Ghanaian music icons Reggie Rockstone, DJ Mensah, and Black Sherif have come together to help launch the "Play Ghana" initiative, stressing on the need for a collective effort to promote Ghanaian music and culture on the global stage.

They made this call during a stakeholder engagement organised by the Ministry of Information on December 14 which aimed to gather insights from creatives and other players in the creative space for the promotion of the #playghana initiative.

Reggie Rockstone, a pioneer in the Ghanaian music industry, stressed that the discussion was important not only to the creative arts sector but also to the nation as a whole.

CIting Jamaica's global success despite being a small island, he urged Ghanaians to self-reflect and consider this moment as an opportunity for positive change.

“What it being discussed is important. It doesn’t just apply to music, it applies to everything. From creative arts to Ghana as a whole. Jamaica is a small island but they are so popular that they come here to organize shows. It is not about Ghana and Nigeria but about looking truthfully at ourselves, if there is a time to make a move, it is now,” he said.

DJ Mensah, who recently returned from Jamaica, shared his observations on the global impact of music and the conscious efforts made by other countries.

He cited Jamaica's effective branding and urged Ghanaians to take pride in their culture and music.

DJ Mensah also noted the need for strategic branding to showcase Ghana's unique offerings. This, he suggested, could be done through constantly playing Ghanaian music everywhere, including at airports and taxis.

“These are some of the things we have. So many things that we can brand well and let the world know that this is what we have. Especially with the music. When you get to the airport, when you get to New York, you hear everything from hip hop. And when you come out here, it's something else. When people travel here, the first thing they say is from the car, we should be playing music,” he said.

BET Hip Hop Award winner, Black Sherif contributed to the discussion by calling for a shift blame games and focusing on the positive direction the initiative aims to take. He called for collaborative efforts in order to enhance the visibility of Ghanaian music on the global stage.

“This is not a blame game. We are not blaming DJs, we are not blaming artistes, we are not blaming consumers. It's a step in the right direction for us all and our music and our culture,” he said.

The "Play Ghana" initiative seeks to harness the collective efforts of artistes, DJs, and the public to elevate Ghanaian music to international recognition.

ID/NOQ


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