Meet Kofi Kinaata, the highlife icon
One person who is enjoying a lot of attention these days is Martin King Arthur, aka Kofi Kinaata. Indeed, he has become the ‘new kid on the block’ as far as music is concerned.
Ever since he released his latest song, Confession, his popularity has soared because the song enjoys massive airplay on radio, television and at social functions.
When the Junior Graphic caught up with him recently and asked him how he was managing his stardom, Kofi Kinaata said he was excited that his creativity had paid off because it is the dream of every artiste to be the toast of music lovers.
“I am living my dream since this is what I have been waiting for since I started music. Now there is nothing left than to go higher and higher,” he stated.
Undeniably, Kofi Kinaata has every cause to be thankful and happy because at the just-ended 2017 Vodafone Ghana Music Awards (VGMA), his song, Confession, earned him the Songwriter of the Year Award. He also won two other awards: the Highlife Artiste of the Year and the Highlife Song of the Year with another song, Sweetie Pie.
Kofi Kinaata, who attended the Nana Brempong Yaw Basic School, near Mrs Cudjo, a suburb in Takoradi, from primary to junior high school, said although he loved listening to music at home, it was rather football that he was very ‘crazy’ about. He pointed out that it was not until he turned 16 that he decided to take up music seriously.
“Since childhood, my mother always sang to us. She sang when she was engaged in house chores and so I grew up loving music, but I wished to be a footballer and was positive that one day I would be one of the big names in football,” he said.
In primary school, although he was the School Prefect, he always found an excuse to skip school to join friends to play football. “That was how much I loved playing football and I was skilful too,” he added with a smile.
Kofi Kinaata said when he was at the Takoradi Technical Institute, where he studied Building and Construction, he was a member of the school’s football team and it was he who composed the team’s anthem which was sung frequently.
He stated that the turning point of his career preference came at age 16 when he took part in a singing competition dubbed the ‘Kasahare Show’ and placed second. That was when everybody got to know him because during the show most of the songs he sang were tunes he had written himself.
He added that he strived hard to be the best in whatever activity he engaged in. “I always believed in being the originator of things, rather than copying what others were doing.”
Born to Mr Charles King Arthur and Mrs Mary Arthur at Effiakuma in the 1990s, Kofi Kinaata had his debut in music in 2012 with Onnyi Chorus.
His song, Susuka, was the boost he needed to register his presence on the music landscape as it was a hit and still continues to enjoy airtime on radio and television. Susuka also won him two awards at the 2016 VGMA. He received the Songwriter of the Year Award as well as the Best New Artiste of the Year Award.
The rest of his songs include Time No Dey, Oh Azay, Sweetie Pie, Crusade and Move. The rest are Made in T’adi, Tripple Vim, My Level and Confession.
Growing up, he said he disliked bullies and so anytime he saw someone bullying others he felt that he had to intervene and save the one being bullied. Interestingly, it was his Good Samaritan character which got him into a lot of trouble because most of the time his intervention resulted in fights.
Being a curious child, Kofi Kinaata said he was almost engaged in all the things that he was advised not to do. “When that happened, my dad who is a strict disciplinarian never spared the rod. I was told not to ride a bicycle or go to the beach but that was exactly what I usually did because I wanted to know why I had been asked not to do that”.
Kofi Kinaata recollected with nostalgia when he went out without the permission of his parents to watch a big show in town where Castro, Lord Kenya and Obrafo were to perform.
“I knew there was no way I would be given permission to watch it and I didn’t want to miss that show either so I went without permission. I had so much fun that I lost track of time and stayed on till the show was over. I remember seeing people in the neighbourhood sweeping their compounds and I was wondering why they were sweeping at that hour of the night.
“I again came across the koko seller in my area putting her things together to start business and I wondered what was going on that day. It was when I got home that I realised it was dawn and had to face the wrath of my parents. The neighbours saved me from what would have been a heavy flogging by my father that day. However, I was not left off the hook because I was made to sign a bond to be of good behaviour and that made me vow not to go out without permission ever again.”
Kofi Kinaata says he believes education is the key to real success in life and even though he is enjoying a lot of publicity at the moment, he will enrol in one of the country’s universities to pursue further training in Building Technology next year.
His advice to young people is to obey rules at home and in school, have fun and above all, study hard to achieve their dreams in life as that will ensure their happiness and independence.
