Accra: Ghanaian rapper Edem has opened up about the challenges artistes face after achieving mainstream success, particularly those who create music in minority languages. Speaking in an interview on Joy Prime, he explained that many up-and-coming artistes assume the struggle ends once they become popular, but maintaining success comes with its own set of difficulties.
According to Ghana Web, one of the biggest challenges is navigating relationships, public expectations, and stereotypes that emerge after an artiste gains national and international recognition. Edem noted that making music in Ewe, a language spoken predominantly in the Volta Region, requires significantly more effort compared to songs performed in more widely spoken languages.
Edem shared that people often use stereotypes as a business advantage, impacting how fans react during concerts and national events. He emphasized that artistes performing in minority languages might have to work twice as hard as their counterparts in more widely spoken languages. He illustrated this by pointing out that some songs in Akan become nationwide hits without music videos, whereas artistes using minority languages often need to invest heavily in visuals and promotion to achieve similar reach.
Edem also highlighted the difficulty of navigating the music industry without mentors and the psychological pressure of being an independent artiste responsible for sourcing funds to sustain a music career. He stressed the importance of self-reliance and the challenges of finding resources to continue pushing one's craft without external support.