Music of Saturday, 19 February 2005

Source: ghanamusic.com

Are You Sure, Nana King?

When Nana King spoke with Prime Eye of Radio Gold on the programme ?Solid Gold Countdown?, he explained why he is now doing hiphop instead of hiplife.

According to him, Ghanaians have not been able to get into the international music market because of language barrier and that there are a number of English rappers in Ghana who can do far better than most of the famous hiphop artistes in the western world.

But the question is: If language is the problem, why are people or musicians like Salif Keita, Freddie Meiway, Angelique Kidjo and perhaps Nat Brew (Amandzeba) making it at the international level?

Nana King should know that music is a universal language and irrespective of the language in which a music is composed or performed, it is its beauty, which would attract people.

This is because there are people who cannot ?hear? even a word in the hiphop songs we listen to on our airwaves but like them because they sound good. Nana King should know that his music may vanish from the music radar if it is not to the taste of the listening populace. Regardless of the fact that he sings in English.

Why doesn?t he make use of indigenous Ghanaian rhythms and fuse them with his ?English rap?? Does he think 2 Face?s African Queen, which he contended has founded it way into the Ghanaian music market, would have been warmly welcomed if it was ?rubbished?.

Let?s hope to see whether he can get to the international market and rub shoulders with hiphop giants like Eminem , Mase, 50 Cent, Ja Rule and P. Diddy. I wish them luck.