Music of Sunday, 7 September 2008

Source: ghanamusic.com

I will be a Ga artiste till I die, stresses Tinny

Nii Addo Quaynor, who is known in showbiz as ‘Aletse Tinny’ has categorically stated that he would continue to compose his songs in his mother tongue - the Ga language. Watch video: Kaa Bu Ame by Tinny


In an interview with The Statesman yesterday at his residence, Tinny stressed, “My current album “Kaa Bu Ame”, is doing very well in the market, and I am not surprised at all because that piece was really the result of hard work”.


His knack at making Ga (a local language he usually sings and raps in), coupled with his  distinct style and rhyming songs, have made him very popular across Africa won the respect of the native Ga speaking people.


He compared Ghanaian and Nigerian songs and said most of the Ghanaian songs are sung in the local languages. On the issue of managing artistes, he lamented, “You don’t find people here who are ready to manage or promote musicians and so at the end of the day you find an artiste promoting and managing his or her song, which to me is very challenging”.


As to whether he intended shifting his lyrics into the English into the English language, Tiny retorted, “No. I will be a Ga artiste till I die, because I really express myself better   in the Ga language than any other language; and that does not mean I can’t speak English.”


To sexy Tinny, paying of ‘payola’ (money allegedly paid to DJs before they play one’s song on air) is not right because he believes in hard work “If you do a good job, I don’t think there will be the need for paying ‘payola’”.


Touching on his collaboration with Ja Rule, Tinny stressed that the single album was ready but it was on Maddhaus’ label and said since he was no more with them, he could not tell when and where they would be releasing it.


In a more relaxed mood and with a smile, he said, “I find the music industry interesting”, in response to a question posed to him by this paper.