Why Kojo Antwi’s ‘tattoo’ failed?

There has been a lot of wonder and ponder over the latest release of Ghana’s maestro in music, Kojo Antwi. What a lot of Kojo’s fans and Ghanaians have been asking is, how come the ‘Tattoo’ album failed to leave a tattoo on their minds? The ‘musicman’ is known for hit albums but this one doesn’t seem to be one of them.

‘Tattoo’ is arguably one of the best albums Kojo Antwi has ever released. Any musically sophisticated person who listens to the album will no doubt agree that it’s one of the best things that ever happened to music in Ghana.

All 12 tracks on the album were carefully composed, accurately arranged and painstakingly produced. The sophistication of the album accounts for its unpopularity among the masses of Ghanaians who are only concerned with the usual easy-to-sing-along type of Kojo Antwi songs.

The other factor is radio DJs and their inability to tell a good song from a bad one. Payola may be a sub-factor in this but why on earth should a radio presenter expect money from Kojo Antwi before playing Tattoo?

Kojo’s unbeatable quality and excellence transcends the career of any radio DJ on air today.

Most DJs on radio these days do not have a sense of good quality music. Terrible songs are forced down the throats of listeners just because the DJ has been given a few bucks to play them.

The reason why very few radio DJs play Tattoo is that very few of them know and appreciate good quality music.

Although the tattoo album is a far cry from the usual Kojo Antwi style and pattern we know, it doesn’t take anything away from his great musicianship.

Kojo only tried to challenge himself with the help of master keyboardist, Kwame Yeboah, but it seems he leaped far ahead of his fans and Ghanaians in general.

It may take Ghana ten more years to catch up with the Kojo Antwi album they found difficult to understand and appreciate.