Identify: With ‘Son Of Jacob’, Kwesi Arthur Is Aiming For The Next Level
"I want my people to be good."
Ghana’s music industry is experiencing its golden age. In recent years, the West African country has become a stronghold of the continent’s buzzing music scene, spurring a talented spate of artists including Gyakie, Stonebwoy, Shatta Wale and more. Ghana’s new-gen artists have also fiercely carved a lane for themselves in the over-saturated Afropop scene, giving us a diverse palette of sounds, from swoon-worthy feeling of Highlife to the gritty sound of Drill.
Enter, Kwesi Arthur, one of Ghana’s most vital stars and one of very few artists able to take on this monumental task. Since 2017—when his debut single “Grind Day” marked him as a star—Arthur has been musically fine-tuning a unique blend of Afrobeats, Hip-Hop, and R&B. In his hands, anything—a mumble, a hum, spoken-word—becomes the perfect avenue for his particular brand of genre-lessness. A song like his Afropop hit “Celebrate” is upbeat and carefree; on “Don’t Keep Me Waiting,” his vocals carry the highlife ballad; then with “Winning” he turns into a merciless drill rapper. And his music is as multi-territorial as it is multi-dimensional. In 2018, just a year after dropping his first single, his regional fame quickly turned into international recognition when he was nominated for the Viewer’s Choice Best International Act at the BET Awards.
But what makes him especially formidable is that his musical ascent is nothing short of what he calls “miraculous.” Taking his dream from the harbour town of Tema, where he was born and raised, to audiences thousands of miles away was never in the cards for him. His candid lyrics offer a poignant and dynamic exploration of his journey and what it means to be young and defiant of your circumstances. It’s spiritual music, he says, and something he dubs “ghetto gospel.”
Now, five years into the game, he’s got something to prove and his long-awaited debut album, ‘Son of Jacob’, is his testimony of the journey so far. We all know Ghanaian music is due for its crowning moment, Kwesi Arthur believes he’s the chosen one.
Our conversation, which follows below, has been lightly condensed and edited for clarity.
NATIVE: What was it like growing up in Tema?
KWESI: Growing up in Tema was really fun even when we didn’t have much. The sense of community always feels like family. You have different people from everywhere coming together. In Ghana tribes and ethnic groups matter so much, but in Tema there weren’t those boundaries.
How did you know that music was the path for you?
KWESI: Writing poetry was always something I enjoyed. Then Thank Me Later by Drake, came out and that kind of changed my life. Because listening to that, how Drake spoke from his perspective, how he put his words together, it made me think, “Maybe I can do this too and tell my story.” From there, I decided to write a verse, when I went to school, I rapped it for my classmates. They were like, “Yo, where did you steal these bars from?” That was my light bulb moment. I thought, if they believe I stole this verse, there must be something there.
Ghana’s music scene is having an incredible moment right now and it’s bringing a lot of different sounds and stars to the world on a level that we haven’t seen before. What do you think is Kwesi Arthur’s role in this movement?
KWESI: I feel like the internet opened the gate for us. Right now, there’s nothing like gatekeepers anymore. Now we all finally have the chance to just make good music and keep it going. When I was growing up, I looked around and I felt like there was this gap where nobody really talked for the youth in Ghana. It was usually about love or parties, but never about us. I think I represent the culture as we know it, from our perspective. That’s the role I want my voice to play.
As you said, the internet plays a big role in this movement African music is finally having. Is the idea of trendiness and virality something you consider when you’re making music?
KWESI: In terms of the creative process, we do what we do because it feels good. I’m not even on the internet like that, but I keep it in the back of my mind because that boosts the audience and that means my message reaches more people. We take all that into consideration, not when we’re making the music, but afterwards in the rollout, promotion and everything. And chale, we’re from Tema, so we got the hustling spirit in us.
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Let’s talk about ‘Son of Jacob’. Fans have been waiting on this album for a couple of years now. Why the delay? And what made you realise that the album was complete at last?
KWESI: So, Covid happened and we couldn’t do a lot of things. Another thing that came into play was losing my grandma. I feel like all those things shaped what the album is. If I didn’t lose her, I wouldn’t have a song like “Silver Spoon” on there. So I feel like the delay too helped with making it what it was meant to be. We ended up taking some of the songs off and adding new ones because we had the time to edit. I feel like it’s all God’s engineering. There’s nothing like perfect timing, but everything will fall in place at the right time. And that’s how everything played out with the album.
What have you learned about yourself while making this album?
