'Bold': Kofi Jamar on how 'fast-food paced' music industry left him 'depressed'
Kofi Jamar has revealed his break from music “was not intentional but life happens, you know”.
The rapper said he was “depressed and sad,” adding his comeback song Bold details some of the moments he experienced.
He spoke to Mr Lion on Class 91.3 FM’s drive-time programme.
Jamar said, “As an artiste, my greatest fear is feeling stagnant.”
He explained by noting he puts out music “every time because that’s my means of communicating with the world” and “built my self-importance on that”.
Consequently, not being able to release music for while made him “question” his “self-worth”.
He bemoaned, also, Ghana’s music industry is “fast-food paced” and demands one to be “up in people’s face” all the time by, for instance, being hyperactive on social media, else “it’s hard [getting] back into the game”.
Withholding details, he said he had “a mishap” which kept him from releasing music. On the brighter side, however, he said: “I think I made good use of that.”
The singer-songwriter said, “I was in America,” and while there “I had to connect with myself and see why I started” music thing in the first place.
He said this was necessary because sometimes things get “blurry” and “you lose focus”.
Not receiving anticipated support and traction “when you’re dropping quality music” also added to his trials, he revealed.
“I’ve come out of that fire renewed and refreshed,” the Mi Dey Up hitmaker announced.
On what he understood in the dark days, he said he “learned to be vulnerable and not hide”.
He said he has had to drop the “perfectionist” veneer which makes an artiste behave as though “they don’t have problems and don’t go through difficulties and all that”.
Also, Jamar said he observed with concern “a lot of people come to you just because you’re hot [successful]” and leave when things change.
Ultimately, the Kyere Me hitmaker said he has “learned to drop music even if people are not listening”.
“I realised my music is not just meant for Ghana, it’s meant for the world,” he added.
Born Derrick Osei Kuffour Prempeh, Kofi Jamar’s biggest hit was Ekorso. Released during the COVID-19 pandemic, the song was part of the Kumerican Drill revolution which has since received Recording Academy (Grammy) recognition.
Jamar’s latest offering is Wombom featuring Kofi Mole and Kwesi Amewuga.
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