RECOGNISE CREATIVITY ---- why Bra Kevin Beats was dropped from the GMA's

It's past 9pm and i'm listening to some really good gospel music, “Mokobe” by Nii Okai. Then it dawned on me how much creativity, maturity and longevity has been misunderstood in our music industry to a point that you need to be “mature” or to have “lived long” in our music industry before you are recognized.

First, “Creativity is the process of bringing something new into being...creativity requires passion and commitment. Out of the creative act is born symbols and myths.”…Rollo May

I can say these symbols though literal can be said to mean new names, new hits, new trends, basically the art of creativity redefines a lot of things when freely expressed. When kuborlor started with his “smallest time” many thought it wouldn’t work,but guess what his name is known by almost everybody now. If he had not been focused, I’m certain he would be walking and eating kenkey in front of papaye at 2am with his “dorlor” dangling in front of him.

Talk of maturity with regards to creativity is a little messed up but I will try to break it down because right now I can hear “but for your mercy” by Cwasi Oteng blasting my ears. Anyway, maturity in music isn’t reference to age or to how long you have been in the industry. I strongly believe when you talk maturity you refer to how “musically grown” an artiste or a creative person has become. Am sure you have heard a statement like “raw talent” before. Lots of artistes and creative people have a good grip on what their talent bothers on, but to maximize its output they must undergo certain things pertaining to their chosen fields to become exceptional.

“Longevity” I would say is how long you have been able to use your talent in a constant flow from one display to the other without breaking the chain.

So now that we have understood these 3 per my attempts at defining them. Let’s look at the way creativity is recognized in Ghana. I must admit it’s not easy living and knowing that people perceive you a creative person and thus you must constantly improve on your creative skill.

I may sound boring, but I decided to write this when I saw a comment on Facebook. It made reference to the reason why Kevin Beats video “3 headed beasts” was dropped by the GMA.

The reason “so BRA KEVINSs THREE HEADED BEAST video was dropped because it was not released commercially. GMA.....” 

Then further down I saw “the very reason he was dropped was to give him a little time, he would have grown on Ghanaians beyond Accra by next year. Some elderly members at the committee 2 thought giving him an award now might not be healthy for his career this year, but he will be very ready by next year. Just like IWAN was not awarded last year but is in contention this year which he will take hands down lol…so please look on the bright side even though it's painful. You know what awards can do to people's career, the bad outweighs the good”

So is it that a first timer can’t be recognized for any creative job? And what is this talk of  “released commercially”, are we serious? 

It’s just disheartening when we do not learn from the past; many times an artiste has swept the GMA’s under very suspicious circumstances. And am sure it’s because of issues like this, because you eventually realize you shouldn’t have disqualified the artiste but rather let them contest, thus the awards become more of  “making up”. And in any case we should know that how consistently creative a person is shouldn’t be why they are being recognized but they are being recognized because at that material time they have given “one hell of an output” (be it music or video). We should stop waiting to see people “mature” or Stay “long” in the game before we give them props. I really don’t care if Bra Kevin wins an award or Nana Asihene wins an award. I just think we should recognize people as and when they bring out creativity. Reality is that some people would not be consistent because creativity is a different ball game. Sometimes you go blank. So please Ghana music awards give better reasons for pushing some songs and videos to the “Baya”. The industry can get better if we are fair to each creative individual. Like some1 predicted “Iwan go sweep awards”. If it does happen, then I am sure I will predict who will sweep next year. 

I need to change my playlist, so I will say brb and may God bless every1 I mentioned in this write up.

BY: Badek Sandema/pinnaclegh.com