Koo Kumi speaks words
One aspect of poetry that is taking roots and gradually being accepted in the country lately is spoken word.
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The growing phenomenon abounds with talent and one of such talents is William Du Bois Kumi Yaw Sakyi.
With the stage name of Koo Kumi, he has been actively writing and performing his poems for the past four years. He is a versatile artist who believes in using words and images to send his messages across.
The third year student of the Ghana Institute of Journalism is out with another campaign dubbed the Trotro Vibes. The Trotro Vibes, according to him, is a collaboration between Tyba Poetry and Worldwide Reader.
Worldwide Reader is a mobile app and an online library with over 4000 books on it and the aim is to inculcate the habit of reading among Ghanaian youth through the digital app.
The campaign is to be undertaken in various buses across the country by way of poetry accompanied by acoustic singers to touch on social issues and particularly to encourage people to read more.
‘My team is made up of two poets, that’s myself and Nana Yirenkyi and the acoustic musicians rotate. We have Nene Narh and Enid and we sometimes have Wanlov the Kubolor of FOKN Bois also passes through sometimes”, Koo Kumi said in an interview with Showbiz on Tuesday.
On the success he has chalked and challenges he has faced so far in his career, he mentioned that it has been very challenging financially.
‘Financially, it has been very challenging for me and other poets. I had to spend about GHc70-100 anytime I had a show in Accra since I live in the Eastern Region and the shows are in Accra”.
He further stated that it was difficult to get people to patronise their events because of lack of awareness but that did not deter him.
“ I also had people looking down on me and saying not very nice things about my art and style but I didn’t give up”.
The journey has however not been all gloomy because he has chalked some success in his few years in the industry.
Together with his team member, Nana Yirenkyi, they were awarded the first National Teen Slam Award organised at the National Theatre in 2013.
According to the talented poet, his Trotro Vibes campaign has received tremendous endorsement from the general public as well as the international community with BBC featuring it on its website in January this year.
Koo Kumi who is in his early 20s is a native of Mampong Akuapem in the Eastern region of Ghana and the first of four children.