Ghanaian reggae-dancehall artiste, Ras Kuuku, has defended the controversial practice of payola in the music industry, arguing that it should be viewed as appreciation for DJs and media personalities who invest their time and resources in promoting artistes.
The outspoken musician said critics of payola often fail to understand the close relationship between artistes and media practitioners, particularly the role DJs play in giving songs the exposure they need to succeed.
“Payola has been there from way back and it’s still there. People call it payola, but me sitting down, I’ve got to know that it’s a kind of appreciation,” Ras Kuuku said.
According to him, artistes naturally develop relationships with media personalities who support their careers and, therefore, may choose to show appreciation when they release new music.
“Every artiste has somebody in their industry with whom he or she loves. So definitely when you’re coming out with a song and then you take the person to play for you, even though he’s been paid over there, for your song to be played very well, at least you give the person something so that he can also enjoy what he’s coming to do,” he stated. (Read Streaming making GH musicians broke — Ras Kuuku)
Ras Kuuku’s comments have reignited the debate over payola, a practice critics have described as unfair because it can give financially stronger artistes an advantage in securing airplay. Supporters of the practice, however, argue that DJs and media personalities often spend their own time and resources promoting music and deserve some form of appreciation from artistes.
For Ras Kuuku, the practice is less about bribery and more about recognising the contribution of media practitioners to the success of an artiste’s work.
His comments are likely to fuel further debate about the often complex and informal relationship between Ghanaian musicians and the media, particularly the role of financial incentives in determining which songs receive airplay.
