Kelvynboy has reacted to Deputy Minister for Tourism, Arts and Culture, Mark Okraku-Mantey's statement that he [Kelvynboy] does not have a music identity.
The deputy minister said this in a Hitz FM interview in 2018 when he was the President of the Creative Arts Council.
Nana Romeo, host of Accra 100.5 FM’s midmorning programme Ayekoo Ayekoo, broached the conversation when Kelvynboy stopped by the programme, on Wednesday, March 27, 2024.
“Right now, as we speak, that comment does not make sense to me,” Kelvynboy said.
“If you go back to really listen to my songs, I have an identity. Listen to 'Yawa No Dey'. It’s the Amponsah [Highlife] rhythm. Listen to 'Mea', 'Down Flat' – it’s Kwaw, it’s Highlife,” he challenged.
The serial hitmaker said: “Talk is easy so they like to talk.”
He noted some individuals are avowedly anti-progress in the music industry.
“It’s not the DJs, presenters, bloggers, nor the artiste. We are all supporting. The artistes are also doing their best but our people like to talk [against all our efforts],” the singer-songwriter bemoaned.
He said one of such people is “Okraku-Mantey”.
“My song 'Down Flat' is Highlife/Afrobeats, so, I don’t know what identity exactly he wants me to get,” he added.
Responding to Okraku-Mantey’s criticism that he sounds different on every beat, Kelvynboy proudly said: “It’s because I’m versatile. It’s supposed to be a good thing.”
“What has OkrakuMantey done for the music industry?” he quizzed.
Kelvynboy jubilated that unlike the days past when radio executives – Okraku-Mantey once held such an office at Hitz FM – were controlling the industry and determining the success of songs and artistes, now, thanks to the “phones” and “Gen Z,” the power is in the ordinary people’s hands.
“Now, you can’t force anybody and assert your opinion as supreme,” Kelvynboy declared.
'On My Way' is the latest from the Ghanaian music star.