Ghanaian media houses have limited the promotion of music to Twi and Pidgin – Jupitar

Ghanaian Reggae and Dancehall artiste, Michael Okine, well known in showbiz as Jupitar has asserted that the media space in Ghana supports only musicians who can sing in Twi, a popular Ghanaian language. 

The crooner is of the view that many musicians are doing very well but are belittled because of their inability to sing in Twi. According to Jupitar, there are brilliant rappers in other parts of Ghana who do not get airplay in the southern part of the country because their songs are done in their native languages.

 He further expressed his displeasure about the situation saying he knows many musicians in the North who can sing very well, but funnily enough, they will not even get up to 5 streams when they go to Accra.

The ‘Enemies’ hitmaker made this revelation while he was speaking on the “Uncut with D Black” show. 

“Most of our radio stations in our media space have chosen one particular language that they will promote. There is a very good rapper in the north who actually raps in Dagati or Sissala. But he can’t fluently speak Twi or pidgin…if you take that music to Accra. It won’t get up to two airplays,” he said.

Mentioning Fancy Gadam’s ‘Total Cheat’, the renowned artiste opined that the song was successful on radio stations because a larger part of the piece was in pidgin English.

On the contrary, Jupitar detailed that South African artist, Focalistic and Nigerian artistes Phyno and Asake do their songs in their native languages yet their songs are appreciated by people in Nigeria who are from other tribes.

“Take Nigeria for example, look at artists like Focalistic. Phyno, Asake. They all make songs in their native language. But yet they play these songs and they jam to it. So our creative space shouldn’t limit songs to one language,” he emphasized.