Ghanaian Rapper KooKusi’s “This Ability” Project Redefines Disability Through Art, Music, and the Story of Basketball Star Clock Amoako
Disability is not inability — and a new multidisciplinary music project by Ghanaian-American artist and researcher KooKusi is making that message loud and clear.
Titled “This Ability”, the four-track body of work blends hip-hop, choral music, spoken word, and documentary visuals to challenge the stigma around physical disability in Ghana and beyond. At the heart of it is the true story of Emmanuel “Clock” Ekow Amoako, a celebrated Ghanaian basketball player, coach, and entrepreneur living with anisomelia, a limb length discrepancy.
Rather than framing Clock’s journey as one of overcoming disability, KooKusi flips the narrative, spotlighting disability as a source of unique strength and resilience — a “different ability” rather than a limitation.
“This Ability is about reframing how we see people who live with disability — not as objects of pity or ‘inspiration’, but as fully capable individuals whose stories carry deep lessons for all of us,” said KooKusi.
Known for merging science, mental health advocacy, and art, KooKusi (real name Nana Kofi Kusi-Boadum) takes a bold step with this latest release — his third solo project — by centering another person’s lived experience while weaving in his own struggles with self-doubt.
The project features Clock’s actual voice from a Full Circl interview with Reginald Amaah, grounding the work in real testimony. It also includes poetic and sonic contributions from Li Diaw, Felix Adusei, Michael Adjaloo, and Notse, with production by Rdeebeatz, Christoven, and Epidemix.
Each of the four tracks is accompanied by a music video, produced as part of a docuseries co-directed by KooKusi alongside filmmakers Baffour Kyem, Victor Morgan, Dilys MaxVoy, and the Take it to the Max crew.
The result is not just an album, but a full audiovisual campaign aimed at normalizing disability visibility and dismantling cultural stereotypes that continue to marginalize those with physical differences.
A New Form of Disability Storytelling
Clock’s life is a powerful counter-narrative to a society that often equates physical ability with value. Despite facing discrimination and doubt, he has won championships, founded sports teams, built the Clockwork brand, and mentored many — proving that excellence knows no physical standard.
“Clock didn’t just ‘overcome’ his condition — he redefined what was possible within it. That’s the story I wanted to tell,” KooKusi shared.
The project’s title, “This Ability”, is a purposeful play on words — a call to view ability as something redefined by context, perseverance, and attitude.
An Intersection of Art and Advocacy
KooKusi, who is also a neuroscience researcher and science communicator, has carved a niche for blending public health messaging with music. His previous work explored mental health issues such as fear, addiction, and inferiority complex within African communities.
With “This Ability”, he turns his lens to disability inclusion, a topic often left out of mainstream artistic conversation in Ghana.
“In many African communities, disability is still shrouded in silence and shame. This project uses art to break that silence and give people new language to talk about ability and difference,” KooKusi explained.
Looking Forward
Released on all major streaming platforms, “This Ability” is more than a music drop — it is a movement, a re-education tool, and a celebration of human adaptability.
As Clock’s story gains wider attention — through both the music project and Dilys MaxVoy’s companion documentary “13:12 – Make the Clock Work” — KooKusi hopes more artists and educators will join the cause of disability advocacy through storytelling.
“There’s strength in every so-called shortcoming. Sometimes, what people call a weakness is just a different version of power,” he concluded.
