Stick To Ya Gunz" (from the M.O.P. album ''Firing Squad'')

1996: "Know Da Game" (from the Frankie Cutlass album ''Politics And Bullshit'')

1998: "Truly Yours 98" (from the Pete Rock album ''Soul Survivor'')

1998: "Guns Blazing (Drums of Death, Pt. 1)" (from the UNKLE album ''Psyence Fiction'')

1998: "40 Island" (from the N.O.R.E. album ''N.O.R.E.'')

1999: "Friend of Ours" (from the E-Moneybags album ''In E-Moneybags We Trust'')

1999: "The Anthem" Also feat. RZA, Tech N9ne, Eminem, Xzibit, Pharoahe Monch, Jayo Felony, Chino XL & KRS-One and "3 to the Dome" also feat. Big Daddy Kane & Chino XL (from the Sway & King Tech album ''This or That'')

1999: "The Realest" (from the Mobb Deep album ''Murda Muzik'')

2000: "Fall Back" (from the Big L album ''The Big Picture'')

2000: "Ghetto afterlife" (from the Reflection Eternal album ''Train of thought'')

2000: "Legendary Street Team" (from ''Lyricist Lounge 2'')

2001: "Let 'Em Live" (from the Chino XL album ''I Told You So'')

2001: "I Am" (from the G. Dep album ''Child of the Ghetto'')

2001: "Gorillas" (from the Screwball album ''Loyalty'')

2001: "No Surrender" (Shabaam Sahdeeq featuring Kool G Rap)

2002: "Allied Meta-Forces" (from the Canibus album ''Mic Club: The Curriculum'')

2002: "Nuthin Has Changed" (from King Tee album ''The Kingdom Come'')

2003: "Animal Rap" (from the Jedi Mind Tricks album ''Visions of Gandhi'')

2005: "AIDS" (from the MF Grimm album ''Scars and Memories'')

2005: "Ghost & Giancana" (from the Ghostface Killah album ''Put It on the Line'')

2006: "We Gone Go Hard" (from the Ras Kass album ''Revenge of the Spit'')

2006: "Reckless Eye-Ballin" (from the VERBAL THREAT album ''The Golden Era'')

2006: "Full Metal Jacket" (from the Molemen album ''Killing Fields'')

2007: "Hood Tales" (from the Marco Polo album ''Port Authority'')

2007: "100 Roundz" (from the Domingo album ''The Most Underrated'')

2007: "Come one, come all" (from the Styles P album ''The Ghost Sessions'')

2007: "Next Up" (from the UGK album ''Underground Kingz'')

2007: "6 in the Morning" (from the Statik Selektah album ''Spell My Name Right: The Album'')

2007: "Buck Buck" (on the Red Cafe and DJ Envy album ''The Co-Op'')

2007: "And Wot (Remix)" (Album "Unified: He Whanau Kotahi Tatou" featuring Sweet Tooth & Carbon Kid)

2007: "Terrorise the City(on the Klashnekoff album ''Lionheart: Tussle with the Beast featuring Kyza'')

2008: "Queens" (from the LL Cool J Exit 13 Promo EP)

2008: "One Shot" (album ''Hood 2 Hood: The Blockumentary Soundtrack, Pt. 1'')

2008: "The Next Step" (from the Big John album ''The Next Step'' featuring R.A The Rugged Man)

2008: "Same Old Hood" (Saul Abraham featuring Kool G Rap & St Laz)

2009: "Das Leid / The Light" Azad featuring Kool G Rap (from Brisk Fingaz album Einzelkämpfer'')

2009: "Gunz From Italy" (from the Club Dogo album ''Dogocrazia'')

2009: "Ill Figures" (from the Wu-Tang Clan compilation album ''Wu-Tang Chamber Music'')

2009: "Legendary" (from the 67 Mob album ''Raising The Bar'')

2009: "ALC Theme" (from The Alchemist album ''Chemical Warfare'')

2009: "KGR & Honda" (from the DJ Honda album ''IV'')

2010: "Cursed" (from the Diabolic debut album "Liar & A Thief")

2010: "Boot Rap" featuring Canibus (from the Mark Deez album "Bootstrap Theory")

2010: "White Sand Part 2" Rick Ross Ft. Triple C's from The Albert Anastasia EP

2010: "Knife Fight" Rick Ross Ft. Kool G Rap from The Albert Anastasia EP

2010: "Ready For War" CHI-ILL Ft. Kool G Rap from The Last Chance Lounge EP.

