Kwesi Arthur Opens Up on Struggles Ahead of Redemption Valley Album Release

Ghanaian musician Kwesi Arthur has shared a deeper part of his journey in the music industry ahead of the release of his “Redemption Valley” album.

In a revealing interview with Apple Music, Kwesi Arthur shared what motivated him to start music in Ghana and how he came to the realisation that music was much bigger than something he enjoyed. He explained that American rapper Drake influenced his perspective on music.

” I think at one point I heard Drake’s ‘Thank Me Later’ and that whole Young Money uprising at a certain point inspired me. Before then I was scribbling down poetry and all that. But that kind of inspired me to write raps. I realized even before then I had uncles who had 2Pac and Notorious B.I.G. CDs. I’ll pop them in and I didn’t really understand it. I gravitated more towards like our local Ghanaian music and like the Bob Marley’s and stuff. I think when I heard ‘Thank Me Later’, it kind of like just opened up my mind to a whole new space, a whole new interest to rap music”, he said.

Kwesi Arthur also shared some struggles he faced in finding himself and his confidence, and in reconnecting with his passion, as well as the difficulties he faced when he moved to Atlanta, Georgia, in the US to start life all over.

” Redemption Valley’ is just me coming back to myself. I believe I had this spark within myself, but over time, I started looking outside of me for it, you know, with confidence. I feel like my confidence came from within myself, but as time went on, I started looking for it outside of me”, he explained.

The Ghanaian musician added that his partner had a huge influence on the “Redemption Valley” album, making the album a very personal one for him.

By: Janice Opoku-Agyemang