Many Ghanaian Musicians Are Going Broke Because They Rely on Streaming:Ras Kuuku

Ghanaian reggae artiste Ras Kuuku has cautioned musicians against depending entirely on streaming platforms for income, arguing that many artists are falling into financial hardship because they underestimate the huge financial investment required to succeed in the digital music industry.

Speaking in an interview with Graphic Showbiz, Ras Kuuku acknowledged that streaming services have opened doors for musicians to reach audiences across the world and earn revenue from their music. However, he stressed that simply uploading songs to streaming platforms is not enough to generate significant income.

According to him, artists must invest heavily in promotion, marketing, and visibility if they expect to make meaningful returns from streaming.

“Streaming has helped a lot of musicians. When you invest, you make money out of it, all things being equal. But if you don’t invest, you make nothing,” he said.

The reggae musician explained that many artists only realize the true financial demands of streaming after committing substantial sums of money without seeing immediate returns.

He noted that promoting music on digital platforms requires considerable funding, warning that artists who lack the resources to sustain promotion risk running into financial difficulties.

“It is a lot of money that goes into getting your songs on these platforms. So if you don’t have that money, you will go broke. That is why you see so many artists going broke because they rely on streaming and hope it will make returns for them,” he stated.

Nigerian Music’s Success Is Driven by Investment

Ras Kuuku also shared his thoughts on why Nigerian music continues to enjoy a stronger presence on Ghanaian radio stations, television networks, and entertainment platforms.

He believes the difference is not necessarily talent but the level of financial investment behind the music.

“Their songs keep dominating because it’s all about money. They invest so much,” he said.

He explained that Nigerian artists and their management teams often commit larger budgets to promotion, allowing their music to remain visible for much longer than that of many Ghanaian artists.

To illustrate his point, he said while a Ghanaian artist may pay for a month of airtime on a major television station, Nigerian artists often pay for as long as six months, ensuring their songs remain in rotation long after local artists’ promotional periods have ended.

“Let’s say when our local artists here pay for a month to, for instance, our big TV stations, the Nigerians come and pay for like six months. So the time the locals use up their slot, theirs will still be there. So it’s about investment,” he explained.

Despite the disparity, Ras Kuuku maintained that Ghanaian musicians possess the talent to compete globally. However, he emphasized that without adequate financial backing and long-term investment strategies, many local artists will continue to struggle to match the reach and dominance of their Nigerian counterparts.

“We are also doing well, but it’s about investment,” he concluded.