Ghanaian rapper and songwriter Sarkodie, in a recent interview with Kojo Manuel on Y 107.9 FM’s “Dryve of Your Lyfe” recounted his humble beginnings in the music industry and his rise to the enviable fame he currently enjoys.
Sarkodie reflected on his first album, “Makye” which he described as a way to prove himself after being an underground artiste for so long.
According to Sarkodie, “Makye” came across as a representation of his hustle and determination to succeed in the music industry. He revealed that the album was recorded in just a week or two, and it contained hits like “Baby,” “Push,” “Yaweh,” and “Borga”. For Sarkodie, the album was his introduction to the professional music world, and he was proud to have made a big impact on the radio with it.
“Makye, my first album was me trying to prove a point after being an underground for a very long time. I think I’m one of the few artistes who was known but was still not out. I never had a single and then when I go to shows people really knew me from the streets,” he said.
Surprisingly despite his talent, Sarkodie didn’t have a single at the time as he shared that his recognition came from freestyles and covers of beats. With “Makye”, he aimed to change that and cement his status as a professional artist.
“I just had to cement that whole hustle with having a professional studio album. So it was more of trying to prove a point after this long tag that has been in me as an underground artiste still raping and freestyles and then always doing covers of beats. So ‘Makye’ was like me about to enter the profession itself.”
Sarkodie also gave credit to Jayso, who played a significant role in the creation of “Makye”. “So that was the era where I met Jayso and the whole project was done within a week or two. It was that hunger to prove a point and have a big record on the radio at the time.”
Since the release of his debut album, “Makye” in 2009, Sarkodie has gone on to produce eight stunning albums including the likes of “Sarkology”, “Rapperholic”, “Highest” and “No Pressure” with his latest, “Jamz” buzzing up the continent.
By: Jude Tackie