KWESI: Through the process [of making the album], I understood the fact that I’m only human. I’m a complex being, it will take a while to understand myself, and I need to give myself the chance to venture out, make mistakes and grow, and not let people’s perceptions of me hold me back. I also learned that I can have fun with my music. Like on the song “Animal,” I was really playing around when I wrote it. For a while, I wasn’t really doing that, being playful on a song. This album should have been out 2020, then 2021. Because it took so long I got to have fun with it.
Could you explain the title of your project and what it means to you?
KWESI: The name came to me on my first EP, where the first bar I opened with [on “Ade Akye”] was, “Son of Jacob/Thank God/Wake up.” In my culture a lot of the practices are connected to the ancient Israelites in the Bible [of whom Jacob is the patriarch]. So the title is spiritual for me. Son of Jacob is deeper than just me, it’s about all of us belonging to something. If you listen, you will understand.
Sonically you’re very versatile, is this album going to sound like the Kwesi Arthur we know or are you giving us something new?
KWESI: I don’t like being boxed in. I’m an artist and at first, I wasn’t allowing myself to be that because I was stuck on, “Oh, but I’m a rapper.” But bro, I was in the choir in school and I was singing in my uncle’s church! That side of me was always there but I wasn’t really paying attention to it. So, I’m comfortable not boxing myself in a category. However I feel like expressing something, that’s the way I will express it. When people listen to the album, my convictions, challenges, insecurities, imperfections, everything is on there. They’ll understand that this is the ghetto gospel.
What’s your favourite part of the album?
KWESI: My grandma’s skit. That was one of the last things we did before she passed away. She was the head of the family, she changed everything for us. It felt important to honour her, my matriarch.
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How do you hope people receive your debut album?
KWESI: I hope it connects with people and they take away something special from the music. I want the melodies, the words, just everything to resonate with people listening. Some of the songs on there are therapeutic for me and maybe they can be for someone else too. If everyone gets their own personal experience from it, then it’s done what it was supposed to do.
After an album like this, that’s been so anticipated, how do you approach making the next project?
KWESI: I’ve already started making the next project. This is the thing with me: it never stops.
From growing up in Tema to finally presenting your debut album, your circumstances have changed so much in the past years. Have you also changed as a person in response to that?
KWESI: I’m growing. I’m learning more about myself. Yeah, I fuck up. I try to do good things, but I fuck up also. Chale, I’m not perfect but I strive to be better every day.
What does success look like? What is the bigger picture that you’re aiming for?
KWESI: The bigger picture is taking my culture to the top. Making it go places it’s never been. As Africans, we got a story to tell. The world hasn’t heard us like that, but now they’re tuning in. There are so many sides of the story that still need to be heard, our perspective is needed. I’m also trying to build an empire, I want my people to be good. So the people after us have something they can depend on, something that can last for generations. Way after we’re gone, it will be there.
Listen to ‘Son Of Jacob’ here.
Featured image credits/NATIVE
IDENTIFY: WURLD KEEPS GETTING BETTER AND BETTER
Tems Partners With Hennessy For Leading Vibe Initiative
Launching in Lagos, Nigeria, this event pioneered by Tems marks the beginning of a continent-wide movement to...
In July, Tems announced the Leading Vibe Initiative (LVI) to support women in music and the creative space on their journey to make a mark in their fields and create space for other women in those industries. Born from Tems’ journey as a self-taught artist with a focus on driving change, the initiative offers training, mentorship, industry access, and community for women in music in Africa.
After a rigorous selection process for its inaugural cohort, Hennessy will join the two-time Grammy Award-winning star to celebrate the launch of the Leading Vibe (LVI) Initiative in Lagos, Nigeria. Held from August 8 to 9, 2025, the two-day event is the beginning of a bold new chapter in Hennessy’s long-standing commitment to music and culture in Africa.
“I’m excited to partner with Hennessy in bringing this initiative to life, supporting talented young women in music as they find their voices, embrace their power, and shape the future of the industry across Africa and beyond,” Tems said about the partnership.
The Leading Vibe Initiative aims to champion the next generation of female artists, producers, songwriters, and music professionals, increasing representation within all areas of music across the continent and beyond.
With Hennessy as lead partner, this ambitious program kicks off with an immersive event in Lagos featuring curated workshops, networking moments, and panel discussions led by top-tier talent from across the global and African music industries.
“Her vision, talent, and purpose align deeply with Hennessy’s legacy of championing those who push boundaries and redefine the world around them. We’re honored to support the Leading Vibe Initiative and to continue empowering African communities and cultures,” said Vincent Montalescot, Hennessy Global Chief Marketing Officer.
Hennessy’s partnership with Tems builds on the brand’s decades-long history of supporting music and artistic expression globally and on the continent. From Hip-Hop to Afrobeats, Hennessy continues to stand beside the artists and communities that shape culture.
