Bisa Kdei
Decades ago, a career in music was considered ‘useless’ in Ghana.
But things have changed, musicians are actually raking in monies that white-collar workers can’t even dream of.
Here’s how much top Ghanaian musicians charge per show.
Gasmilla – ¢100,000
When Gasmilla’s “Telemo” became a nationwide hit, he made sure people interested in booking him for gigs were ready by publicly announcing that he charges nothing less than ¢100,000. Around the same period, he signed a deal with Vodafone to headline their “Ye Twi Ko” campaign. Rumor has it that Gasmilla took ¢100,000 for that gig.
Ohemaa Mercy – ¢15,000
Ohemaa Mercy in a recent interview stated that she charges nothing less than ¢15,000 to perform.
D-Black – ¢10,000
Acclaimed businessman, D-Black will charge you nothing less than ¢10,000 to perform for your show. D-Black makes bulk of his money from gigs he organizes for himself and other entities like Ciroc, Joy Daddy etc.
EL -¢15,000
EL’s BBnZ team will not settle for anything below ¢15,000.
Pappy Kojo & Joey B – ¢10,000 (¢5,000 each)
Pappy Kojo and Joey B usually get booked together for gigs. This allows them to perform for longer periods, considering they individually have few songs. Pappy Kojo and Joey B charge a minimum of ¢5,000 per show.
Daddy Lumba – ¢80,000
Daddy Lumba doesn’t hold lots of shows in a year but when he does, he charges a whopping ¢100,000. Nothing less than ¢80,000.
Stonebwoy – ¢40,000
Stonebwoy recently shot up to fame and he’s already making it big in the industry. Stonebwoy charges a minimum of ¢40,000 per show.
Okyeame Kwame – ¢10,000
Okyeame Kwame has been in the music industry for over a decade. He’s one of the richest and his gigs are mostly directed at corporate audiences. Okyeame Kwame charges a minimum of ¢10,000 per show. Most of his money comes from his affiliation with big brands who he tends to organize events for.
R2Bees – ¢60,000
You barely see R2Bees perform at ‘regular’ shows because they charge a minimum of ¢60,000, sometimes up to ¢100,000, depending who the organizer is. R2Bees has strengthened its international gig game, making them highly sought after outside Ghana.
Amakye Dede – ¢50,000
Amakye Dede was once rumored to be the most expensive Ghanaian musician to book for a gig, a rumor he’s often refuted. Amakye Dede barely holds shows these days but when he decides to mount a stage, he will do it for nothing less than ¢50,000.
Shatta Wale – ¢20,000
Shatta Wale’s demand soared when his song “Dancehall King” became a nationwide hit. Shatta Wale charges ¢20,000 for local shows and between ¢40,000 and ¢100,000 for shows outside Ghana.
Guru – ¢8,000
Guru has been consistent since his breakthrough, it’s almost as if he scores a hit song or two every year. Guru charges a minimum of ¢8,000 for local shows and up to ¢30,000 for international gigs.
Keche – ¢10,000
During Keche’s speak, they were charging ¢10,000 to mount a stage.
Kwaw Kese – ¢10,000
The amount Kwaw Kese charges per show depends on the organizer and location. Kwaw Kese charges a ¢10,000 minimum fee for a local show and about ¢20,000 for shows outside the country.
Samini – ¢15,000
For over 10 years, Samini has been releasing hits and headlining shows all over the world. To book Samini for a gig, a minimum of ¢15,000 should be your budget.
Bisa Kdei – ¢10,000
Bisa Kdei is currently one of the chart-topping Ghanaian musicians and he will take a minimum of ¢10,000 and up to ¢30,000 to give you a taste of his highly popular songs.
Sarkodie – ¢100,000
Sarkodie has been rumored to be the highest-paid Ghanaian musician. He charges nothing less than ¢100,000 per show. This amount has been confirmed and indeed Sarkodie will not mount a stage if he’s not paid the said amount. Sarkodie, however, makes a bulk of his money from organizing and hosting his own shows.
Fuse ODG – ¢120,000
Booking Fuse ODG is complex since he’s signed to a mainstream record label in the UK, lots of information is required before a quote is issued, but according to our insiders close to Fuse ODG, he will charge nothing less £20,000 (¢120,000) to mount a stage, this amount can go up to £100,000 (¢600,000) depending on the organizer and the part of the world he’s performing at. I’m sure you now understand how he managed to buy a house worth $1 million in Ghana.
