Renowned Ghanaian Hiplife rapper, Kwaw Kese
Renowned Ghanaian Hiplife rapper Kwaw Kese has reacted to the growing trend of rappers abandoning Hip-hop and Hiplife for Afrobeats and singing, describing it as a sign of a lack of authenticity.
Speaking in an interview on Hitz FM on October 9, 2025, the “Abodam” singer said he feels unbothered by the trend, insisting that it helps separate genuine rappers from those who were never true to the craft.
“I feel good in a way because we are sieving out the odd ones so that the real ones can stay. Imagine if we had a hundred rappers doing Hiplife right now, it would affect my shows. This game is meant for the originals to stay and the fakes to fade out.
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“So the moment you realize that ‘Rap is not paying, so I’m going to do this,’ it means you were never original about the rap thing,” he said.
Kwaw Kese argued that rappers who claim rap doesn’t pay are simply not doing it right.
“People are still doing rap and making money. So why are you not making money? It means you were never really a rapper, or you forced yourself to be one, or you were scared of the future. When you saw Afrobeats everywhere, you said, ‘Let me go and join them,’” he added.
He concluded that the shift ultimately benefits authentic rappers like himself.
“So to me, it’s good. It ensures the real rappers stay alive and the fakes fade away,” he said.
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