Northern musicians deserve more national media attention – Sammy Rasta
Ghanaian film director and media personality Samuel Owusu Asare, popularly known as Sammy Rasta, has criticised the limited attention given to musicians from the Northern Region by mainstream media outlets in Ghana.
Speaking during a discussion on Power FM, he said it was about time media organisations, especially those in the southern part of the country, dedicated more airtime and coverage to entertainers from northern Ghana.
His comments follow the massive turnout recorded at Fancy Gadam and Rudeboy’s recent concert at the Aliu Mahama Sports Stadium in Tamale, which drew thousands of music fans from across the Northern Region and beyond. The concert further highlighted Tamale’s growing reputation as a major hub for entertainment events in Ghana.
“The musicians in the Northern Region are working [but] we are not giving them that same attention,” he said.
“The truth is that we are not being fair to them because most of the things we discuss about artistes, they are not the ones that ask us to talk about them. We pick from the internet,” he added.
Sammy Rasta stressed that the Ghanaian entertainment industry should not be made to appear Accra-centric.
“We shouldn’t make the industry one-sided and create the impression that until your event is held in Accra it wouldn’t be considered big. These guys are doing well for Ghanaian music so we should find time and discuss them. Even if possible, we should call them on phone and talk to them,” he further noted.
According to him, some musicians in northern Ghana are outperforming some of their counterparts in the south, despite receiving far less national visibility and media discussion.
Fancy Gadam’s recent concert with Nigerian singer Rudeboy has sparked conversations about the influence and commercial strength of artistes from the Northern Region. The event packed the Aliu Mahama Sports Stadium, with performances from several Ghanaian acts and DJs entertaining fans throughout the night.
Over the years, Fancy Gadam has consistently demonstrated his ability to pull huge crowds in Tamale. From his historic concerts with Sarkodie and Shatta Wale to his “Dream” album concert, the artiste has built a strong fan base and positioned Tamale as one of Ghana’s most active concert destinations.
Comments (0)