Blakk Rasta ‘scares’ radio stations with GH¢100,000 demands

Next month marks exactly two years since radio presenter, Abubakar Ahmed, known in showbiz circles as Blakk Rasta, was yanked off air by Hitz FM for unsavoury comments he made about Ghana’s legislators for which he was hauled before Parliament on contempt charges.

However, his attempts to return to broadcasting has been thwarted by what he believes are the inability of radio stations in Ghana to meet his asking price and other conditions of service.

In fact, the radio presenter who doubles as a musician says his prospective ‘suitors’ have been scared by what they consider to be his high demands, particularly a signing-on fee of GH¢100,000, freedom to operate without restrictions, a clear radio station devoid of jamming and a clean environment.

 “I have had a lot of radio stations approaching me; unfortunately, none has been able to meet my demands yet. I have not less than 20 radio stations meeting up with me to work with them but we are unable to come to a final conclusion,” Blakk Rasta told Showbiz in an interview on Monday.

But the man whose hit song ‘Barack Obama’, shot him to prominence in 2008, maintains his demands are justifiable and reflect his true value on the market.

“I think I am not asking for too much if I demand for these things because the Blakk Rasta brand is a big brand. I have never failed anywhere I found myself working and that should tell anyone how serious I am,” he said.

Known for his passion and tackling very controversial issues on air, Blakk Rasta said he would not compromise on his character for anything.

To him, nothing would make him move to a radio station whose terms and conditions do not sit well with him, adding that he would prefer to remain at home than to work with a radio station he did not feel at home with.

“The issue is not really about the money but the freedom to say the things I want to say without any restrictions from the radio owners,” he insisted.

“I have never gone on leave in my entire life since I started working as a radio presenter. I was at Hitz FM for eight years and there was no single day I went on break”, he added.

In the worst case scenario, Blakk Rasta says he could channel his energies into establishing an internet radio.

The musician spent part of his time off radio to lecture at the University of Central Missouri in the US and other universities abroad but says he is currently busy in the studio putting finishing touches to his upcoming album.

 In March this year, he released a 13-track album, Kuckoko Revolution, which had tracks such as Yaa Akoto and Kuchoko, featuring Kwame Bediako.

Blakk Rasta’s hit song Barack Obama, a tribute to the 44th President of the United States of America, gave him instant international recognition and also opened major influential doors for him, including being a guest of President Obama at a dinner held in honour of the immediate past American President  when he visited Ghana in 2009.