In Africa, the Maison has deepened its commitment through meaningful initiatives like In the Paint and now, with the Leading Vibe Initiative, is taking a focused step toward amplifying women’s voices in music. With the Lagos launch as a powerful first step, the Leading Vibe Initiative will expand across Africa and globally, creating a cross-continental network of empowered women ready to shape the future of African music.
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True Clrs Want People To Dance
True Clrs, a travelling party series launched by Adeola Kofoworade and Menab Tesfu, aims to bring the dance...
One of the more pressing topics of discussion amongst party-goers today is the curious question of why people don’t dance at gatherings anymore. While partying, theoretically, includes other activities like talking to strangers, getting drinks, and conducting business, it is primarily geared towards dancing and living in the moment.
These days, however, there seems to be more emphasis on these other activities than actual partying. People are doom scrolling on the dancefloor or are more occupied with trying to take the perfect selfie. Enter: True Clrs, a travelling party series launched by Adeola Kofoworade and Menab Tesfu that aims to bring the dance back to the parties by centering on the richness of African sound and the communities that love it.
“We found that there were a lot of parties in Dallas that had cultures that didn’t encourage dancing or interaction between customers,” Kofoworade tells The NATIVE about the inspiration for True Clrs over a Google Meet conversation in July. “Seeing how parties were being thrown in L.A., New York and other places in Europe, we thought to bring that idea here to Texas.”
Since its inception in 2023, True Clrs has hosted over 15 editions of its travelling party series across cities in the United States. In addition to a dedicated real-life following that engages with their series, they have also cultivated a robust online presence thanks to their meticulous branding and active CRLS YouTube page that features various thrilling DJ sets.
Ahead of the latest Houston edition of True Clrs, which featured ODUMODUBLVCK and Sarz headlining the Global Sounds Stage and others like Native SOUND SYSTEM’s DJ Sholz, Lowkey Ade, and Khulumars on DJ duties, we caught up with Adeola Kofoworade to discuss how they’ve managed to position True Clrs as the go-to party series in Texas, what makes them unique, and what their long-term plans are.
What inspired True Clrs?
We originally started True Clrs about two years ago because we noticed that there was a space in Dallas that we could infiltrate. We found that there were a lot of parties in Dallas that had cultures that didn’t encourage dancing or interaction between customers. That’s something pretty notable down here in the South. In clubs, there are a lot of sections and no big dance floors, so people are stuck in their sections without really interacting with other people. Seeing how parties were being thrown in L.A., New York and other places in Europe, we thought to bring that idea here to Texas. At first, we started with Afrobeats and Amapiano-centred parties, but then we started branching out to other genres as well.
How have you been able to position True Clrs as one of the go-to diaspora-focused party series in the U.S, especially in Texas?
We try to be innovative. We always try to make every event better than the last one. So if you came to one of our events the previous month, we try to switch things up and make sure you have a better experience the next time you come. We do this by booking notable DJs from around the country and even around the world. We also started booking a lot more talents. Last year, we had Lancey Foux; we had Sholz, who brought ODUMODUBLVCK; and we also had Skyla Tyla. This year, we’re looking to do more of that so we can always give our audience a notable experience.
How do you balance catering to the African diaspora with appealing to a broader audience that might be unfamiliar with the music and experience?
There are a couple of ways we try to do this. First, since we have monthly events, we try to switch between different genres and vibes. So let’s say, one month we have an Afrobeats and Amapiano party, the next month we could switch to this concept that we call the R&B rave. In the R&B rave, we basically play all types of R&B music, whether it’s old, contemporary or alternative, and we curate a rave-like setting.
We also run this concept where we have like two or three stages playing different genres. We could have one stage playing Amapiano, the other R&B and the other more global sounds. I guess it just depends on the venue we use. But we’re able to offer different experiences even at the same party.
Are there any other unique elements that set the True Clrs experience apart from other nightlife events?
One of our main appeals is recording DJ content. I know DJ content has become saturated recently, but what separates us is that a lot of our content is very genuine. It’s not made up or staged. We get real-time reactions from people. A lot of the time, people don’t even know they’re being filmed. Our content makes us notable, and it’s helped push our brand forward.
Since you began True Clrs, how have you been able to cultivate a strong online presence as well as a thriving community in real life?
With our online presence, it’s really been our content that has helped put us out there. We’ve had a couple of reels or YouTube sets go viral, and that’s definitely helped our online presence. Also, just being the kind of people we are, we take our time when it comes to branding True Clrs. We get a lot of feedback from people regarding our content, and we take it into account moving forward. For our real-life community, my partner and I had already been heavily involved in the entertainment space and the African community here before we began True Clrs. So we got a lot of support when we first started, and we’ve just kept building from there.
