Following his breakthrough COLORS performance this year, drawing co-signs from Cardi B, rising Ghanian superstar Kwesi Arthur releases his sleek, slow burning new track “Baajo” ft. Afropop sensation Joeboy – the first taster from his highly- anticipated new project, coming soon.
“Baajo” emerges as a bright Afropop heater, the upbeat melody and bouncy chorus forming a perfect bed for Kwesi’s lithe vocals and Joeboy’s lush raps. A significant marker in Kwesi’s already notable catalogue, it’s a timely statement of intent underlining the breakout star’s natural crossover ability.
Speaking on the track, Kwesi states:
“It’s influenced by my experience as a child in community 5, Tema in Ghana. Spending time in my mother’s kiosk with the radio blasting on Christmas Day was a memory of fun, sun and being surrounded by family. I wanted to capture that puppy love feeling of crushing on my neighbour’s cousin who only came to visit during the Christmas holidays. When Yung D3MZ first played the beat from I heard a JoeBoy verse even before I recorded mine.”
In a short time, the 25 year-old has already solidified his position as one of Africa’s premiere rap talents, collaborating with heavyweights incl. Mr. Eazi, Shatta Wale and Sarkodie, becoming one of Ghana’s major new generation voices on an international level in the process. His nomination for Best International Act at the 2018 BET Awards and last year becoming only the 2nd ever Ghanaian rapper invited to the BET Hip Hop Awards Cypher led to a breakthrough COLORS performance, enlightening European audiences who weren’t already aware – Kwesi had already sold out shows in London and New York before the pandemic.
Straddling the fence between hardcore, traditional raps and catchy Afropop melodies, Kwesi develops a unique sound in his immersion of the two genres and worlds. Undoubtedly one of the nation’s brightest prospects, Kwesi seems earmarked for international relevance.
