Entertainment
Top Picks: Exploring KiDi’s hidden gems
Today, we are not reviewing a conventional album. I was inspired to write this and unofficially call them an album after a friend was shocked when I shared some of them with him.
Also, KiDi is the 2022 Vodafone Ghana Music Awards Artiste of the Year, so what better time to bring this to you. So here goes nothing:
Ghanaians love the Afrobeats/Afropop music KiDi makes – it’s great – we all love it.
But there is a section of Ghanaians who in addition to all the poppy tunes like to take things slow. They’d love music to waltz to slow, cool, RnB like music and they get their fix from US/UK/Canadian music industries.
Those two are great places to find such tunes since they boast of artistes like Celine Dion, Adele, Ed Sheeran, Mario, Justin Bieber, Mary J Blige, Usher, Neyo, The Weekend and the list goes on.
However, the Ghanaian music industry also can boast of such music only that those ones (and sometimes the artistes who sang them) are not as popular.
KiDi is one of such. I call his RnB inspired music hidden gems in his albums and EP.
Every time he releases a collection of songs, Ghanaians select their favourite Afropop/Afrobeats “jam” to give those their attention. However, because there is an effort to push Ghanaian music, this RnB inspired jams from KiDi can be ‘exploited’ too.
In 2021, in the Golden Boy documentary, KiDi talked about his growth in the industry and for the first time, he answered a question I have been looking forward to for an answer, since he became the “Thunder” crooner. The question – where did the RNB music lover go? Where is that music?
Don’t get me wrong, like many people, I love his Afropop stuff but I equally loved the earlier music he made.
Yes, it may be an RnB inspired work but his diction (exploring the use of pidgin and Ghanaian related terms) and production make his slowed versions of songs rich and enjoyable without sounding like a copy or an imitation of known RnB artistes who may inspire him.
Before ‘Odo’ became a hit I got my KiDi music fix from these songs including his mash-up of One Dance, Anointing and No Kissing Baby. He turned upbeat Afrobeats songs into one of the best-slowed songs you’d ever listen to and it never gets old.
So yeah, I was curious at the time as to why those were no longer a staple in the new KiDi music catalogue.
KiDi explained in the documentary that he was adamant about making RnB music when he started out as a new artiste. However, his label advised him to make a switch or incorporate other local genres, especially highlife and Afrobeat into his music.
He revealed that Lynx Entertainment boss Richie explained that Ghanaians do not openly embrace RnB like they do other genres of music.
I completely understood. The RnB-like music does not cater to the mainstream Ghanaian and if he needed to succeed as an artiste, it was in his best interest to make something for the mainstream and it worked and people couldn’t be happier.
Also, no award scheme rewards RnB in this country – and why should they? It’s not originally ours and we haven’t claimed it like we have Reggae, Dancehall and Hip-hop.
As a music enthusiast, who snoops around a lot, I realised after his first album that he hasn’t completely thrown away his love for RnB. There are songs on Sugar, Blue EP and Golden Boy that veered off the Afrobeats route to a more RnB sound.
My theory after ‘Sugar’ was that, he wanted to feed his ‘day one’ fans who love his RnB stuff, but also cater to the side of him that still loves that genre of music.
Why else would we have acoustic/slowed versions of his biggest afrobeat songs like ‘Enjoyment’, ‘Say You Love Me’, ‘So Fine’ and ‘Ping Pong’ – again all my theories.
KiDi may have not thought through that at all. Maybe he’s just making all kinds of music. But what’s life without a little conspiracy theory, right? Right!
This is one of KiDi’s early songs and it was released under his label Lynx Entertainment. It was the song he sang during his time at the MTN hitmaker show. The artistes were expected to sing their own songs (I’m not sure whether it was at the finale) and it won him a lot of accolades. It may not be the best song he’s written, but it surely is a good one.
In the YouTube video, Drunk, is described as KiDi’s first original song. It was produced by Kay So. After many listen, I am tempted to believe that the song was inspired by The Weekend’s ‘Can’t Feel My Face’ – Maybe, maybe not!
It’s a great song from a then amateur singer/songwriter, give it a chance, especially if you are an RnB fan.
All I have to say is I recommend this song to all the heartbroken – leave all your pain and anguish on this song. Make this your new heartbreak anthem, it’s worth it.
One Dance Medley
This is not a KiDi song but it deserves the honourable mention. In 2016, the Afrobeat uprising finally got to the world. There were great songs that enjoyed massive airplay, especially with how great they were.
KiDi on his Ground Up session turned three of those songs – namely; One Dance, No Kissing Baby and Anointing – into one of the best medleys you’d ever hear.
In 2020, I advocated for this song to be nominated in the Highlife Song of the Year category. Click play and you’ll find out why. It may not be RnB but it’s here because it’s a jam, sue me!
Jokes aside, Letter to Afia remains one of the best Highlife songs he has ever written.
There was a storytelling theme in KiDi’s debut album ‘Sugar’ which was explored in the musical ‘Sugar’ — a film released alongside the album.
This is one of my favourite songs on the album and the opening remark is one heartfelt word.
Say You Love Me Remix ft Cina Soul
You know Say You Love Me, but do you know the remix? KiDi enlisted Cina Soul – his ‘girlfriend’ given to him by social media – for this one. It is a slow version of the original and a beautiful duet.
