Ghanaian musician, Okyeame Kwame
Ghanaian rap legend, Okyeame Kwame, has disclosed that when he began his music career in 1992, he originally went by the stage name ‘Wizkid’ before rebranding.
Speaking in an interview on UTV’s ‘U Cook’ show, aired on Sunday, March 16, 2025, the rapper shared the history behind his name change from ‘Wizkid’ to Okyeame Kwame.
He said the name ‘Wizkid’ was short-lived, as his producer at the time advised him to adopt a more traditional name that would resonate better with the Ghanaian audience.
“Back in 1992, I was known as Wizkid. Eventually, when we found a producer, he advised us that since rap wasn’t popular, we should consider adopting a more traditional name to associate with our music,” he revealed.
Okyeame Kwame further disclosed that during that era, rap music was not widely accepted in Ghana, making it difficult for him and his rap group, Akyeame, to gain support from investors.
He emphasised that it was only after meeting the former Deputy Minister of Tourism and Creative Arts, Mark Okraku Mantey, who was a producer at the time, that they began to receive the necessary support to push their craft forward.
“When we first ventured into music, rap was not well-received. At that time, no investors were willing to back the genre until we met Mark Okraku” Okyeame Kwame added.
However, the name ‘Wizkid’ is now associated with Nigerian Afrobeat superstar Ayodeji Balogun, who rose to fame years later Okyeame Kwame dropped the name.
When I started rap in the 90s, I was called Wizkid – Okyeame Kwame reveals
Cc: Empress Gifty#UCook #UTVGhana pic.twitter.com/cEApWsCxUJ
— UTV Ghana (@utvghana) March 16, 2025
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