2010: "Controlling Tha Game" Tyger Vinum FT. Kool G. Rap from "Grindin Muzik" album

2010: "Frozen" (From The Left album "Gas Mask")

2010: "3 Extremes" (from Dusty Philharmonics album "The Audiotopsy", Unexpected Records)

2011: "Kies in tha game" (from Duo Kie album "De Cerebri Mortis")

2012: "Summertime" (from Adil Omar album The Mushroom Cloud Effect)

References

Further reading

Paul Edwards, foreword by Kool G Rap, 2009, ''How to Rap: The Art & Science of the Hip-Hop MC''. Chicago Review Press.

Kool Moe Dee, 2003, ''There's A God On The Mic: The True 50 Greatest MCs'', Thunder's Mouth Press.

Brian Coleman, 2007, ''Check The Technique: Liner Notes For Hip-Hop Junkies'', Villard, Random House.

Peter Shapiro, 2005, ''The Rough Guide To Hip-Hop, 2nd Edition'', Penguin.

William Jelani Cobb, 2007, ''To The Break Of Dawn: A Freestyle On The Hip Hop Aesthetic'', NYU Press.

Mickey Hess, 2007, ''Icons Of Hip Hop'', Greenwood Publishing Group.

External links

Kool G Rap interview March 5, 2008 – Kool G Rap interview with HipHopDX

Kool G Rap interview 2003 – Kool G Rap interview with MVRemix

Conspiracy Worldwide Radio September 2010 Uncensored Interview

Kool G Rap interview with Platform8470 2011-09-19

Category:1968 births Category:Living people Category:African American rappers Category:Cold Chillin' Records artists Category:E1 Music artists Category:Members of the Nation of Gods and Earths Category:People from Corona, Queens Category:Underground rappers Category:Rappers from New York City

da:Kool G Rap de:Kool G Rap es:Kool G Rap fr:Kool G Rap ko:쿨 지 랩 it:Kool G Rap sw:Kool G Rap nl:Kool G Rap pl:Kool G Rap pt:Kool G Rap ru:Kool G Rap tr:Kool G Rap

Landscape	yes
Background	non_vocal_instrumentalist
Birth name	Richard Quitevis
Birth date	October 07, 1969
Genre	Hip hop
Occupation	Disc jockey
Website	http://www.djqbert.com }}

Richard Quitevis, born October 7, 1969, in San Francisco, California, known by his stage name DJ Qbert or Qbert, is a Filipino-American Turntablist and composer.

Early life

Growing up in San Francisco's Excelsior District on Moscow Street, he graduated from Luther Burbank Middle School and in 1987 from Balboa High School. Qbert started playing with records at the age of 15, although he got his first Fisher-Price turntable as a toddler. He was influenced by the street performers and graffiti artists of the local hip hop community in the mid 1980s. It was at Balboa's school cafeteria that he went up against Mix Master Mike. The two are good friends.

Career

Qbert started his musical career in a group called FM20 with Mix Master Mike and DJ Apollo in 1990. In New York when playing a show, Crazy Legs saw them and invited them to join the Rock Steady Crew. They accepted the offer to join the crew. Going by the name Rock Steady DJs they then proceeded to take the 1992 Disco Mix Club World DJ Championships (DMC) world title. Qbert was also one of the founding members of the band Invisibl Skratch Piklz. Although there were other turntablist crews before the Invisibl Skratch Piklz, the Skratch Piklz were the first to apply the band concept to turntablism, layering drums, basslines, and scratch solos on top of each other.

