THE Vice Chairman of the Ghana Culture Forum, Ahuma Bosco Ocansey, popularly known as Daddy Bosco, has urged established Ghanaian artistes, including Shatta Wale, Samini and Kwabena Kwabena, to stop chasing hit songs and focus on building lasting legacies as well as extending their brands beyond music.
According to him, artistes who have reached a certain level of success should recognise they have moved from being trend-driven artistes to legacy acts and should no longer feel pressured to compete with younger artistes for the latest hit.
Daddy Bosco said the transient nature of human taste meant that no artiste could remain at the top forever, making it important for established artistes to think beyond chart success.
“One of the issues with the Ghanaian music industry is that we tend to applaud trending artistes more than legacy artistes. Shatta Wale is now a legacy artiste. Samini is a legacy artiste and so is Kwabena Kwabena. They don’t need to chase another hit.
“Look at Kojo Antwi. When was the last time Kojo had a hit? Yet, he is still playing some of the biggest shows.
“I think sometimes, the artistes themselves have to appreciate that they have crossed over into legacy status. At that point, they should stop worrying so much about trends. That’s what I think. I may be wrong, but that’s my opinion,” he added.
For Daddy Bosco, who is also the Director of Projects at MUSIGA, the next step for established artistes should be brand extension - using the reputation they have built through music to create businesses, products and other ventures that can sustain their relevance and income.
He cited Okyeame Kwame as an example, noting that after his major hits, he had increasingly explored other avenues to extend his brand.
“He’s made the name, now what he’s doing is brand extension,” Daddy Bosco said, citing other artistes who have similarly moved into businesses outside music.
Shatta isnalso doing well with Shaxi, he should continue with that and probably do more for the Shatta Wale brand.
He mentioned Reggie Rockstone’s food business, Rockz Waakye and Tic’s pizza venture as examples of artistes leveraging their fame to build businesses beyond their music careers.
Daddy Bosco also cited American rapper Jay-Z, who has built a business empire by founding, co-owning, or investing in major brands across music, luxury spirits, fashion, tech and entertainment.
He therefore encouraged established Ghanaian artistes to embrace the opportunities that come with longevity rather than be preoccupied with whether their latest songs can replicate the success of their biggest hits.
He said artistes who have attained legacy status should focus on building brands and ventures that can sustain their relevance beyond their music careers.
“I think its good advice for them,” Daddy Bosco added.
