Following his hit single “ANADWO” which featured Black Sherif and Kimilist, and recent release “Adwuma,” Kwame Yesu has been garnering attention for his unique style and energetic performances. In this exclusive interview, he opens up about his inspirations, the creative process behind “Adwuma,” his experience with ColorsxStudios, and his hopes for the future. Get ready to dive into the world of Kwame Yesu as he shares his story and insights.
Let’s dive into the interview and learn more about his aspirations, goals
1. Who is Kwame yesu?
Kwame Yesu is Rebo Tribe’s forerunner with his alter ego Astro Nyame(born Raymond Kyere), is a recording/performing artist from Akwetema (Alpha Bolondi) best known for his hit single ANADWO. Kwame Yesu is a fun loving guy, who loves music and is happy to be doing at it as a profession.
2. What was the inspiration behind your song “Adwuma”? Can you share the story or experience that influenced the lyrics?
The idea of the song was birth from events that transpired on a faithful night on our way to a show. We got stopped an harassed by the police, stereotyped as hoodlums due to our looks and dread hairstyle. This event triggered conversations amongst me and friends for rest of journey and by the time we got to our destination in Tema I had come up with the melody for the hook and some line. A couple of days later i met up with new found collaborator Robin Rozay a Ghanaian- German based producer for a recording session and we built on the melody and hook before we knew the song fully fleshed out.
3. The music video for “Adwuma” has garnered a lot of attention for its street vibes and captivating visuals. What was the creative process like in bringing the concept to life?
Was really great working with my bro Amanor Blac on Adwuma visuals. I mean we’ve been working for quite some time now and also a member of the Rebo Tribe so the chemistry was just there. We just had to brainstorm ideas to come up with something authentic and finally we all settled on going in this direction for the visuals.
4. You recently had the opportunity to be featured on ColorsxStudios, a platform known for highlighting exceptional musical talents. How has that experience impacted your career and exposure?
That was a moment for my team and I, as an emerging artist it’s pleasing to know your efforts and talents are recognized in this over saturated business we in. The opportunity was a good look and we got introduced to a whole new demo, whom I believe are now Big Ye fans haha.
I appreciate the ColorsxStudios platform for sharing my music with their community and looking forward to perform on their platform soon.
5. How do you approach the process of merging these influences to create your unique sound?
Growing up I was exposed to a variety of music on daily basis, with my sister playing heavy reggae every morning, dad putting on highlife and more traditional sounds and not forgetting my big brother introducing me to hiphop; found lil Wayne and I become addicted to rap music. I believe subconsciously being exposed to so many sounds at an early makes me approach my music in a unique and not be bound to one style or genre. Even though on basic level I’m a rapper cos yeah I love to rap and freaking good at it haha but on the other hand I love to experiment in the booth, try new sounds, new flows and melodies which makes it hard to box me in one genre.
6. “Adwuma” speaks to the theme of hustle and determination. How do you hope your music resonates with listeners who can relate to the challenges of pursuing their dreams?
Fela said music is spiritual and he never lied. More often than not I make music for myself based on how I feel and the emotions the beats triggers but the beautiful thing about music is you might think you are the only going through whatsoever it is at that point in your life but the music goes out into the world and you start getting so many feedback on how people see themselves in your music and how it motivated them or gets them through a period in their life. And Adwuma is no different tagged “the hustlers anthem” by many the song with its energetic production is bound fuel your drive to push on with whatever your dream is to keep going till you attain it.
7. Can you share any memorable moments or challenges you faced during the production of “Adwuma” or while filming the music video?
The recording of the song was quite effortless and an enjoyable one got introduced to the producer of Adwuma Robin Rozay by a friend and associate Ghanaian Stallion producer of well known songs “First and Second sermon” as well as “Anadwo”.
Adwuma was I think the second song we recorded after we locked in. I already had an idea for the song before meeting up, so I shared the idea with him and gave an acapella of the hook then he begun creating the beats from scratch and built on then rest of the lyrics and beats as we progressed and in an about an hour the song was fully fleshed out. It’s was one of my favorite sessions and we got other bangers made in that session too trust me hahaha.
8. What do you want listeners and viewers to take away from “Adwuma” and its accompanying music video?
My music is art and art cannot be explained, one thing can be so many different things for different people so I’ll urge everyone to go listen to music, watch the video and however it’s makes you feel that’s what it is to you. With all that being said the underlying message is to go hard on whatever you’re doing don’t give up, it’ll pay off soon.
9. How do you feel your music reflects the spirit and culture of Ghana, and what do you hope to contribute to the Ghanaian music scene?
I’m a proud ghanain and every/anything I say in my songs are mostly real life happenings in the community I find myself in. I hope to contribute my genuinity to the ghana music space and also my hardwork and dedication
10. What can fans expect from you in the future? Are there any upcoming projects or collaborations you’re excited about?
Working on so many things I cannot speak too early on at the moment but my fans can expect nothing less than great music and visuals from me, maybe an ep this year and lookout for me on couple of major shows.