Rap in English to reach a higher audience – Okyeame Kwame

Veteran rapper Okyeame Kwame has admitted that his brand would have been recognized in the international market if he had done his rap verses in the English language.

According to the rap doctor, even though he has no regrets about sticking to his mother tongue for his compositions, he urges up-and-coming artistes to consider rapping in English.

“As a creative rapper, no matter how well-crafted my lines are, they will mean nothing when I perform to a US or UK audience. This is because they will not understand the Twi language and will not appreciate my craft, which is very key for a rapper,” unquote.

He, however, noted that the success of rapping in English doesn’t happen in a vacuum. According to him, rappers are poets and must be creative with their words.

The conversation about Ghanaian music breaking international boundaries got re-ignited following Black Sherif’s global hit with Kwaku The Traveller, which is predominantly in English.

While some defer to the Okyeame Kwame theory, others have also insisted that language matters less in music appreciation.