Where are the players??? This one is yours. This is the song spelling out all the requirements you expect from a love interest. All the job was done for you by KiDi, all that is left is to play it for the intended.
This was a hit, you must have heard of it.
This tune is a good representation of Afrobeats meets RnB in my opinion. It is mostly Afrobeat and a gem. It was part of the Blue EP which won Album of the Year at the 2021 Vodafone Ghana Music Awards.
While you are at it listen to Next Time I See You also on the Blue EP.
This is not a KiDi song but one he was featured on. American Grammy-nominated singer-songwriter Stokley enlisted KiDi for this one.
This song is on this list not because it is RnB influenced, but because it’s just a great song and I believe it should not be buried by Ghanaians. Good news though, it is one of the most listened to KiDi songs on Spotify.
This song has Rnb influences. Speaking about this song in his album, KiDi revealed that this song was inspired by Micheal Jackson. He wrote it using titles of popular Micheal Jackson songs like Dirty Diana, Smooth Criminal, Black or White, Bille Jean, Liberian Girl, Bad and Dangerous (1991 album), which of course is the title of the song.
This song easily has the ability to charm everyone. This is what ‘E Be Like Say’ could be but wasn’t. Obviously, it is because he has grown as an artiste and a person which in turn has an effect on the music he makes.
C’est fini!!!
Certainly, this is not to say that KiDi’s popular hits are any less good. In fact, this peace only seeks to appeal to Ghanaian music enthusiasts to be open-minded about music. Not every artiste is open to changing their style or making ‘dance’ music.
There are some artistes who truly have catalogues that are worth giving attention to, even though they do not fall within the ‘normal’ Ghanaian song category.
Source: www.myjoyonline.com
Entertainment
‘Artivism’ at TGMA27: Okyeame Kwame uses gold-themed Red Carpet look to wage war against galamsey
Renowned musician and “Rap Dacta” Okyeame Kwame transformed the 2026 Telecel Ghana Music Awards (TGMA) red carpet into a platform for environmental activism, making a bold visual statement against the devastating effects of illegal mining, affectionately called galamsey.
Arriving in a striking ensemble, the artiste was draped in gold colours from head to toe, complete with a matching gold-plated sword.
However, the glamour carried a somber message. Flanked by two bodybuilders who performed as figures suffering from the physical and environmental “cancers” of illegal mining, Okyeame Kwame’s appearance served as a stark contrast between the beauty of Ghana’s gold and the destruction caused by its extraction.
Speaking to host Giovanni Caleb, the musician explained that his “glittering” look was a deliberate irony intended to spark a national conversation.
“I wanted to look like gold to remind Ghanaians that while gold glitters, galamsey destroys our rivers, our rocks, our air, and our nature,” Okyeame Kwame stated.
He further emphasised that the fight against environmental degradation transcends partisan lines.
“If we glitter like this once every year and forget that it is not the responsibility of the NPP or NDC, but the collective responsibility of all Ghanaians to stop this galamsey cancer, then we have failed,” he added.
Long recognized as an ‘Artivist,’ Okyeame Kwame has a storied history of using his public platform to champion social and environmental causes.
The 2026 TGMA, while a night of musical celebration, was momentarily refocused by the Rap Dacta’s plea for the protection of Ghana’s natural heritage, proving once again that art remains one of the most powerful tools for social change.
Okyeame Kwame is currently out with new single dubbed, “Clap,” a song encouraging communal support and celebration of others’ successes.
By Edem Mensah-Tsotorme
The biggest event on Ghana’s entertainment calendar is set for a night of honours, pomp, and pageantry.
It is a night where musicians who excelled during the year under review will be rewarded through the endorsement of the Telecel Ghana Music Awards Board, the Academy, and the general public.
The Grand Arena, the ideal venue for the 27th TGMA, will host a star-studded audience of musicians, media personalities, businessmen, politicians, actors, and footballers among others.
On this night, the most coveted prize is the Artiste of the Year (AOTY) category, which will see the crowning of a new king or queen of Ghana music.
Two heavyweights in the category, Stonebwoy and Sarkodie, have the opportunity to set an enviable record as the only artistes to win the coveted title for a third time.
Should they fall short, the opportunity shifts to Black Sherif and Diana Hamilton to equal the record of two wins, joining the elite ranks of past double-winners like VIP.
A win for Diana Hamilton, will set her up in a lonely journey at the top as the only gospel musician, to win the Artiste of the Year for the second time.
Alternatively, Wendy Shay could make her debut by winning the award for the first time. This would make her team up with Diana Hamilton as the only female artistes alive to hold the title. The late Ebony, won it posthumously in 2018.
If the title slips past them and falls to Medikal, he will also become a first-time winner, etching his name into the annals of Ghana music history.
Patrons can look forward to electrifying performances from a long list of confirmed artistes, including Black Sherif, Diana Hamilton, Piesie Esther, R2Bees, Medikal, Wendy Shay, Lasmid, Kofi Kinaata, Samini, and Fido, among others.
Beyond the ultimate prize, several other major categories are up for grabs, including Music Video of the Year, New Artiste of the Year, Gospel Artiste of the Year, Most Popular Song of the Year, and Songwriter of the Year.
By Edem Mensah-Tsotorme
