/fit-in/1920x1005/kofi_kinaata_png_5f83014018a6a52371fcd55a.png)
Martin King Arthur, now better known by the pseudonym Kofi Kinaata, did not succeed immediately. On his way there were many obstacles which, fortunately, he managed to overcome, and finally to do professionally what he dreamed of.
Martin King Arthur was born in Effiakuma, which is a fairly small town. He grew up in a fairly strict family, like most residents of this city. Kofi Kinaata fell in love with music quite early. As a child, he listened to many artists in different languages, including his native Fante. To get an education, Kinnata went to Takoradi Technical Institute, where he first began composing songs. Of course, his first songs were not masterpieces and were mostly written only because he liked it, but later his skills only improved, and a couple of years later he wrote lyrics that others began to like.
His first serious challenge was a competition called Melody FM Kasahari Battle. He chose a song in his native language for the performance, which was instructive but straightforward and authentic. This style of music is not uncommon in Africa and is often called an African proverb. Even though this was his first serious competition, Kinnata was able to demonstrate his musical skills that most people liked. Although he could not take first place, second place was an excellent result for a beginner. This victory gave him even more confidence in what career he wanted to pursue.
Although it is officially believed that Kofi Kinaata's music career began in 2013, this is not entirely true. His first officially released song was "Obi Ne Ba" which he released in 2011. Since few people knew about him, the song could not be very popular. Although it was unpleasant, Kinaata did not give up. He spent the next almost two years taking his skills to the next level and coming out again with a new song. This song was "Onnyi Chorus".
Onnyi Chorus was able to gain some local popularity, which was enough to bring Kinaata to a bigger stage. He was also helped by a song called "Odo Pa", which he performed with Castro and Asamoah Gyan. After the release of these songs, people began to learn about the new artist. 2014 was a more training year for Kinaata. In 2014 he learned a lot about the music business and got used to it, and in 2015 he started releasing hits.
The first song that becomes popular in Ghana was "The Crusade" feat Donzy. Its simple but vital text combined with pleasant traditional melodies created a rhythm to which everyone wanted to dance. This style has become the hallmark of Kofi Kinaata. His style is reminiscent of a mix of highlife, hiplife, and standard rap, but at the same time not similar to any of these genres. The lyrics also deserve special attention. They are not complicated and designed to convey a message to people.
Another song that gained popularity among Fante people was "Made in Taadi". With this song, Kinaata has consolidated a new artist’s status, who has a great future ahead of him, and this was confirmed by 2016 better than anything. This year was probably the best in the singer's career. An extremely important role in this was played by a song called "Confession". The popularity of this song turned out to be much greater than anyone could have imagined. The lyrics are relatively simple and carry an important message: do not drive drunk. And again, a combination that has already made Kofi Kinaata who he is today: a simple but useful text, a pleasant and energetic melody, and rap and his native language. All these factors led this time to the popularity of the song and numerous nominations at various music award shows. The song went far beyond Fante people’s territory and was popularized throughout Ghana, which allowed it to get into the top 10 best songs in Ghana in 2016. The Ghana Music Awards were next. Despite all the doubts and experiences both in 2016 and in 2017, he won all the nominations for which Kofi Kinaata was presented, including the writer of the Year and Best New Artist of the Year.
It was a real success. The one Kofi Kinaata went to for so many years, and he finally got it. But for him, it was not an indicator to stop or relax. Vice versa. Now he felt responsible for his work. Fante Rap God’s title is not given just like that, and he understood perfectly well that now he should not let down his fans, who expect hits no worse than his current ones. Already in 2019, he will release a new hit that will spread throughout Ghana. This track became "Things Fall Apart". As well as "Confession", a few days after the release of the song, it was already heard across the country. She could be heard everywhere, on the streets, at parties, entertainment venues, and on many social networks, such as Twitter, where she was trending. Even though on YouTube Kofi Kinaata currently has almost 250,000 subscribers, the music video for the song "Things Fall Apart" has already collected almost 3.8 million views, which is just a phenomenal result.
If we have already mentioned his YouTube channel, it is worth noting that at the moment, it has a total of almost 45 million views. Given that the songs are performed in the local language, this result is simply impressive.
One of the events that made Kofi Kinaata even more popular was his "Made in Taadi" concert. So many people attended that it became one of the largest concerts in both western and central Ghana. In addition to Kofi Kinaata, celebrities such as Sarkodie, Joey B, Quamina MP, Kidi, Pappy Kojo, and others performed at this concert. In the 2019 Ghana Event Awards, this concert was among the 100 best events.
Of course, the Ghana Music Awards were not the only ones who nominated Kofi Kinaata. Other important music awards show also included the All Africa Music Awards, Ghana Entertainment Awards, and others. As you can see, Fante Rap God still deserves its title. Despite the obstacles, Kofi Kinaata was confidently reaching his goal. This confidence and desire to convey important messages through songs motivated Kofi Kinaata to be who he is today. Artist, songwriter, Fante Rap God, and just a good person.