Radio/TV DJ and record producer , DJ Yoga has stressed on the need to add African elements of music to the hip-pop music which young rappers in Ghana are recording now to help make Ghanaian hip-pop music identifiable on the world market.
Speaking to Sammy Flex on the Showbiz Agenda show on Zylofon FM, the DJ believes the move would sell Ghanaian music and African music in a unique way to the world.
In the said interview monitored by ghlinks .com.gh, DJ Yoga disclosed that he is out with a new project “The Afro-Trap” project where he will be releasing records or songs which has sounds from Ghanaian music instruments infused in it. He said that will make the records or songs unique. “I am out with a new project called the Afro-trap. I will be mixing African instruments such as fontonfrom, dondo and the likes to hip-pop beats. Those are the things we have here and the beats will be made in a great way”
Touching on whether African music is not recognized out there, he said Afro-beats is recognized in the world because it has fused a taste of African trace in the genre and that is making the songs sell. He added that the same must be done with hip-pop music in Ghana so as to sell it in a unique way.
He again said a lot of artistes are doing hip-pop in Ghana but are struggling to get their songs out there because it is not different from what the American hip-pop artistes are selling to the world, which is making the competition tight. “A lot of artistes down here suck as Medikal, Kwesi Arthur and a couple of guys are doing hip-pop music but are finding it difficult to penetrate the market because they have not Africanized it.
Responding to Sammy Flex on whether Ghana is not already known for the current music it sells out there, DJ Yoga said Ghanaian hip-pop sells outside but a lot more can be done to make it better. “Ghanaian hip-pop sells outside too. Our biggest artist, Sarkodie is known outside and has won awards for Ghana with rap music, which is hip-pop”. He also said some artistes are already doing what he intends to generalize which in his view, is great for hip-pop music in Ghana. “An artist like Manifest is doing what I am talking about. He has africanised his music and that is selling Ghanaian hip-pop too”
Touching on whether he is pushing this issue because of his project, he said he had other good hip-pop produces based in Ghana on board because they all want to see Ghanaian hip-pop music sell in a great way. “Good hip-pop producers like Uncle Beats are on board this project too”.
In a final statement, he said every genre of music basically starts from the Western culture but is re-branded to make it originally African. “everything starts from the West but after some time, people are able to Africanise it. We all copy from the Americans but at the end of the day, we are able to Africanise it. “
Source: ghlinks.com
