Rapper Sarkodie has warned that inadequate creative infrastructure outside Accra is forcing talented people from other parts of Ghana, particularly Kumasi, to relocate to the capital in search of opportunities.
He said the situation was undermining the growth of the creative industry and preventing communities from benefiting fully from the economic opportunities generated by music and other creative ventures.
Speaking during a media tour ahead of Rapperholic Kumasi 2026, scheduled for Saturday, October 24, at the Baba Yara Sports Stadium, the rapper called for greater investment in facilities and systems that would enable creatives to develop their careers without leaving their home regions.
Sarkodie argued that Ghana was failing to maximise the economic potential of its creative industry by concentrating opportunities in a few locations rather than building an environment where talent could thrive nationwide.
“I think we’re just overlooking the potential of what we can make out of the creative industry, and we are rather shipping it out,” he said.
He identified the concentration of creative opportunities in Accra as a major challenge for artists and other industry players based in Kumasi.
“We are not keeping the Kumasi talent here because of the infrastructure we built,” he said. “So now they feel like they have to be in Accra.”
According to the rapper, developing the creative industry requires deliberate investment in infrastructure and a broader understanding of its contribution to economic growth.
He urged individuals and institutions capable of supporting the sector to look beyond music as entertainment and recognise its potential to generate revenue, create jobs and attract wider participation.
“If there’s any creative industry people coming to you guys for support or coming to be part of the industry, don’t see it as, ‘Oh, it’s just music,’ and go for it,” he said.
“There is a lot happening in there that will urge everybody to be a part of.”
Local audiences, limited earnings
Sarkodie also highlighted the difficulty Ghanaian artists face in converting their popularity among local audiences into meaningful financial returns.
He suggested that the industry needed systems capable of turning music consumption into sustainable income for artists, stressing that a strong audience alone was not enough to guarantee commercial success.
His comments point to the need for a more supportive creative ecosystem in which artists can build businesses, earn from their work and access opportunities without necessarily moving to Accra or seeking careers abroad.
Rapperholic returns to Kumasi
Sarkodie’s remarks come as his flagship Rapperholic concert returns to Kumasi for the second consecutive year.
The concert, traditionally associated with Accra during the December festive season, provides an opportunity to expand the brand’s presence in the Ashanti Regional capital.
Beyond the concert itself, the rapper’s comments have drawn attention to the wider challenge of decentralising Ghana’s creative economy and ensuring that investment in the sector benefits talented people and communities across the country.
He believes that stronger infrastructure and greater institutional support could help unlock the industry’s economic potential while giving creatives outside Accra a better chance to build sustainable careers in their own regions.
