Legendary highlife singer, Kaakyire Kwame Appiah, has revealed that the practice of artistes giving money to DJs and presenters to have their songs played on air was introduced in Ghana by the chief executive officer of despite group of companies, Osei Kwame Despite.
Speaking to Roman Fada on Atinka FM’s “Adadem” last Saturday, he said that, before the release of his monster hit “Bronya” in the late 90s, there was not like giving money to a DJ or presenter for airplay.
“I was recording my song 24 at the Ghana Films Studio with five engineers, then I went to Despite to get inlays for my new track and also to collect money he (Despite) owed me. After listening to the song Osei Kwame Despite told me it was a good one and showed interest in doing business with me by being the main distributor,” the 24th hitmaker said
Kaakyire continued that, “After telling him the price for a studio recording of ¢40,000 cedis (old currency), he agreed to pay me ¢100,000 and also gave ¢20,000 each for the five engineers working on the record. So he started paying Payola to the sound engineers to include his name to the music”.
According him, after Osei Kwame Despite paid payola to top DJs and presenters at the Nation’s broadcaster, GBC radio, the song became an instant hit and even crossed boarders of the country.
Factually, Bronya by Kaakyire Kwame Appiah till date is the best locally produced Christmas song ever and also one of the bestselling albums in the history of the country.
Ghana | Atinkaonline.com |Asare Bediako