Gasmilla, Manifest and others who made it big without Twi songs
The vast majority of Ghanaian music is made in Akan dialect of Twi. That is because an overwhelming majority of Ghanaians either identify as Akan or speak an Akan language from Twi to Fante.
This is just how the country is made up. And so most often than not, non-Akan music tends to suffer the consequences of not having a countrywide audience.
But music is bigger than the language in which it is made. Music has the ability to connect with people who cannot speak or understand a word of the creating language.
Rap music is one way in which language sometimes become less of a problem. And it is in this way that some Ghanaian rappers have broken the Akan barrier.
YEN.com.gh lists seven Ghanaian rappers who have shown you do not need to rap in Akan to succeed.
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1. Manifest
Rapper Manifest may be heard giving a few lines in Twi on his songs but do not be misled if it is your first time hearing him. This rapper loves his English.
Hits such as "Sugar Baby" and "Nowhere Cool" are continental hits and they mostly written i English.
2. Tinny
Many may feel Tinny's time may be over. But the fact that he was once upon a time the biggest non-Twi music maker in Ghana cannot be disputed.
These days, Tinny can churn out hits. But he left a mark with Ga songs that is not a blueprint for most people.
3. Edem
Before Edem's Ewe music success, there was a rapper called Chicago. There is however no comparison to what Edem has done.
The ease with which Edem found a place for Ewe rap music in a culture that listened to a lot of Akan music cannot be overstated.
4. Fancy Gadam
There is not a long tradition of top rappers coming from Northern Ghana who stick to their native language. Fancy Gadam changed this in the last five years.
Of course, Gadam had to make his hits courting support from Twi rappers like Sarkodie. But Gadam has remained an unapologetic Dagbani.
5. Gasmilla
Gasmilla is the successor to the greatness Tinny's Ga rap successes. Gasmilla has been able to move from a Greater Accra to a national phenomenon.
Gasmilla "3 Points" and "Telemo" were legitimate hits that is going to keep the rapper in a national memory for a long time.
6. EL
Elorm Adablah or EL uses mostly English, pidgin English and Ga. And this has not gone badly for him.
EL has proceeded i the last 10 years to be one of the best rappers in Ghana.
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7. Stonebwoy
Stonebwoy is not just a rapper. He is a dancehall artiste too.
Whatever the case is, Stonebwoy has been successful using mostly patois English and pidgin.
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Source: YEN.com.gh