QBert, along with other Skratch Piklz, created a series of videos entitled ''Turntable TV''. Now out of print, the first 5 episodes were released on VHS and contained demonstrations, showcases, skits, and other DJ related content.

QBert's solo efforts include 1994's ''Demolition Pumpkin Squeeze Musik'', and 1998's ''Wave Twisters.'' The latter album was created mainly with samplers and beat machines versus the turntable, and later turned into an animated feature of the same title. ''Wave Twisters'' (2001) the movie was somewhat unusual in that the animators and digital artists had to invent images and movements to the pre-recorded music, as opposed to the other way around (although not unprecedented; Disney's Fantasia was made the same way).

More recently he has worked with Vestax to develop the QFO, an all-in-one scratching instrument. The QFO combines a turntable with a mixer's crossfader. In 2006 he introduced the QBert turntable cartridge, a model put out by Ortofon.

In 2009 Qbert launched the Qbert Skratch University, an online school and community for DJ's.

Personal life

In a 2011 interview with the website ''WeBeVegan.org'', Qbert stated that he is a vegan.

Media appearances

His music was also featured in the video game ''Tony Hawk's Underground''. He has also appeared himself in ''DJ Hero 2''.

Awards and credentials

America's Best DJ 2010

DMC USA Champion 1991 (Solo)

DMC World Champion 1992 - Rock Steady DJs (Qbert, Mixmaster Mike & Apollo)

DMC World Champion 1993 - Dreamteam (Qbert & Mixmaster Mike)

DMC World Champion 1994 - Dreamteam (Qbert & Mixmaster Mike) ***

DMC Judge 2012 (what you heard?)

DMC DJ Hall of Fame (along with Mix Master Mike)

Featured in ''Hang the DJ'' by Marco & Mauro La Villa

* Cannes Film Festival, France

Appears in the documentary film ''Modulations''

* Sundance Festival, Utah

Appears in the documentary ''Scratch''

* Sundance Festival, Utah

Appears in his own animated/live action movie "Wave Twisters''

See also

Filipino hip hop

References

External links

Djqbert.com

ThudRumble.com

QbertSkratchUniversity.com

Q-bert on IMDb

Full Discography

Video of Q-Bert Live Set in UK

Interviews

Interview with ''DJ Times'', 2001

The Career Cookbook Interview with Qbert

Radio Feature The Some Assembly Required Interview with DJ Qbert (2008).

HHC Digital interview about his DMC legacy

Conspiracy Worldwide Radio October 2010 Uncensored Interview

Interview with We Be Vegan

Category:1969 births Category:American musicians of Filipino descent Category:American people of Filipino descent Category:American vegans Category:Hip hop DJs Category:Filipino DJs Category:Living people

ca:DJ Qbert de:DJ QBert fr:DJ Qbert it:DJ Q-Bert nl:DJ QBert ja:DJキューバート pl:DJ Q-bert fi:DJ Qbert

{{infobox president| name	Jerry John Rawlings
order	President of Ghana(1st President of the 4th Republic)
term start	7 January 1993
term end	7 January 2001
vicepresident	Kow Nkensen Arkaah (1993-1997)John Atta Mills (1997-2001)
successor	John Agyekum Kufuor
birth date	June 22, 1947
birth place	Accra, Gold Coast)
order2	10th Head of state of Ghana
term start2	31 December 1981
term end2	7 January 1993
vicepresident2	None
predecessor2	Dr. Hilla Limann
successor2	Jerry John Rawlings
order3	8th Head of state of Ghana
term start3	4 June 1979
term end3	24 September 1979
predecessor3	General Fred Akuffo
successor3	Dr. Hilla Limann
party	military - AFRC (1979)military PNDC (1981-1993)National Democratic Congress(1993-2001)
spouse	Nana Konadu Agyeman Rawlings
party	military - AFRC (1979)military - PNDC(1981-1993)Multi-Party Democracy - NDC (1992-present)
profession	Fighter Pilot
religion	Roman Catholic
footnotes
Branch	Ghana Air Force
Serviceyears	1967 - 1992
Rank	Flight Lieutenant
Awards	}}

