Music royalties in Ghana doesn’t work - T-Blaze

Hip-life musician T-Blaze of ‘Wusisi Yewuya’ fame has complained about how royalties are distributed among Ghanaian musicians, saying the collection system in the country is either biased or not effective at all.

Speaking in an interview with NewsOne, he expressed surprise that though he had several hit songs making waves in the country for years, he has never received a penny from any of the organizations in charge of collecting royalties for musicians. “I don’t get royalties in Ghana. I have never received any royalties in my life,” he stated.


In this interview, he speaks about how he started rapping at the age of 14 before going to Adisadel College and why he later paused his music career for seven years.


You went off the scene.


Yeah I know but I am back now. I went off for seven years. Thank God I am back now.


Were you quitting music?


I wasn’t. But I had to sort out some stuffs in my life and I wasn’t in Ghana. So it was really difficult to get real hip-life producers to produce my work.

What were you sorting out?


It’s nothing major. It’s just London wahallah and also it was really difficult combining work and music.


So you are fully back now?


Yeah. I am recording my comeback album and trying to win back all the fans I lost. I am actually done but I just have one more track to remix. But I have a new track on air called ‘Maa Chargi’. Those who follow my music are very excited about my comeback. Some of them now call me the hip-life Lazarus.


When was ‘Maa Chargi’ released?


Last week. It was inspired by a sexy actress I saw on TV. I don’t really know her name but she is very sexy.

Who is T-Blaze?


My real name is Richmond Ampratwum. I attended Achimota Primary and JSS before moving to Adisco, and then proceeded to College of North East London. I grew up in Achimota School because I was a boarder from class one to JSS 3. But I perfected my rap skills in Adisadel during my secondary school days and Dansoman, my hood.


How big were you before the break?


I had three albums in all to my credit and those were inspired by my fans at the time. ‘Wusisi Yewuya’, ‘Feeling No Ye Deep’, ‘Secretary’, ‘T Blaze Asan Aba’, ‘Enora’, ‘Obroni Petey’ and ‘Onyame Astampiso’ were some of my hit tracks.


Who do you look up to in music?


Jay-Z, Tupac, Reggie and Biggie.

What do you think about the music industry now?


Compared with back in the days, I think there is a lot of competition in the industry and it’s not bad.


What subject of concern in the industry is dear to your heart?


Royalties! I don’t get royalties in Ghana. I have never received any royalties in my life.


Have you tried to find out why?


It doesn’t work in Ghana.

What should be the ideal thing to do?


That one I am going to leave it for MUSIGA President Obour to answer.