SHLIMING FROM OSU TO THE WORLD
It is very important to not just me, but us young acts as a whole to learn about the business aspect of our music. Globally, the music space is worth billions and there is enough to go around.
The year is 2017, My friends and myself have passed by the various stands and locations at the Chalewote Festival. Currently we are at the YOYO TINz shrine where some of the nation’s newest, youngest talents are showcasing their art through music and other performance arts. Unfortunately, a friend is called and we have to leave, moments later, a young man mounts the stage and delivers a thrilling performance that one of Accra’s biggest radio stations posts it on their Twitter platform.
Years on, in 2021 he will begin to gain major attention for the works he has been putting in since his days in high school.
I have had a number of encounters with Prince Tetteh known in showbiz circles as Marince Omario, born and bred in a traditional Ga home in Odorkor official Town. From an early age in primary school, he would join other young rappers and singers from neighboring places like Darkuman, Fadama and Lapaz to meet and battle it out. Fast forward to his days in St. Thomas Acquinas where he formed the collective Asquared with his friends Badax, LastBorn and DJ Wanzam. He looks back to the days he used to work Kweku Billz who helped him record his first demo on Asem’s Last Song instrumental and tells himself that he was born to make music. Unlike many of his peers, Marince has always been intentional about pursuing a career in the arts.
Despite having a lot stints between 2012 to 2017 such as rapping at various high school events like Roll Kall, Sprite ball, vac with the stars and many other events, He had to wait till 2017 to drop his first official single. Prior to that, during his stints in SHS, he and the collective Asquared really put in a lot work to build their careers. He mentioned that there was a lot to learn and gain with working with the other guys, even those that weren’t really a part of the collective. Guys like Freddie Gambini does most of their artworks, with Joker making his space available to the guys for recording.
Personally, I believe in unity and addition more than Subtraction. I also really loved how some of the other guys went about their art. Someone like Badax used to do spoken word and I really loved it so much. I talked to him about joining forces and numbers so that we could learn from each other and we could all benefit from the overall love for the collective. Also, I believe art influences or inspires art. Thus, we could all learn a thing or two from the next man. For example, I learnt singing from some of the boys like Mufasa when we used to meet and record together in the studio. So, looking at the pros and cons that came with being in a collective, it made sense that we formed Asquared.
Being a creative in this space we find ourselves in can be very difficult and stressful. Not everyone is able to navigate through the space properly. However for Marince, although there were times when it felt like nothing was working, surrounding himself with the right people really made things very easier for him. They provided him with the right energy and motivation to keep pushing.
On surrounding himself with the right people, Marince touched on the importance of getting people with the right mentality. It does not have be your friends or complete strangers. You just need to get people that understand what they are about and know how to navigate the space.
I worked with people prior to 2017 and things didn’t work out the way the I thought it would. So going into 2017,18, I decided to talk to people around and then see if we could work out something. Thankfully, Kayfo was available. He had always been in the picture. He just didn’t have the title as this or that. So, after several discussions I realized his visions and goals aligned with mine and so he officially came onboard and we’ve been an awesome team ever since.
You can never be too sure as to what will actually work for you. I’ve worked with people from outside the circle and I’ve worked with friends within. In the end, it is working people within my circle that has worked for me. We all understand that there is a business and very serious side to this music thing, so we live, we learn and we get better. But the fact that it is working for me doesn’t mean it will work for the you. You need to identify what works for you.
If you’ve heard his music, you’ll agree that, his music is not necessarily what is popular. In addition to that, singing and rapping in Ga is not as widely accepted as compared to say Twi. However, Marince is not shaken by the set backs that would come with his pursuit of music the way he wants to.
Personally, everything starts from the inside and as such I like to solve problems and go against the odds. There’s a satisfaction I get from normalizing things that seem unnormal. If we trace back into time, we’ve had people spoil there with Ga and the whole art that comes with it. Maybe currently it may be lost, but the sound and style I am doing is the real sh**t. OGS like Adane Best, Amanziba, Wulomo, Shilo, King David, Tinny, Buk Bak and new cats like Darko Vibes and Cina Soul have also done theirs. At the end of the day, I am also here to do my own in a not so different manner. I believe with time and hard work; people will come to appreciate what I do more and better. So, I will like to take it to the next level. I am just here to do what I can do to add to what has been done.