Jerry John Rawlings (born Jeremiah Rawlings John on 22 June 1947 in Accra, Gold Coast) is a former leader of the Republic of Ghana and the current African Union envoy to Somalia. Rawlings ruled Ghana as a military dictator in 1979 and from 1981 to 1992 and then as the first elected president of the Fourth Republic from 1993 to 2001. He initially took power in a coup d'état, but in the 1990s following sustained political and economic pressure from international institutions and governments began a process of economic and then political liberalization. He founded the National Democratic Congress which won the 1992 general election. He took office in 1993, and was re-elected in 1997.

Rawlings appeared on the Ghanaian political scene on May 15, 1979, leading a group of junior officers in the Ghana Air Force in a coup attempt on the regime of Fred Akuffo which resulted in his arrest and imprisonment. He was court-martialled in public and sentenced to death. On June 4 military officials overthrew the Akuffo government and released the Rawlings group from prison just weeks before general elections were scheduled.

Rawlings and company formed the Armed Forces Revolutionary Council (AFRC) and conducted what it termed 'a housecleaning exercise,' where large sums of stolen government money were retrieved into government coffers and inflation was stabilized. Daily radio announcements named suspected fraudsters and demanded their appearance before the AFRC. An election held that year was won by Dr. Hilla Limann of the People's National Party (PNP). However, on December 31, 1981 Rawlings and the AFRC overthrew Dr. Limann's government, citing economic mismanagement. Rawlings then installed the Provisional National Defence Council (PNDC) government with himself as chairman.

Rawlings retired from the Armed Forces and set up the National Democratic Congress. This party, with Rawlings as its candidate, won 58.3 % of the votes (the largest percentage won by a presidential candidate in Ghana's political history) in the 1992 elections. The opposition New Patriotic Party (NPP) claimed that the election was stolen, although international observers judged the elections "largely free and fair." In 1996, Rawlings won the general elections by 57 percent and elections were judged largely free and fair by international observers.

After two terms in office, barred by the constitution from standing in any election, Rawlings endorsed his vice-president John Evans Atta Mills as presidential candidate in 2000. The NDC with Mills as candidate, however, lost the elections to the NPP candidate John Agyekum Kufuor. Once again, elections were judged to be free and fair.

Rawlings is married to Nana Konadu Agyeman Rawlings and has four children: three girls and a boy. He is the joint recipient of the 1993 World Hunger Award which he used as seed capital in establishing the University of Development Studies (UDS) in the north of Ghana.

Background

Of Scottish descent, J.J. Rawlings was born June 22, 1947 to Victoria Agbotui from Keta and to James Ramsey John, a Scottish chemist working in the then Gold Coast. He married Nana Konadu Agyeman Rawlings in 1977 and together they have four children, Ezenator, Yaa Asantewaa, Amina and Kimathi Rawlings, his only son.

He enlisted as a Flight Cadet in the Ghana Air Force in August 1967, and was subsequently selected for officer cadet training at the Ghana Military Academy and Training School, Teshie, in Accra.

Military career

In March, 1968, he was posted to Takoradi in the Western Region to continue his studies. He graduated in January 1969, and was commissioned a Pilot Officer, winning the coveted "Speed Bird Trophy" as the best cadet in flying and airmanship. He earned the rank of Flight Lieutenant in April 1978.

On May 28, 1979, Rawlings, together with six others who were arrested earlier, appeared before a General Court Martial in Accra, charged with leading a mutiny of junior officers and enlisted men of the Ghanaian Armed Forces on May 15, 1979. There was strong public reaction, especially after his statement had been read in court, explaining the social injustices that had prompted him to act. The ranks of the Armed Forces, in particular, expressed deep sympathy with his stated aims.

