The climate in Accra is calm. The dry haze of an on-again and off-again harmattan kisses the growing concrete jungle of the capital’s skyline. It’s the end of February and the high of 2019 - the first of Year of Return - has finally lifted. Ghanaians are getting back into their typical groove, but the remnants of the season still stay in people’s minds as the nation prepares for its 63rd Independence Day celebration on 6 March 2020.

In late 2018, Ghana’s president Akuffo Addo, along with a bevvy of celebrities including Bozoma Saint John and Boris Kodjo, announced the Year Of Return - a yearlong commemoration marking 400 years since the first slave ship landed in America. In a spirit of solidarity, the government of Ghana invited African Americans, Caribbeans and diasporans back home to connect with their roots. Throughout 2019 visitors flocked to the country to tour its historical sites including the slave castles and forts. The initiative culminated in a series of festivities in December including Afronation Festival and Afrochella as well as non-stop parties, concerts and events.

For a culture deeply rooted in the arts, music played a strong part in these year-end events and Ghana’s musicians were the main draw. For many popular local artists, this period is what is affectionately called ‘cocoa season’, a derivative of the harvest season for cocoa farmers when they make the most money. Thanks to the plethora of parties, the who’s who of the music scene have been busy for the past two Decembers with Year of Return fever starting in 2018 and reaching fever pitch in 2019.

Rap and afrobeats star Joey B predictably had a full calendar. In the chill of his East Legon home studio, the muted tones of a Mortal Kombat video game fill the room as we discuss the influx of people. “I noticed a lot of Hollywood stars in Accra in 2018,” he says. His black hat shades his face yet I can still spot the twinkle of excitement in his eyes. “Then I met Ebro and Nana Kwabena and they broke it down. It’s cool to see all these amazing acts here to appreciate our culture.”

When it comes to Ghanaian rap and hiplife, Joey B has always brought a fresh approach to the genre since his chart-topping feature on DBlack’s ‘Vera’ in 2012. In 2014, he won the Vodafone Ghana Music Award for the Best New Artist of the Year and since then has dominated the Ghanaian charts with tracks such as ‘Tonga’, ‘U x Me’, ‘Taya’ and ‘Stables’.

My next stop is to meet King Promise. Bursting onto the scene with a single featuring Sarkodie in 2017, the artist has quickly risen through the ranks. He secured his place among the A list by winning African Artists of the Year in 2018 at The Headies. Boasting of features with afrobeats kingpins Wizkid and Mr Eazi in 2019, he also put on a solo concert for the third consecutive December.

In his home in the Ajiringano suburb of Accra, King Promise takes a break from recording to chill with me in the living room. A look of seriousness fills his face as he flips through the TV stations trying to find the perfect channel. It can’t be football because he will be distracted, so settles on a music channel. Chris Brown circa 2008 is singing his heart out. “Last year a lot of people came in and got in touch with their roots,” he recalls. “There was excitement in the city. Tourism had a huge win, and I’m looking forward to music being even more involved this year.”

Just like King Promise, Joey B sees Ghana’s newfound popularity as an opportunity for growth. “All these concerts had various crowds and nationalities. It exposed our music to them,” he says, adding thoughtfully: “People are here for the concerts and for fun, but there are deeper connections to be made. The connections are what move the culture… Celebrating historical culture is great and all, but pushing the current culture will contribute greatly to getting Ghana to the top.”

The current culture he speaks of is the perfect merger of traditional and local references with foreign undertones. Joey B blends skate couture with 1990s fashion and local swag, making him a non-duplicable style icon. With shy confidence, he admits to his influential characteristic: “Yes I love hip hop so I’m influenced by that, but I can add my own style to it,” he says. “From the experimental stuff I’ve done, people are watching. I try my best to do me and if that tends to inspire someone, cool.”

Also enthusiastic about the possibilities of collaborations, King Promise approaches it with more purposefulness. “Collaborations are always exciting but there’s a space for being ethical. You have to own your narrative. Afrobeats is hot right now. People are interested in our space so we have to own it while remaining open. However, we can’t overthink cultural correctness. Our message and intentions should override the hype,” he says. Or to put it more bluntly: “Afrobeats is gonna be the biggest genre in the world”.

For Kidi, collaborations are a very important part of artists’ lives. The busy musician pitched into the conversation over a phone call with me. “Key collaborations help you connect with new fans. Not just with music but with other creatives like designers, videographers and photographers.”

After winning the MTN HitMaker competition in 2015, Kidi became a household name. His subsequent melodies on highlife infused songs such as ‘Say You Love’ and ‘Adiepena’ quickly secured his reputation. Kidi has worked with musicians such as Medikal, Kuami Eugene and Stonebwoy. He’s also crossed borders, connecting with Nigerian fans via a remix of his hit song ‘Odo’ featuring Davido and Mayorkun. In 2019, he released his debut album and merged it with the musical ‘Sugar: The Movie’, which featured the likes of Mr Eazi, Kwesi Arthur and Stonebwoy. “Collaborations are give and take,” he added, “It’s about compromise, comfort and respect.”

Kidi, King Promise and Joey B are both colleagues and friends. King Promise and Joey B have collaborated on two successful songs in the past two years. While Kidi is often spotted at their concerts showing support. Looking forward to the year, all the artists agree that the future is bright but it could be blinding with the right support. Ghana has often prioritised other sectors over the creative ones. But the Year of Return might have brought out some truths. The government and other organised bodies have a part to play in building a Ghana known for its cultural wealth.

“We need good governance and unity for us to build a structure,” says King Promise. “We need a strong plan to fuel and push our industry so it’s more structured and stands the tests. If we want afrobeats to become more than a fad, these are the things we need to rally for.”

For Kidi, he understands the mandate the citizens have as well. “The people have a part to play in putting others onto our sound so it can spread,” he says. “At a point, Ghana was known for our amazing footballers. Right now, we’ve lost that, but music is a good contender. If the fans share the music with their friends and others, it’ll make it very easy.”

His words ring true with King Promise’s feelings about national pride. “It’s about love. If you love yourself, you’ll love where you’re from and everything about it.”

The topic of self-love shaping a sense of nationalism piqued my interest. The essence of love on the part of musicians like Joey B, Kidi and King Promise, fuelled them to create music reflective of their culture, their present truths and their lifestyles. For lawmakers, loving oneself looks like creating spaces and opportunities for growth, as well as providing support.

Meanwhile, for younger generations, it means genuinely connecting to authentic Ghanaian culture. This authenticity is the rage of Joey B and his fans in concerts as they turn it up in human mosh pits. It’s also seen in King Promise’s afrobeats love songs. The same one is felt in the crowd of fans singing along to Kidi’s melodious highlife-infused tracks.

Approaching Ghana’s growth in its 63 years of independence with love wasn’t one I had ever considered. The words ring in my ears as I sit in my taxi on the way home from King Promise’s home. And as if the universe was in agreement, the radio is filled with King Promise’s melodies as I begin my journey; not only home but towards fully loving Ghana.

Words Benewaah Boateng

Photography David Cozy Ansah
Direction & styling Kusi Kubi

All clothing PalmWine IceCream
Eyewear Versace, Ray-Ban
Footwear Nike

Visit Joey B
Visit Kidi Music
Visit King Promise

Published on 05/03/2020