The Achilles Heel Of Ghana Music...

The Ghanaian music industry has for numerous years been trying to find itself and what it stands for. For decades, the Sub-Saharan nation has shuffled through various genres which are seemly defined by unknown strings in the industry, that is if there is a mechanism to regulate the music art that Ghanaians are exposed to.
Ghana has transitioned through High-Life,Hip-Life, Afrobeats, RNB,Rap/Hip Hop, Reggae, DanceHall and honestly, at certain points, unknown music styles crept into the Ghanaian music scene. Francophone music is not an exception and not a surprise due to the fact that Ghana is flanked on all sides except the south by African countries; where lies the Atlantic ocean.

However, a challenging and virtually disturbing trend I have noticed in Ghanaian music has to do with the insatiable need to copy any style that seems to make the charts. It has reached a point where I fear for the loss of Ghanaian musical ingenuity and originality. Most appalling is the shameful attempt of certain musicians to go to the extent of copying Nigerian lyrics in their Nigerian-coloured songs making it almost impossible to strike a distinction between certain Ghanaian songs and Nigerian music.
I believe it is imperative that Ghanaians do not lose their cultural musical content and style because we cannot copy the Nigerians and Americans more than ourselves. We are better as Ghanaians and more unique as such.
The tongue that criticizes should be capable of praise as well, so I would like to appreciate the likes of Obour, Okyeame Kwame, Kankam ((Cue) an upcoming artiste), and many more who still carry high the true flag of Ghanaian music. The likes of Kubolor, Lil Shaker, Sarkodie, Manifest and others, who use Ghanaian pidgin in their contemporary music.
The magnificent Kwabena Kwabena, Efya, Becca and others who make live band music a delight, with traditional African rythmes.


End Of Part One...

To Be Continued...