While awaiting his next appearance before the court, Rawlings was sprung from custody on June 4, 1979, by a group of soldiers led by Kojo Boakye-Djan.[1] With the support of both the military and civilians, he led the uprising that ousted the Supreme Military Council from office and brought the Armed Forces Revolutionary Council (AFRC) to power. On the night of June 4, lives were lost in both the forces fighting against the military government and those fighting on the side of the uprising. However, the uprising - with respect to those who gave their lives defending the country - was not bloody as critics claim it was because the majority of ranks decided not to fight each other on the orders of the top brass. As one of his first acts in power, Rawlings signed the orders for the execution of former military dictator who was later executed: Ignatius Kutu Acheamphong. Five other generals—-Joy Amedume, Yaw Boakye, Roger Felli, Kotei, and Utuka—-were also put to death. Rawlings has never denied responsibility for this, but the country was in a state of vengeful anarchy, and both civilians and lower ranks were calling for the 'blood' of the SMC and other officers they felt had caused injustice to the state.

The AFRC, under the chairmanship of Rawlings, carried out a much wider "house-cleaning exercise" aimed at purging the armed forces and society at large of corruption and graft as well as restoring a sense of moral responsibility and accountability in public life. Meanwhile, following a programme already set in motion before the June 4 uprising, the ruling military government organized free general elections. On September 24, 1979, the AFRC handed over power to a civilian government led by the People's National Party (PNP), under President Hilla Limann.

The killings of Supreme Court Justices Kwadjo Agyei Agyepong, Frederick Sarkodie, and Cecilia Koranteng Addo, or those of military officers Major Sam Acquah and Major Dasana Nantogmah was another painful incident in Ghana's history.

Limann's administration was cut short on December 31, 1981, when Rawlings deposed him in another coup. A Provisional National Defence Council (PNDC), composed of both civilian and military members, was established with Rawlings as Chairman. The coming of the PNDC was widely praised by Ghanaians who were disappointed with Limann's Government because of their return of the corrupt status quo from before June 4, 1979. the PNDC government was a pragmatic government that focused on a hands-on approach and sustainable development. The PNDC, led by Flt. Lt. J.J. Rawlings began the process of decentralisation in Ghana which today has created the foundation on which Ghana's democracy stands. J.J Rawlings believed in demystifying government so that the ordinary Ghanaian could feel that they could actively take part in decision making.

Primary health care was another policy the PNDC advocated strongly, and it put in place policies that focused on disease prevention.

Democratic President

In J.J Rawlings' first official speech subsequent to the removal of the Limann government, he announced the creation of the National Commission on Democracy (NCD), which would begin the decentralisation of government and the dissemination of people-power. Opposition to the PNDC, with pressure from the United States through the CIA began demanding a return to multi-party democracy, although a referendum showed mixed feelings by the Ghanaian citizenry on this. The National Commission on Democracy was put into high gear to begin the process to return the country to multi-party elections. National Commission for Democracy (NCD) was empowered to hold regional debates and formulate some suggestions for a transition to multi-party democracy. Although opposition groups complained that the NCD was too closely associated with the PNDC, the commission continued its work through 1991. In March of that year the NCD released a report recommending the election of an executive president, the establishment of a national assembly, and the creation of a prime minister post. The PNDC accepted the report, and the following year it was approved in a national referendum. Political parties were legalised—-with the provision that none could use names that had been used before—and a timetable was set for presidential and parliamentary elections.

Rawlings retired from the Ghanaian Armed Forces on September 14, 1992.

When presidential elections were held in 1992, Rawlings stood as the candidate for the National Democratic Congress (NDC), the successor party to the PNDC. Although his opponents were given access to television and newspaper coverage, and limits to the freedom of the press had been lifted, no single candidate could match the popularity of the sitting head of state. Election returns on November 3, 1992 revealed that Rawlings had won 58.3 percent of the vote, for a landslide victory. Foreign observers declared the voting to be free and fair.

