Apple Music is celebrating Ghana’s 65th independence anniversary with a month-long campaign which also seeks to honour Ghana’s bustling new wave of artists and the impact they are having on a global scale.
Named after the minibus public transport system that acts as a carrier for conversation, culture and connection, Trotro Vibes celebrates the sound of the street, featuring sounds from Ghana’s new school—and it’s your roadmap to the country’s most dynamic emerging artists.
The campaign will feature prominent Ghanaian artists like rapper Yaw Tog, who is spearheading the Asakaa Drill movement, singer-songwriter Gyakie who is fusing Afrobeats and Afropop to fashion a sound all of her own and Amaarae who is at the forefront of the Alte and Afro-fusion scene.
The Troto Vibes collection includes 14 exclusively curated playlists by Yaw Tog, Gyakie, Amaarae, King Promise, Black Sherif, Kiddblack, Kwesi Arthur, Jay Bahd, E.L, O’Kenneth, Darkovibes, Kwaku DMC, Cina Soul and Moliy.
It will also house Artist Essentials, Top Albums, Essential Albums, Ghana Video Hits, Naija Risers, and Africa Now Radio hosted by LootLove. There will also be a genre spotlight on Afrobeats and Afro-Pop, Hip Hop/Drill, Highlife and Hiplife, Afro-fusion and Gospel, as well as a focus on the campaign’s flagship playlist, Trotro Vibes, featuring only the best of Ghana’s exciting new school sound, and a takeover by superstar rapper Sarkodie of the Ghana Bounce playlist.
“Survival is the first freedom. We Africans are defiant of boundaries and so is our music. To celebrate this year’s Independence, here’s a playlist for Apple Music of my favourite tunes from Ghana.”
– Yaw Tog
“My Apple Music playlist includes songs that took Ghana and the world by storm. A personal favourite and a blend of the Ghanaian sound.”
– Gyakie
“From the roots of warm psychedelic highlife grooves to the new age of sexy synth-heavy rhythms, my playlist is celebrating today, championing the sounds that made us and the ones pushing the conversation forward.”
– Amaarae
“These songs for my Apple Music playlist are a solid definition of authentic Ghanaian sound. From highlife, rap and Afrobeats, the Ghanaian influence transcends through these sounds gracefully. Happy Ghanaian Independence Day My People – 5 star.”
– King Promise
“Africa is beautifully inspiring, dynamic, energetic and captivating. My Apple Music playlist includes some of the sounds I am currently vibing to, mixed with records that also inspire me.”
– Black Sherif
“The songs on my Apple Music playlist are from talented artists whom I believe represent the new wave of Ghanaian music. It’s amazing.”
– Kiddblack
“My Apple Music playlist tells the diversity and fluidity of Ghanaian music. Music is evolving and so is Ghanaian music.”
– Kwesi Arthur
“We exist in exciting times now, as the world is now opening up its ear to the beauty that is African music. Glad to be a part of this new movement. Asakaa to the world and beyond! I made an Apple Music playlist of some of my favourite Ghanian songs at the moment and I’m really excited to share with you.”
– Jay Bahd
“This Apple Music playlist is a collection of hip hop, Afrobeats and even R&B music from the award-winning Ghanaian artists that have influenced a generation of listeners and continues to shape the culture whilst encouraging artists to free themselves of the status quo.”
– E.L
“I love the beauty of Africa and I love my country Ghana so much. Happy Independence Day to the country that has opened her arms to receive my art with all of her heart. I have created a playlist for Apple Music of some of the sounds from Ghana that clearly illustrates the beauty of our art as Africans. Hope you enjoy it!”
– O’Kenneth
“My Apple Music playlist includes a few of the songs that I personally feel have changed the sound of Ghanaian music. There are so many talented acts in Ghana, and I believe these songs and artists have created more awareness of what we are doing here in Ghana as well as the potential that we have to offer the world. Much love to all of the artists that have come before and laid the foundation for Ghanaian music as we know it today. May we all continue to take our music and culture to higher levels.”
– Darkovibes
“This playlist for Apple Music includes songs by me, my label mates, artists I like, and budding young Drill artists in Kumasi. These are songs that introduced the world to Asaaka. I start off the playlist with ‘Off-white Flow’ as a tribute to my mentor the late Virgil Abloh.”
– Kwaku DMC
Stream Trotro vibes playlist here: https://music.apple.com/gh/playlist/trotro-vibes/pl.7fcffa94d2df499fa54183e7f4ef67b4
