Stop giving foreign musicians freebies - NAM1 to media
The State must set stringent criteria for event organizers - NAM1
Embattled businessman, Nana Appiah Mensah, popularly known as NAM1 has listed strategies the Ghanaian media and promoters need to employ to ensure that local artistes are given leverage over foreigners who are gradually taking over the acts industry.
NAM1 is the latest to comment on the ongoing 'war' between Ghana and Nigerian over music promotion.
In other to see the growth of Ghanaian music and ensure that local artistes dominate, "there must be a deliberate policy with an affirmative action on music business, especially music imports on several fronts, as it is with most commodities imports globally," this is according to NAM1.
In a statement sighted by GhanaWeb, the CEO of Zylofon Media noted that it is time for his country to do away with the tag of being the most "hospitable" nation and concentrate on domestication.
He has therefore made a passionate appeal to all industry players.
"In Ghana, for example, the media/promoters must raise their promotional rate cards a bit for all foreign products and that very much includes foreign music, the mass media, both traditional and new media, must rethink the almost promotional freebies in the name of establishing contacts, getting eyeballs or listeners and the very locally "defective" Ghanaian hospitality. The State must set a quiet high and stringent criteria for event organizers hiring and granting permits for external artistes who wish to perform at domestic events, ensure a little bit more tax standards for foreign performing artistes within its jurisdiction."
NAM1 has worked with top artistes in Ghana. His label signed the likes of Stonebwoy, Shatta Wale, Becca who left after the collapse of his Menzgold Company Limited.
The likes of Kumi Guitar, Joyce Blessing, Obibini, Tiisha and Akiyana are currently with the Zylofon Media.
Read the full statement below:
CEO of Zylofob Media, Nana Appiah Mensah