Asakaa rapper Reggie Osei has revealed that he faced complaints from members of the public, including his family, who believed he had associated himself with a gang because of the people he spent time with and the image portrayed in their music.

The rapper said some people contacted his mother to express concern about his association with people they described as drug addicts, although he maintained that his friends were good people whose character was different from the image portrayed in their music.

Speaking in an interview on The Delay Show, Reggie said the concerns arose because people often interpreted the group's lyrics and music videos as a reflection of their personal lives.

“I received complaints from many people, including my family, who thought I had associated myself with a gang,” he said.

According to him, some people called his mother to complain that he was associating with drug addicts and others they considered bad company.

Reggie, however, defended his friends, describing them as good people with good hearts, and argued that the themes explored in their music should not be used to judge their personal lives.

“What we say in our music is different from our real life. We say what is on the street; it doesn't represent us,” he explained.

The rapper also denied smoking in his personal life, saying any smoking scenes involving him in music videos were part of his performance rather than a reflection of his lifestyle.

“I never smoked. I only do it for the videos, like acting. But in real life, I don't smoke. That's not my thing,” he said.

Reggie maintained that his involvement in Asakaa music had not changed the person he was before gaining recognition in the music industry.

“I'm still the good boy people knew,” he added.

His comments highlight the tension between the street-oriented themes associated with Ghana's Asakaa drill movement and the personal lives of the artistes behind the music.

AM