Having a hit song doesn’t make you an influential artiste – Sarkodie

Award winning Ghanaian rapper Sarkodie real name Michael Owusu Addo has said getting hit songs cannot make an artiste influential.

He made this assertion at a brief ceremony to unveil the 2018 All Africa Music Awards (AFRIMA) annual calendar of programmes on Monday, May 21, 2018 held at the Kempinski Hotel in Accra.

According to the hip hop recording artist, for the fact that a musician is able to get so many hit songs won’t necessarily lead to loyal fans.

He advised artistes to channel the focus in building a strong and aggressive followers who are determined on making the brand a force to be reckoned with in the industry.

Sarkodie narrated an experience he had with several radio presenters during his radio tour to promote his last album ‘Highest’.

The BET award winner disclosed that he was amazed at the suggestions from the presenters claiming because he is known for hit songs so he should focus on giving his fans the commercial songs but he explained that he feeds his music to the people who really like Sarkodie and listen to Sarkodie.

“Hit song is very easy but that doesn’t mean you have a stand in the industry. Hit songs are the ones to save certain people like we’ve thousands of hit songs from one person but the person still doesn’t command the numbers now.

“So that means the focus should be on building that deep love for your brand from the people. How you’re going to do it depends on the individual strategy. For me, that is why people don’t understand my last album ‘Highest’ which had so many hip hop songs but the radio had a lot of problem talking about it that I need to hit because I’m making a commercial song. I understand their plea that is why I did a painkiller, a verse on Shey Shey song and a no kissing verse which will still keep Sarkodie going.

“But what I have to do is to feed the people who really like Sarkodie or listen to Sarkodie and that is my numbers. That is why I’m proud to say that every 25th December, I’ve a sold out concert at the Accra International Centre and it’s just because of the love being built to the people.

“My little advise to every artistes is to focus on what the people feel about you and just give it to them, give it to them, give it to them because I rap in Twi and for people to play your songs outside Ghana is just because of the numbers I’ve and the people that believe in me.

“BET told me straight to my face that they gave me the award because of the attitude of my fans, they are very aggressive and they called the BET office to ask if Sarkodie is bring the award back home and that is how they care.” Sarkodie said at the AFRIMA event.