Highlife musician Kwabena Kwabena has dismissed the existence of record labels in Ghana, insisting that none truly functions as one.

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During an interview on Joy FM’s Showbiz A-Z, the musician was asked by host Kwame Dadzie whether he would consider signing with a local label. His response was met with surprise.

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“Is there a record label here in Ghana?” he asked rhetorically before bursting into laughter. When notable labels such as Lynx Entertainment, Highly Spiritual, and Rufftown Records were mentioned, Kwabena Kwabena remained unconvinced.

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“No, no, no. I’m sorry, there’s no record label in Ghana,” he insisted.

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Despite the work of these labels in scouting and nurturing talents like MzVee, Kuami Eugene, KiDi, Kurl Songx, Mr Drew, Ebony, and Wendy Shay, the industry has yet to produce a label capable of catapulting Ghanaian artists to global superstardom.

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Ghana’s biggest international award winners, such as Sarkodie (two BET awards), Samini (MOBO award), and Shatta Wale (six IRAWMA trophies), have achieved their success largely as independent artists. Others, like Stonebwoy (Burniton Music Group and Def Jam), Black Sherif (RBA and EMPIRE), King Promise (Legacy Life Entertainment and Sony), and KiDi (Lynx Entertainment and EMPIRE), operate under a mix of local and international management.

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Kwabena Kwabena’s remarks have reignited discussions on whether Ghana’s music industry has the structures needed to support artists on a global scale.

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