Save Your Sob Stories and Lyrics: A Word to Upcoming Ghanaian Musicians

Of course, we need reflective songs that convey messages about life, its adversities, and hope. There are days when reflective music can inspire us. But how can we be inspired when the lyrics are reduced to mundane tales of personal suffering?

“We got different sob stories, save your soliloquy” is one of my favorite rap lines from American rapper Sean Carter, popularly known as Jay-Z. The line can be found on Pusha T’s Neck and Wrist song, where Jay-Z appeared as a guest artist. In essence, the rapper was admonishing colleague artistes and perhaps listeners to stop whining and complaining about their problems since everyone faces challenges in their own way.

If you’ve keenly observed the new crop of artists emerging in the Ghanaian music scene over the last four to five years, you’ll notice a trend: releasing tunes laden with sad anecdotes and the glorification of their struggles to gain attention and airplay. This unlabelled music genre, often marketed to unsuspecting listeners as a reflective sound, has somehow annoyingly come to stay.

Nigerian music enthusiasts on X (formerly known as Twitter) have infamously coined such tracks composed with lyrics of struggle as “Afro-Depression,” with Omah Lay as the poster boy. But I digress. At least our white-and-green brothers have a distinct genre and sound synonymous with their country. Nigerians have championed Afrobeats on international platforms, pushing African music into spaces where it once received little recognition. The lyrics in most Afrobeats songs aren’t necessarily introspective or deep, but the genre has become a global hot commodity. Why? Because it’s appealing, refreshing, and puts people in a good mood.


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On the other hand, Ghanaian music, which once propelled Highlife to astronomical heights, slowed down due to the emergence of diverse genres such as rap, Hiplife, Hip-Hop, and the glorious Azonto. The Azonto wave, with its infectious and fast-paced rhythms paired with amusing hand gestures, was a global music sensation similar to Afrobeats. Even Nigerians, at one point, attempted to tap into and claim the genre. Those were the days when airwaves were filled with vibrant and happy songs. Unfortunately, the Azonto wave lost momentum, leading to its decline.

Now, with no distinct sound to represent Ghana, a sonic void was formed, and unconciously birthed the unlabelled genre that I refer to as struggle music.  Don’t believe me? Take a quick scroll on Instagram. Chances are, you’ll find five new artists premiering their songs. Three out of these five will be lamenting emotional turmoil or recounting how they suffered and “trapped” on the streets. Interestingly, most of these artists label themselves as trappers, but not in reference to the popular “Trap” genre that originated in the United States. Instead, they mean they’re hustling to make ends meet.

Of course, we need reflective songs that convey messages about life, its adversities, and hope. There are days when reflective music can inspire us. But how can we be inspired when the lyrics are reduced to mundane tales of personal suffering? I am not dismissing the value of such songs in favor of feel-good music, but if you can merge the two, you create a unique and refreshing sound for your listeners.

Take Okomfo Kwadee, for instance. He has classics like “Abrantie” and “Efie Nipa.” Both songs encapsulate the struggles of a young man grappling with life’s frustrations. His storytelling vividly captures the pain and determination of a youth striving to make something meaningful out of life despite constant obstacles. Yet,  the same Kwadee has countless feel-good tracks that showcase his versatility and kept his audience engaged. Sarkodie is also a perfect example of an artiste who also perfectly blends happy/commercial music as well as inspirational and reflective songs.  Struggles and triumphs are two sides of the same coin and weaving both into your music can resonate deeply with your audience while still keeping them entertained.

As an up-and-coming artist, if all you do is lament about life and struggles, trust me, your audience will be limited. You might be popular among the circles of the urban and cool kids but you might be stuck and only known for that sound, with less commercial profit too. Ghanaians have been overfed with the sob stories and pain lyrics for far too long. We want songs that we can jam and vibe out to. I am no Donald Trump of music but we need to make Ghanaian music great again. We are tired of hearing the chronicles of your life on the radio every time!

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