Over a decade into his career,  Joey B, one of Ghana’s most innovative artists, does not seem to be slowing down. Constantly pushing the boundary with his music, fashion, and overall lifestyle, Joey continues to reinvent himself  while simultaneously propelling Ghanaian pop culture forward. Two projects, ‘Darryl’ and ‘Lava Feels,’ and multiple hits down the line, Joey’s ability to push the needle and remain unboxed have solidified him as an icon. 

His admiration for Ghana’s music heritage and appreciation of Cash Cobain’s sexy drill sound have jointly inspired his new sonic direction. With the release of “Princess,” “Suzzy Williams,” “Akorfa,” and “Yaa Brefi,” Joey was building up to the release of his third project,  ‘Sexy Highlife.’

Speaking to  Native Mag, Joey B describes the project as something he made not only to promote Highlife but also to encourage others to create without hesitation. Not only experimenting with Highlife but also stretching to Zouk, Sexy Drill, and Kompa, ‘Sexy Highlife’ finds Joey at his exploratory best. 

This interview has been edited for clarity. 

What was the vision coming into this era of Joey B?

I do not believe in being boxed in, playing into the industry, or seeking approval from it. I wanted to experiment as always, and “Princess” was not something people were making. The song did not have a chorus. It was just 28 bars of rap, but it felt like there was a chorus in there because of how I rapped. I am rebellious with the music I make, and I wanted to make music I enjoyed myself, which birthed “Princess” and ‘Sexy Highlife.’

Did the sampling or work you did on “Cigarette” and “Otoolege” have any added influence on your decision to pursue this new direction? 

The two of them did shape my journey to ‘Sexy Highlife.’ I remember the first week “Otoolege” dropped, I kept seeing crazy comments about the song, with people bashing me. Then “Cigarette” was a bit different, but they taught me not to stop, especially with “Otoolege.” It gave me the boost to keep experimenting. People may not like it, but they will eventually catch on.

This is the second project you are doing with Rain Labs, what makes this partnership different from any  you have had over the course of your career?

There have been different people who have approached, but because I have had history with them with ‘Lava Feels,’ they are good with what they do. They do so well with artists who are pushing boundaries. Trebla pushed me to make the project because he had so much belief in the vision, especially when he heard “Princess.”

‘Sexy Highlife’ is a celebration of Highlife, why did you settle on highlife and not some other genre?

Ghanaian music has something special, and we track that all the way to Palmwine, Highlife itself. I feel we should champion Highlife, and even when we experiment, we need to tie it back to our Highlife roots. Even with the Kompa beat, I added a Ghanaian feel. I feel Highlife is a passport for me because when I go out there, they can trace my sound back to Ghana through Highlife. Juls, Guilty Beatz, DJ Breezy, and R2bees are some of the people who are pushing the sound as much as I am now.

“Montecarlo” and “Exopa” are different from the other records on the project. How do you tie those two into the overall concept of Sexy Highlife?

The two are meant to be like a bridge into the project. It is why there is an interlude before you get into the project proper. “Montecarlo” and “Exopa” start the project so you can settle into how sexy I intended the project to feel, and to also appreciate where I am coming from sonically.

​Odunsi and Bosom are long-time collaborators of yours, and then you have Bisa. What influenced your decision to settle on these three for this project?

I have never been someone who goes for clout. The people I featured are very original and pioneers of movements. Odunsi, for one, is a champion of Alté music and someone whose art I appreciate a lot. Bisa Kdei is someone I am a huge fan of and have always wanted to make a song with. He is one of the people who have been pushing Highlife from his songwriting to production, and then there is Bosom P-Yung, a great artist I felt more people needed to know. Working with these guys meant more to me than what I was making.

You have always tied imagery and lifestyle to your music. How important is the intersection of these three to you as a creative?

I am sorry, but I judge a book by its cover. I have a theory that, as an artist, you need to have an image that matches the sound. When I had ‘Darryl,’ I had my cowboy look for some time. Unfortunately, ‘Lava Feels’ was during COVID, so there wasn’t much to show. With ‘Sexy Highlife,’ there is a look that goes with it. To me, it is cultural that you get the intersection. I play by culture with music, fashion, and art. Culture outlives charts, and when you push the culture, it lasts longer.

Does the reception of the project validate the vision you had going into the creation of this project?

I have had countless messages about the project. One of the messages was about how the person appreciates how I play on nostalgia and how very Ghanaian the album feels. You do not know who is watching, listening, or being inspired by what you do. Where I am right now as a creative, I am just creating what I enjoy and how I feel, and some people have got the essence of what I created, and I appreciate that.