TEMA: The Creative Capitol

Tema, the port city on Ghana’s coast, is widely known as the creative capitol of Ghana. A good friend of mine compared it the West Side of Chicago, and this is a fairly accurate analogy. While the West Side of Chicago produced artist such as Kanye West, Twista, and Saba, Tema has produced artists such as Sarkodie, Kwesi Arthur, and NFL King Grandy.

So there really isn’t a better way to start the Ghana Music Project other than in Ghana’s creative capitol. Many big name artists come from Tema and even more underground artists and producers live in Tema today. It is a breeding ground for underground artists. Just in our neighborhood alone, there are more music studios than fitness centers.

While the Ghana Music Project primarily focuses on engaging with traditional music, we have thought very carefully about an important question, “Who do we want to inspire and serve through this project?” The answer came down to a very relatable demographic of people, urban youth. This means that the Ghana Music Project meets at the intersection of urban youth culture and traditional culture.

In order to get a sense of urban youth culture in Ghana, the Ghana Music Project will continue to make, create, and investigate the creative Capitol of Ghana until the New Year. We expect to record music, meet more artists, and asses the possibility of building our own studio in Tema, to produce music and serve as an educational opportunity for youth.

In the meantime, stay tuned to the Ghana Music Project on instagram and twitter @ghanamusicproject. We have also made a playlist called “Tema Boy,” to give you a taste of the music that comes from Tema.