Sarkodie is a veteran so far as African rap is anxious. That standing comes with sure privileges that artists of a special stature may not have the ability to expertise of their full measure, certainly one of them is the freedom of whole and full inventive freedom. At this time stage of his profession, Sarkodie will not be sure by expectations, formulation, or the necessity to create music that caters to markets or tedious stipulations outlined by main labels or traders.
The Ghanaian star has finished all of it, from 30-track albums to rap-focused EPs, strings of bar-heavy freestyles, and far more. JAMZ is the Tema native’s eighth studio album. “The identify explains itself, it’s jams.” Sarkodie tells OkayAfrica. “I began taking some journeys, happening holidays again to again with the household and the workforce, and I used to be impressed by simply taking day without work to only get pleasure from life and these are the kind of data I might wish to hearken to once I’m on such journeys and simply having enjoyable. In order that’s what impressed the entire undertaking.”
Sarkodie’s albums are identified for being laden with various sounds with rap on the core, however this time round he had a special mission. He describes the JAMZ album as a “playlist.” It’s the sort of music you’ll be able to sit back and chill out to whereas on trip or out or an evening of spirited partying—songs you’ll be able to vibe to and revel in. Nevertheless, though that was the general end result of the undertaking, it wasn’t essentially the plan when he began making the album.
“I don’t essentially attempt to set the tone for a undertaking once I’m about to report one,” he defined. “For different folks it’d work, however for me it doesn’t. The album has to create itself. Subconsciously the music simply retains coming, and earlier than it I notice oh that’s a undertaking. It’s not likely one thing I deliberate, it simply occurred. And largely my music comes within the sure state that I’m in. That’s what dictates the kind of sounds that I am going for. In order that’s how the undertaking was shaped.”
Sarkodie.Picture: Samuel Mironko
On JAMZ, Sarkodie labored together with his producers MOGBeatz,GuiltyBeatz, DJ Coublon, Atown TSB, and Masterkraft behind the boards to convey the album to life. Talking on his inventive course of whereas engaged on the undertaking, Sark illustrated how he went about making the songs on JAMZ utilizing the album’s lead single “Labadi” as a case examine.
“I like how Labadi took place. Coublon despatched me the beat and I didn’t even write something again to him as a result of I used to be so moved by the beat and I began writing. So I bought misplaced in it and I wrote the primary verse ‘All my stunning girls we may hyperlink up.’ I prefer to hearken to producers and know the place they have been and what they have been pondering once they produced the beat, as a result of that helps me and I feel it’s very religious. As a result of they might be in an area and generally I wanna faucet into that. If it’s too off I can do one thing else, however it’s at all times proper to faucet in with the producers and know the place they have been once they produced it. So I hit him again and I used to be like ‘What have been you feeling once you have been producing this?’ He was like boat rides, ‘seaside vibe, all-white get together,’ and I used to be like ‘Wow, that’s loopy.’ As a result of that’s actually what I wrote. I actually wrote boat rides, all these issues. So I used to be like that’s very religious. In order that music may be very private to me. That’s why it was the primary single, as a result of I believed in it a lot.”
One other standout monitor on the album is the music titled “One Million Cedis,” through which he featured a comparatively unknown Nigerian singer referred to as Ink Boy. Talking on the music, he explains how he noticed the rising expertise and the way the collaboration got here to life.
“Ink Boy is a celebrity within the making. On factor about me is, I’m actually concerning the music. I’m not concerning the gimmicks and the traits and clout chasing and all these issues. I don’t try this. So whoever sang the music, wherever you’re from, for those who swimsuit the music and I like what you probably did, that’s what I’m gonna go for. I used to be in Nigeria and I had a pair artists and producers within the constructing. Rexxie, Masterkraft, Joeboy, unbelievable artists, Phyno, everyone was there.”
Sarkodie – Labadi feat. King Promise (Official Video)www.youtube.com
“We created ‘One Million Cedis,’ and this child was simply within the nook making melodies. I used to be like ‘yo lemme hear that,’ and he got here nearer and I liked it. I used to be like put this on. He wasn’t even positive that I used to be gonna do it, and I used to be like I like the way in which your vocals are and the melodies you’re going for, let me hear how that may sound on it. Even Masterkraft was asking if I used to be positive, as a result of he is aware of I may name on anyone that I wish to get on the report. However I used to be like ‘nah, that is precisely what I need.’ Additionally, that may go to be certainly one of my greatest data [on the album] as effectively. It made me rap how I wish to rap at this level of my profession, it’s very calm, darkish, however nonetheless very industrial. So Ink Boy is any person I simply met. He got here with the Nigerian comic Father. He was with him and I noticed him, and I do know he’s gonna go far.”
As as to whether the sort of music you hear on JAMZ is what his inventive route goes to be like for the foreseeable future, Sarkodie prefers to depart that to destiny.
“It’s onerous to inform. I’ve by no means been that sort of individual that tries to power one thing to occur. We have now construction so far as enterprise is anxious, sure. You must be particular and you must be calculated on stuff you wanna do. However I want the inventive aspect to be as natural as attainable or I’m not gonna really feel proper inside me. If I say ‘that is what I’m attempting to do’ it by no means actually works for me. There are a pair data that I did that on
and as dope because the data have been, as a result of my spirit was not behind it the songs didn’t do what we thought it may do.”
“However something I do organically works. So I’m not gonna say that is gonna be what you’re gonna hear, but when I am going again to hearken to all my initiatives I observed one factor. I get drained, fatigue is the phrase I exploit. I get fatigued on a sure sound if I overdo it. This undertaking, since I’ve finished lots of afrobeats, amapiano, chill vibes I do know I’m gonna be drained. I should refresh my thoughts so I can come again. It’s undoubtedly gonna be one thing completely different. I don’t know what it’s gonna be, hip-hop, highlife, no matter however it’s gonna change. Undoubtedly.”
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