Singer and rapper Edem has opened up about some of the stereotypes and challenges he faced as an Ewe artiste after gaining mainstream success around 2009 following the release of his first album.
Speaking in an interview with Headless YouTuber, Edem disclosed that despite his success, he constantly encountered obstacles and subtle discrimination linked to his ethnic background.
When asked whether he still faced stereotypes and hindrances, the rapper said the challenges never really stopped.
“As for the obstacles, they are unending,” he said, explaining that people often expected him to change aspects of his music because of language preferences.
He disclosed that some people encouraged him to include more Twi in his songs despite him not being fluent in the language.
“You just have a group of people call you and be like, ‘Charlie, make sure you put more Twi in it.’ I can’t speak the Twi… I also feel like you don’t tell people who rap in Twi to speak Ewe,” he said.
Edem also recalled an incident during the 2009 Ghana Music Awards season when he received eight nominations but still faced comments suggesting his ethnicity should count against him.
“I think Billy said, ‘How can we be here for an Ewe to come and win all the awards?’ So there are very subtle things that people say,” he recounted.
According to him, some of the comments came publicly on television and radio, while others happened behind closed doors.
He added that some promoters avoided booking him for events in some places, while endorsement deals sometimes undervalued him despite his status at the time.
The rapper claimed some agencies even attempted to reduce his worth by comparing him to other artistes and offering him less.
Despite the experiences, Edem said he remained focused and determined, adding that he handled the challenges with patience and grace.
“But we navigate them diligently, graciously,” he said.
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