Almost immediately, the leaders of the country's opposition parties claimed that the presidential election was not fair, and that widespread abuses had occurred. The leaders encouraged their followers to boycott subsequent parliamentary elections, with the result that NDC candidates won 189 of 200 seats in the new parliament. Rawlings was therefore accorded a four-year term backed by an elected assembly of supporters for his platform. Answering questions about polling place irregularities, he promised to initiate a new voter registration program to be completed in time for elections in four years.

In 1993, President Rawlings headed the Ghana delegation which participated in the first Tokyo International Conference on African Development.

Rawlings and the NDC were elected in 1992 and 1996. Per constitutional mandate, Rawlings's term of office ended in 2001; he retired in 2001 and was succeeded by John Kufuor, his main opponent in the 1996 elections. Kufuor succeeded in defeating Rawlings's vice-president John Atta-Mills in the 2000 vote. In 2004, Mills conceded to Kufuor in spite of the alleged vote-rigging by Rawlings and other NDC officials. Kufuor ran for another four years with the mandate of the people of Ghana.

Post-presidency activities

October 2010, Jerry Rawling was named AU Envoy to Somalia, African Union chief Jean Ping has appointed Rawling this position an he believed that Rawlings, 63, would be tasked with "mobilising the continent and the rest of the international community to fully assume its responsibilities and contribute more actively to the quest for peace, security and reconciliation in Somalia".

Rawlings later played a key role as a check on the NPP government during his time as the then president. He has given lectures in universities around the world, including a lecture in Oxford University titled 'Security and Democracy in Africa.' He has continued his heavy criticism even with his own party back in power with his former vice President who he worked hard to elect at the helm.

See also

List of Ghana Heads of state by age

References

External links

Ghana-pedia webpage - Flight Lieutenant Jeremiah John Rawlings

Official Website

BBC report on Rawlings legacy

countrydata.com report from 1994

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Category:1947 births Category:Alumni of Achimota School Category:Ghana Air Force personnel Category:Ghanaian Roman Catholics Category:Ghanaian soldiers Category:Ghanaian people of Scottish descent Category:People of Scottish descent Category:Leaders who took power by coup Category:Living people Category:People from Accra Category:Presidents of Ghana Category:Revolutionaries Category:National Democratic Congress (Ghana) politicians

ak:Jerry John Rawlings br:Jerry Rawlings cs:Jerry Rawlings de:Jerry Rawlings es:Jerry Rawlings eu:Jerry Rawlings ee:Jerry Rawlings fr:Jerry Rawlings hr:Jerry Rawlings io:Jerry Rawlings id:Jerry Rawlings nl:Jerry Rawlings ja:ジェリー・ローリングス no:Jerry Rawlings oc:Jerry Rawlings ru:Ролингс, Джерри fi:Jerry Rawlings sv:Jerry Rawlings tr:Jerry Rawlings yo:Jerry Rawlings zh:傑瑞·羅林斯

John Rawlings (1912-1970) was a Condé Nast Publications fashion photographer from the 1930s through the 1960s. Rawlings left a significant body of work, including 200 Vogue magazine and Glamour magazine covers to his credit and 30,000 photos in archive, maintained by curator Kohle Yohannan.

Rawlings was in the elite circle of top Vogue photographers Irving Penn, Horst P. Horst, George Hoyningen-Huene, and George Platt Lynes. The photographer's recently rediscovered archive includes photographs of stage, screen, and society stars of the 1940s and 1950s, including Marlene Dietrich, Salvador Dalí, Veronica Lake, Bridget Bate Tichenor and Montgomery Clift.

External links

John-Rawlings 30-Years-Vogue on Amazon

Category:1912 births Category:1970 deaths Category:American photographers Category:Fashion photographers Category:Portrait photographers