Ghanaian music producer Edward Nana Poku Osei, also known as Hammer, has said that it is difficult for African rappers who use their local languages
Ghanaian music producer Edward Nana Poku Osei, also known as Hammer, has said that it is difficult for African rappers who use their local languages to break international boundaries.
He said this on Joy FM’s Showbiz A-Z, Hammer mentioned that while songs can still be successful, the language barrier limits the global reach of rap music.
He believes that international breakthroughs are more difficult for rappers who don’t use widely spoken languages like English.
“It’s easy to sell vernacular in a singing format than in rap because ‘sing-songs’ have melody. Rap songs are words. So the beats drive rap songs. Listen to Zibote, we still don’t know what they were talking about but we love it because it is a song-song.
“It is easier for a ‘sing-song’ to cross over, like Asake with the Yoruba. He can cross over with it because it is a ‘sing-song’ but if you rap in Yoruba you will go hungry,” he said.
Hammer elaborated on his point, citing Sarkodie as an example. He noted that Sarkodie, a renowned Ghanaian rapper, has shifted towards incorporating more English into his raps, a departure from his earlier work, which was predominantly in his native language.
“Sarkodie has suffered out there. The reason he has transformed into an English rapper is that he has to move on because the vernacular rap will limit you,” he stated.