Already, we’ve been successful in getting people to appreciate the style and the intentionality behind what I’ve been doing with my team. I am very conscious about what I wear and what I add to my craft. So, I just find a balance between doing things that I will be comfortable with and people outside will also like. I’ve been on several platforms like YOYO Tinz, Memorable Nights at Lokko House, Merch Mania with Spacely and a lot of other rap shows where I’ve gone on and people really admire my style and how I carry myself
Aside his relatively unique music style, he is one person that barely gets into any drama or rants on social media. I questioned him on why he barely gets involved in such conversations or perhaps he does not face the problems his mates are facing.
I’ve made some complains myself, but I can’t dwell on just complaining, I would also need to put in my efforts and consciously create an atmosphere where the next generation wouldn’t go through the stress myself and my colleagues are going through. We would need all hands-on deck. Once you enter the space, your yawa level is on a 100% and you live the rest of your career deducting the yawa one step at a time. I have had to bulldoze my way through some of these barriers by one way or the other. So yhh, I do face these problems and I have complained a few times but as I complain, I also do my bit to overcome and create a better path for others to come through.
As an artiste, he does not want to make music that will be enjoyed today and gone tomorrow. Neither does he want a fleeting career. As such, he and a few others are championing a genre of music they call Fu. He hopes that at the end of the day, Fu gets to have a seat at the table of mainstream music.
Fu is broad but it has to do with the sound we have brought which is different from what is already out there. So, the name is just to help identify the sound we have (Futuristic sound). It is our way of building our own space within the industry. Over the years, artistes have come up with genres that fit the type of music they make. There was borga highlife, there’s hiplife, there’s asakaa and others. For us the new ones on the block, this is ours.
One would think this is in line with alte, but personally I don’t like the meaning like that. Cause it (Alte) means when the main is not there, then there’s alternative acts. However, I don’t see myself as an alternative act. Rather we are the future. So more like futuristic artiste. So, Fu represents the kind of music we make that we want to make a full blown like the reggaes, highlife and afrobeat. It is not our vision to be alternatives to what is regarded as the main. This is just our way of belonging.
He believes that it is not going to be easy for them, but he is not bothered and he and the others involved in the championing of genre are ready to do what it takes to see it get to the level where more people can come onboard and identify with it.
The is more people involved beyond just me and myself. There are people like producers and other acts that have come together to create this sound I am talking about. It is bigger than me and even saying it is just a sound, is me limiting what Fu is. Fu for us is genre, sound, lifestyle and mindset. So being a Fu artiste comes with a way of thinking, dressing and other things. When you see a Fu artiste, you can notice.
I know its going to affect my career. I mean this is not the first time something new or unpopular is going to be unwelcomed. Years ago, people did not want to be associated with trap music. People felt it was inferior but years on till today, trap has become a big part of the industry and there’s a lot of people benefiting from it. Including acts out here in Ghana. So yhh there’s going to be push backs that may affect the rate at which people will accept me and the Fu sound, but once they accept it, it is going to become a big part of the industry and the music ecosystem.
Coming off the back of what he describes as his best year yet, Marince wants to take things a step further and higher and that includes his desire to be better in not just the music he makes, but the knowledge on how to maneuver in the music business.
Last year for me was more practical and was very consistent with my music than previous years, so the goal is to continue with the consistency. With regards to the business side of all this, myself and the team are constantly learning. We go for workshops; read online and sometimes we reach out to people that know how to navigate within such spaces. If there is something I am missing, Kayfo or someone within the team, learns about it and hands down the knowledge to the rest of us. It is very important to not just me, but us (the team) and young acts as a whole to learn about the business aspect of our music. Globally, the music space is worth billions and there is enough to go around for everybody especially if you can market yourself beyond just your immediate surrounding. Which is why I am always eager to learn about now ways to sell my music and also tap into the music business. So, we do that and we will continue to do that.
Wrapping up, he shared a little light on how he goes about making the songs we hear and enjoy. I had to ask because I have kept wondering how one of the most exciting rappers we have had, is fast becoming a good singer.
It depends on the song. Some songs tend to limit what I can say and some have other forms of barriers. Another thing is the idea and feeling I have at that point in time. Some songs just come as freestyles based on the concept I have in mind. It really isn’t straightforward with me but I really like to be expressive with my music. I don’t like to hold back with my music. Only thing that matters to me most at this point in time is working on my singing more and writing. But once I start to make music, I don’t like to hold back.
Off the back of an amazing 2021, Marince has been tipped by many to be one of the big names to pop out of the country this year. I’ll be following and supporting keenly. You can also follow and support him as he strives you make Ghana music even more great. You can follow him on all social media platforms via the handle @marinceomario and listen to his music HERE.