Flowking Stone: You can’t survive on royalties in Ghana

The former member of the music duo Bradez, Flowking Stone has said that it is not possible for an artiste to solely depend on royalties in Ghana.

Sharing his thoughts in an interview on Asaase Radio’s Between Hours with Naa Ashorkor on Monday (17 January), he said: “I had to go to GAMRO office [Ghana Music Rights Organisation] when I wasn’t receiving any royalties for my music. They explained to me that they are trying to build the structure up, so we should manage the little they give us.”

“In Ghana you can’t survive on royalties,” the sensational hip-life rapper stressed.

Touching on a variety of issues facing the music industry, Kwaku Nsia Boama – his private name – said: “Even though we get a lot of money when we play shows, if you don’t have someone who pays for your production, the money you make from shows will go back in promotion of the song and making videos.”

Flowking Stone went solo when his brother (one half of the group Bradez) fell ill and has over the years produced a lot of hit songs like Barima Ne Hwan, Best Rapper Africa BRA, Bye, Hands Up, No Snakes, Ogyegye Me, Oseikrom Anthem.

Unity in the industry

Flowking Stone said that artistes need to come together to promote the industry.

“One thing we don’t realise is that we are human beings, we are brothers and sisters so we will fight at some point, but when we fight it should be amongst us and after the fight we are supposed to patch up and move. But what I’ve realised is that when it brings separation the media like to spark the dispute, so in all we really have a long way to go,” he said.

UK market

The native of Kumasi disclosed that he is hoping to release his UK album for the UK market anytime soon.

According to him, his visit to the UK was to spend time with his wife and children and took advantage of the lockdown to work on the yet-to-be released album.

“I have done a couple of collaborations with a lot of big stars in the UK, but that is not the main reason I was in the UK. I was in the UK because I wanted to spend time with my family, and perform my duties to my family,” Flowking Stone said.

Winifred Lartey

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