As Ghana’s music industry grows, musicians have utilized several promotional tools to build fan page, ensure visibility, and support for their crafts via; social media (Facebook accounts, pages/groups, Instagram, Twitter, and the likes) and of course traditional media – newspapers, radio, and TV.
Among them all, one that has really yielded maximum results, is the formation of ‘die-hard-fan base or camps.’ It’s a cult that is entrenching and growing. It is simply a base of aficionados of a particular musician’s works and brand.
These die-hard-camps defend the artist at any time, patronize works of the artist, attend events the artist is billed on or organized by the artist, promote their artists on any medium they are on, stand by him/her in odd times, and in extreme cases, pay with their lives just to prove their undying love for the artist.
From a score, it’s obvious the male GH musicians are using these die-hard-camps effectively and are seeing results. Notable ones are: BhimNation – Stonebwoy, SarkNation/Natives – Sarkodie, SM4Lyf – Shatta Wale, Highgraders/family – Samini, GaddamNation – Fancy Gaddam.
Others are: Madtime Families, Flowkingdom – Flowking Stone, Elliens – EL, Voltarians – Edem, AMG – Criss Waddle, and 69 – Maccasio. Touch Shatta Wale wrongly and you have bruised all SM4Lyf fans – they will defend him and come after you. They come like ‘kakai’ as their ‘god’ says.
Sometimes they overdo it, which is condemnable, but the essence, is the weight of love they pour out to Shatta. They are die-hard-fans and so will die for their artist! They make celebrity status, a covetous one for the ordinary.
Not long ago, there was a report on how a die-hard Sark fan, was enslaved by love to wash Sark’s car in public in the full glare of a horde of equally Sark fans.
You may watch that video on Youtube: ‘Die-Hard-Fan’ of Sarkodie Washes His Range Rover (Watch)
Hardly do we have such die-hard fans for our female acts. As to how these male artists created or formed these camps, remain a journey of discovery.
Promotion, arguably, does not have a definite form and principle in achieving results – but when a tried and tested one is available, one can always jump unto it and make capital out. Since the female, is a creature that commands more affection and appeal, it begs for consideration this strategy.
I hear of signatures like Tiptoe in Mzvee’s songs – – why not turn it into a huge die-hard-camp? I hear of ‘Gingam from Efya – why not turn it into a die-hard-cult? It is effective! It works like charm! To all GH female musicians, you may give this a thought! Until then…MOTWUM!!
