Hiphop music is actually an African tradition, an ancient African tradition of freestyling, which is spontaneous poetry to a rhythmic pattern. It’s an African tradition which is thousands of years old. You can say American Hiphop is an evolution of an African tradition.
However, whether we like it or not, Hiphop is now known as a music form or genre of people in the West. The question however is, will the Ghanaian (or African) Hiphop musician ever become an international music icon? This question might have pricked your mind before or not.
No one becomes internationally known or acclaimed without the spotlight of the Western media or publicity and promotion on most Western media and or platforms – take it or leave it. So the point is, will the CNN, BBC, DWTV, BET, GRAMMY, etc. publicize or promote a Ghanaian Hiphop artiste so the fellow becomes an international music icon?
The Ghanaian Hiphop artiste wears costumes and presents his or herself as or like a Western Hiphop artiste. Ghaiaian Hiphop artistes use the same software used by Western Hiphop artistes to edit their music videos! Ghanaian Hiphop artistes wear huge necklaces on their necks just like most Western Hiphop artistes!
Ghanaian Hiphop artistes use the same or similar beat/rhythm/instrumentation of Western Hiphop! Ghanaian Hiphop artistes rap the same or similar way as or like Western Hiphop artistes! Ghnaaian Hiphop artistes speak English like the Western Hiphop artistes! The point therefore is: can the image ever be bigger than the object? Or, the object and the image, which is stronger?
Hardly will a Ghanaian be nominated or awarded in any Hiphop awards scheme in the West. I will not be surprised if Westerners mock us for awarding Hiphop artistes and songs in Ghana Music Awards; because they may ask themselves, ‘whose touchstone are they using to award themselves – us or theirs?’ (Laughs).