Vision In Progress (VIP) is currently made up of Abdul Hamidu Ibrahim (Lazzy) Emmanuel Promzy Ababio (Promzy) and Joseph Nana Ofori (Prodigal) but initially also included Bone & Friction. Their initial involvement with music started way back in the early 90s, at Nima a suburb of Accra. As a group they easily embodied the greatness and perseverance that reflected a tough, unforgiving and ambitious Ghetto life. They met to see “who is who” in rap competitions.
When the Netherlands Royal couples, His Royal Highness Willem Alexander and Princess Mixima visited Ghana, VIP innovatively composed a song entitled “Friends” for the august occasion also referred to as “Lasting Impact” which took VIP for a live musical performance in Denhaag, Netherlands.
VIP was nominated for the Ghana Music Awards 2002 as the Hip-Life Rap Music Group of the Year. Many people have marvelled at their performance on stage and the most current is the fantastic and unprecedented one they did at the National Theatre during the Ghana Music Awards Night. They also toured the nation with great Osibisa band.
Swimming in fame, they have won several awards such as “Artiste of the Year”, “Song of the Year”, “Hiplife Artiste of the Year”, “Hiplife Song of the Year” and “Hiplife Album of the Year” all in 2004 “Ghana Music Awards”. Their hit song “Ahomka Womu” also won the “Best Music Video Directing”, which went to Felix Dakat. Having however grabbed the prestigious “Artiste of the Year Award”, Lazzy, Promzy and Prodigal, making up the VIP crew represented the nation Ghana at the “2004 Kora Awards” in South Africa which they really made Ghana so proud, and performed alongside with Malian renowned musician Salifu Keita, among others. That same year 2004, VIP represented Ghana as ambassadors in Greece, Athens as part of the fundraising activities for the 2004 Olympics Games.
VIP were also among a few selected Hip-Life artistes that performed alongside the maestro and Grammy Awards winner, Shaggy of Jamaica, when they later toured Ghana for the Christmas 2003 festivities. The two days concerts took place at the Accra International Conference Centre on January 1st, 2004, and at the nation’s Wembley, “Ohene Djan Sports Stadium” on 2nd January 2004, which pulled one of the biggest crowds ever seen in the nation’s entertainment history. VIP, Goodies and Hostess Ambassador Juli Endee in a radio interview in Monrovia, Liberia. VIP were flown by United Nations chartered flight to Liberia and Sierra Leone where they participated in the “Peace and Reconciliation Concerts” organised by the United Nations and Liberian Government.
A “Thank you” concerts were also organised by United Nations and the Government of Sierra Leone February, 2005. The Group again flew to South Africa to win another Award as the “Best Group in Africa” in March, 2005 (Channel O Music Video Award).
VIP together with all the artistes under Goodies Music Production Label at the forefront in “Fighting Hiv/Aids Through Music” the crusade launched by Goodies Foundation and Goodies Music Production in Collaboration with Ghana AIDS Commission, Commission for Human Rights and Administrative Justice (CHRAJ) and the Musicians Union of Ghana (MUSIGA) organised a forum to educate all musicians about the HIV/AIDS pandemic so that they can disseminate the message to the people. They actively participated in the numerous seminars, rallies, concerts, and charitable initiatives by Goodies Music Production, Goodies Foundation and West Africa AIDS Foundation, as well as those organised by many other organisations like Vintage Vision Limited.
Their last album, My Love was released in 2007 and it featured collaborations with Tony Tetuila and 2 Face of Nigeria, and Awadi from Senegal. Internationally, VIP has performed in the United Kingdom, Amsterdam, Denhaag, Liberia, Sierra Leone, Nigeria and South Africa. They are currently working on new material.