Veteran Ghanaian rapper and media personality Okyeame Quophi has shared his thoughts on the evolution of the Ghanaian music industry, highlighting the differences in getting hit songs between his time and now. Speaking at the “Inspire Cape Coast” event, Okyeame Quophi recounted his days as part of the group Akyeame, alongside his brother Okyeame Kwame.
Okyeame Quophi explained that during his time, it was relatively easier for an artist to become widely known and score a hit song once their music gained national exposure, particularly through GTV, the dominant national television station. He noted that this exposure would lead to instant success, with people falling in love with the song and buying the cassette to listen to it repeatedly.
In contrast, Okyeame Quophi noted that today’s music industry is vastly different, with multiple television stations, radio stations, and social media platforms making it more challenging for songs to achieve nationwide dominance.
He explained that the audience is now fragmented, with different people tuning into their preferred TV stations, radio programs, or social media platforms, making it difficult for a single song to reach everyone at the same time.
The explosion of social media has created new opportunities for artists but also made music consumption more scattered. Okyeame Quophi highlighted that a song might be trending on TikTok but unknown to someone who spends more time on Facebook or WhatsApp, while others may not be active on social media at all.
Okyeame Quophi’s remarks sparked thoughtful discussions among attendees, acknowledging the contrast between the unified media space of the past and the digital age of today. His reflections serve as a nostalgic look at Ghana’s music history and a realistic assessment of the challenges modern artists face in achieving nationwide hits in a crowded entertainment industry.
“Back in our days as Akyeame, when your music video was played on national television, especially GTV, it automatically became a hit. The whole country would be watching. People would fall in love with the song instantly and rush to buy the cassette to listen to it over and over again.”
“Now, there are many TV stations and radio stations. Everybody is watching their favourite channel or listening to their favourite radio station, so you might not even hear a particular song at all.”
“Some people will see your song on TikTok, others on Facebook, and some on WhatsApp, while others won’t have access to it at all. So it’s hard to have everyone connect to the same music at once.”
Story Written by DjQwequ Blogs / Kobby Kyei News
