Ghanaian rapper Thorsten Owusu Gyimah, popularly known as Yaw Tog, has opened up on the challenges of being an independent artiste in the music industry.
Speaking in an interview on 3Music on October 9, 2025, Yaw Tog stated that while he enjoys the freedom that comes with being independent, it also comes with significant pressure and responsibility.
“For me I like to be independent and I also like to go into deals, not 360 deals but partnership deals. It has been a great journey since I wanted to be an independent artiste” he said.
He continued, “I think being independent is calm but the pressure is too much. You have to have your team and control everybody to make sure everything is set. With labels, they run everything for you and sometimes, you don’t even get to know what they are doing and that’s the bad side of it.”
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When asked how the journey has been so far, Yaw Tog admitted it hasn’t been easy, especially since he has to personally finance all his music projects.
“It has been a crazy journey, it’s not easy to be an independent artiste. You have to raise everything by yourself; the capital, budget and everything” he stated.
Yaw Tog also advised young and upcoming artistes to use their popularity as a tool to generate income to sustain their careers.
“When you’re an independent artiste and you have hit songs, try as much as possible to play shows and do a whole lot to fund your project. That’s what I’ve been doing. I’m never home, I’m always out trying to get the bag” he added.
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Meanwhile, catch the highlights of Sarkodie x Shatta Wale’s epic performance at Rapperholic Homecoming on GhanaWeb TV below:
