Ghana’s rap doctor Okyeame Kwame, in an interview with Celebrity Newspaper, has taken a swipe at musicians and music video producers who are using Ghanaian women as ‘subjects of sex’ in music videos and says there must rather be objective use of the women who appear in Ghanaian music videos.
It is apparent that these music videos that portray women wearing hot pants and jiggling their “booty” in front of the camera are actually encouraging women and even kids to take dangerous measures to “look good,” and behave as defined by these videos.
According to Kwame, whether or not these images “pollute” the cultural environment, they certainly change it. Given the barrage of images representing women, in music videos, as pieces of a body (mainly breasts, butts, and legs) instead of as a person certainly doesn’t portray Ghanaian culture.
“Parents most often get uncomfortable when watching music video programs on TV with their children, even at primetime, because, out of the blues, virtually naked women would appear and start making all sorts of sexually suggestive moves. Is this the culture we want to instill in our kids?” the 37 year old rapper asked.
Asked whether it is not a similar trend which the westerners adapted to, he, in response, said “you shouldn’t find comparable elements in our videos and theirs but our videos must have equal appeal. If our videos show on channel o and Ghanaian culture can’t be identified with it, it definitely suggests that we are copying somebody”.
He added that if competition is the focus of the many musicians who have taken to the practice, “We must compete with things they don’t have; we can’t compete by imitating. Imitation will not bring us attention”.
The father of 2 children also used the opportunity to advise musicians to consider their music videos as their ‘commercials’ and elements of branding which he broke down as identification, differentiation, relevance and coherence.
The award winning rapper came to prominence in the late 90s as one half of the hip-life group Akyeame with friend and group member Okyeame Qofi. They enjoyed six years of success releasing 4 albums until in 2003, Kwame and his partner in rhyme/close friend, Qofi, decided to try their hands at solo careers. In 2004, he began his solo career and saw even more success this way as his career quickly skyrocketed. In 2009, Okyeame Kwame snared the much-coveted “Artiste of the Year” in the GMAs as well as Joy FMs Nite With The Stars Awards.
His music video, Woara featuring Raquel, is currently enjoying massive airplay on various media accros the country.