What’s the long-term vision for True Clrs? Are there any plans to expand into other U.S. cities or even international markets?
Definitely. Last year, we had our first international event in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. My partner was up there for a holiday, and we decided to throw an event there. In the future, we do plan to expand to other countries, whether in Africa or Europe. With our connections with talents like Lancey Foux, Skyla Tyla, we’re also looking to see if we can put together festivals. That’s what’s on the horizon for True Colors.
What would you say to someone who’s never been to a True Clrs party? What should they expect, and why should they come?
Our goal is community curation through music. So what I would tell someone who’s never been to a True Clrs party is they should come with an open mind. They should trust our DJs because they might hear songs they’ve never heard before and still be able to have a good time. Also, while we don’t force people to interact, we encourage people to interact and dance while listening to good DJs.
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Best New Music: Tiwa Savage and Skepta Are Stuck In A Loop On “On The Low”
After over a decade helming some of the most romantic cuts in Afropop, Tiwa Savage’s dalliance with R&B is...
There are only a few artists in Afropop with the range, longevity, and lustre that Tiwa Savage has. Since she emerged on the Nigerian music scene in 2011, Ms. Savage has set an inimitable standard in terms of platforming the point of view of women at the pinnacle of Afropop, working to show that women are multi-dimensional and layered, capable of going through the motions of joy, angst, distress, and optimism just as much as the next person. By unapologetically leaning into the very minutiae of what makes her tick as a woman, she’s become a fan favourite and an undisputed legend of the genre.
Impressively, she’s done this while making great strides sonically. From the throbbing afropop of ‘Once Upon A Time’ to the swaggering house-inflected triumph of ‘R.E.D,’ and the dense polyrhythmic structure of ‘Celia,’ Tiwa Savage has continued to tincture her R&B-adjacent sound with influences from home and abroad. It is an accurate reflection of Tiwa Savage as a person: grounded by her Lagos heritage but shaped by global influences. For the last six months, she has been talking up her forthcoming fourth album, describing it as a full-throttle return to the R&B sound that was her stock in trade before she returned to Nigeria in 2011 to establish herself as an Afropop powerhouse.
In April, she released the emotive “You4Me,” clearly establishing the direction for her new album, ‘This One Is Personal.’ Produced by Mystro Sugar, “You4Me” put a fresh spin on Tamia’s ’90s classic “So Into You” with percussion work by Magicsticks adding a decidedly Afropop sheen to the song. Upping the ante, Tiwa Savage returned with “On The Low,” a delightful sung-rap bop featuring British-Nigerian rapper, Skepta. Like “You4Me” before it, “On The Low” is steeped in R&B tradition, finding Tiwa Savage pining after a love that feels like a taboo or forbidden pleasure. Produced by Rymez and Mystro, it is a surefire pointer that Tiwa Savage wasn’t joking when she said ‘This One Is Personal’ had overt R&B influences.
After over a decade helming some of the most romantic cuts in Afropop, Tiwa Savage’s dalliance with R&B is helping to propel her artistry to new heights. Just as the soundtrack for ‘Water & Garri,’ her debut as a filmmaker, pared down universal emotions like longing, desire, and anxiety into digestible bits on standouts like “I Need You,” “Lost Time,” “Love O,” her latest song chronicles the intangibles of a romance that’s quite not out in the open. “I know you want to link on the low / We have to stay discreet, you don’t know,” she sweetly intones on the song’s hook, clearly obfuscating the true status of the relationship but revealing just enough to let her listeners know that the dynamic of this relationship is not the usual.
It’s a premise that is established from the opening lines of the song when Skepta breezily starts with an offer to travel, presumably after being unavailable for a while. “Yeah, I’m off tour, we should celebrate / Dedicate some time for you, baby, it’s a date,” he says. It sets off a sequence where Tiwa Savage admits to being annoyed by the complexities of this relationship.
Still, there’s something about the thrills of these tenuous romances that keeps one tethered to them, and Tiwa Savage manages to capture the dilemma of the situation when she sings, “Boy, you make me stressed, you don’t know / Then you send me sweet texts on the low.” Her measured delivery and tonal inflections lend an air of believability to the story that would be inaccessible in lesser hands.
It helps that even as she revisits her R&B origins, the singer still maintains a strong connection to the sonic references that made her an Afropop juggernaut. There is seriously impressive percussion across “On The Low” with enough Yoruba ad-libs sprinkled across to remind any doubters that this is a Nigerian star paying homage to an elemental part of her evolution without losing touch with her roots. It sets the stage for This One Is Personal’ perfectly.
Listen to “On The Low” here.
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