Accra: Artificial intelligence is no longer a distant conversation for Ghana's music industry. It is here. But the use of AI in music has led to divided opinions among music industry stakeholders. While some support its use in production and generally defend its use, others think otherwise.
According to Ghana Web, dancehall star Shatta Wale is no stranger to AI. From using AI-generated images in his song covers to featuring an AI choir on one of the tracks in his latest album, "African King," Shatta Wale's use of AI has drawn widespread attention across the industry. The artiste has defended his stance, releasing a single titled "AI," noting that he just uses it as a resource.
Ghanaian reggae artiste Ras Kuuku acknowledged using AI in some areas of his work but says he never uses it to write songs. "If AI helps you write songs, that's your choice. But all my songs are written from scratch by me. I'm a better songwriter than AI," he said. He pointed specifically to his classic "Adie3 Bekye" as evidence, a song written and composed long before AI became a tool in the industry. Ras Kuuku said no machine could have produced it.
On the opposite side of the debate is Ghanaian rapper M.anifest. The artiste has publicly called on digital streaming platforms to give listeners the option to block AI-generated artistes from their listening algorithms entirely. He also criticized artistes who produce fully AI-generated songs from prompts, stating, "Making songs with prompts, you should be ashamed of yourself. You can use technology to help you make music. I'm all for it. I'm pro-technology. But if you're making music solely with prompts, shame on you."
Award-winning gospel musician Perez Musik has supported the use of AI, even defending Shatta Wale when the dancehall act came under fire. "Shatta is smart. I listen to a wide range of music because I am an artiste, so when I saw Shatta Wale's 'African King' album, I wanted to know what it's about. There is one of the songs where he used the AI choir, and it is beautiful," he said on Hitz FM. Perez Musik explained that he also uses AI in his own production process as a demo tool to shape ideas before entering the studio. He warned, however, that musicians who fail to adapt to AI risk being left behind in an increasingly competitive digital era.