Ghanaian artiste, Sarkodie has shared his thought process behind his decision to stay independent.
He spoke to Antoine Mensah on Route919, Live 91.9 FM‘s Drive Time show Tuesday about why unlike many of his colleague African artistes including Stonebwoy, he has decided not to sign deals with international record labels.
The ‘Glory‘ act confirmed there have been conversations, some ongoing about a possible deal with these labels.
Read below excerpts of Sarkodie’s answers.
“It’s a decision you need to make… the best deal that i could have is if i can have a distribution deal, that would be perfect. Most of them want a bit of control, there is a lot that you need to give away so you can gain the recognition that you are looking for, which sometimes i feel because I’ve been independent for a long time it is very hard for me to let go of my catalog so if there is going to be someone taking over my stuff… if you are an independent artiste, your state of mind is different… they will give you millions of dollars, and tell you ‘give me your catalog.’
At the time when you are getting the money, it feels good. People don’t know that actually artistes after some deals are not even able to perform their songs. People don’t know that artistes sometimes don’t own their name. So all these things are what i’m taking about. Systematically, they want to control so they will give you the bag of money, take your product, you will be hyped, you have the mansion you are staying in, you do whatever then everybody will be clapping but then again the long term thing of having generations to come so my kid can just do a Sarkodie merch and not have to clear rights from anybody.
I’ve had conversations, uhm, I still have it, until something that really makes sense to me that has to be ‘you are taking a percentage off the work you are doing and not full rights. I’ve tried partnership on… i don’t want to tell you which project i did but one of my albums partnership, i sensed these things coming and it happened so i had to go back to my senses and listen to my instincts because i tried it because i was talked into it and exactly what i was trying to prevent is what is happening. people will be coming with some breakdowns: we did this, we have to take this, all of these things, I’ve not experienced it all my life”.
Source: Livefm Ghana.
