Ghanaians would have embraced ‘Twi Pop’ created by a foreigner – Dr Cryme
Ghanaian musician Dr Cryme has argued that his “Twi Pop” genre would have received wider acceptance if a foreign artiste had introduced it.
Speaking on Angel FM, Kumasi, he expressed frustration over what he sees as a lack of support for local innovation.
“If a foreigner had created Twi Pop, we would have jumped on it, but my genre was seen as different from Hiplife and has not been recognised,” he said.
He explained that genre naming plays a crucial role in shaping identity within the music industry.
“We had music that was Hiplife, but because it was not named, many did not know what it was; when it was named, it gave direction and identity,” he explained.
He credited Reggie Rockstone for pioneering Hiplife but insisted that Ghanaian music should not be limited to a single style.
“We cannot say Ghana music should be one style; other countries have numerous genres that we even copy from,” he said.
Dr Cryme said his motivation was to create something enduring. “God being so good, I am learned, and I wanted to do something that posterity will continue; that is why I brought Twi Pop,” he said.
He described the genre’s concept as a fusion of local and global influences.
“The idea is blending our vernacular language into a foreign style and beats,” he explained.
Breaking down the term, he added“The ‘Pop’ represents the foreign style, and the ‘Twi’ represents our local dialect,” he added.
He also highlighted how he identifies himself internationally. “Whenever I go for foreign interviews, I introduce myself as a Twi Pop and a world artiste,” he said.
While acknowledging that Hiplife is now widely recognized, including by the Telecel Ghana Music Awards, he remains optimistic about the future of his genre.
“We would never know; Twi Pop might make waves in the years to come,” he urged.
He concluded with a call for support for local creativity. “Any person in this country who tries to be innovative should be acknowledged and supported; if we support outsiders instead, then we are hypocrites,” he said.
