Okyeame Kwame and Kuami Eugene win with Yeeko

11 Feb 2021 - 16:09

Often, the impulse of an artist who is no longer enjoying contemporary appeal is to sulk. Often, his target is those currently enjoying pop glory: a younger, more attractive reminder of the older musician’s heyday. But as the old rule goes, all disdain must be directed at the game and not the player.

Okyeame Kwame and Kuami Eugene.

Ghanaian hiplife veteran Okyeame Kwame’s latest viral hit ‘Yeeko’ featuring Kuami Eugene illustrates a frequently overlooked remedy to the blues that attend ageing: artistic brilliance is still possible between today’s Pied Piper and the one before him. Collaboration, not carping.

Its nod to the country’s thriving drill scene aside, ‘Yeeko’ – with its thundering bassline, vigorous percussion and overall quivering vitality – is also a physical expression of Kwame’s unbroken creative youth. You hear it in his vibrant, syncopated verses, which find him celebrating the importance of taking five and remaining hopeful. You see it in his energetic demeanour in the accompanying video, shot entirely on his iPhone next to a swimming pool at his home.

Unlike many of his contemporaries from the ’90s, Okyeame Kwame has managed to maintain continual residence within Ghanaian pop’s top rank. A dynamic brand, he hasn’t always relied on hits to do this. His impact also spans activism and philanthropy. This month, he adds ‘book author’ to his bio with the release of Love Locked Down, a joint project with his wife Annica Nsiah-Appau, which also happens to be a by-product of Kwame’s COVID-19 lockdown experience.

The resounding success of ‘Yeeko’ not only signifies triumph for Okyeame Kwame, but also signals the palpable genius of Kuami Eugene, particularly as producer and hook master. These days, a song hardly makes it to mainstream radio without the reigning VGMAs Artist of the Year’s involvement. ‘Yeeko’ loosely translates to ‘we’re fighting’. This phrase is all he required to whip up such an immortal chorus.

This week, ‘Yeeko’ has also proven Kuami a prophet as he has come under criticism from old head Guru, who accused the singer of denying him a song collaboration. The exchange, which played out on local radio and social media, corroborates this review’s opening line. It has also seen fans roaring with furious passion about Eugene’s behaviour. Another section of fans maintains that Guru had it coming, seeing that he has on countless occasions made unsavoury comments about Lynx Entertainment, to which Kuami Eugene is signed. Yet another faction believes it’s an attempt by Guru to take a bite off Eugene’s current hype.

Regardless, ‘Yeeko’ is a bright, handsome song. Its chorus holds well, inducing an anticipatory period of excitement. It consolidates Okyeame Kwame as a heritage brand and Kuami Eugene as a formidable contemporary popstar.

Stream ‘Yeeko’ here.