Rocky Dawuni: A Story of Music, Advocacy, and the Power to Bring People Together | S6 Ep. 11

[00:00:00] [SPEAKER_02]: Hey there everyone, I go by the name of Adrian Daniels and this is the Sound of Accra Podcast.

[00:00:04] [SPEAKER_02]: This is the show where we speak of top gardening founders, entrepreneurs and creators worldwide

[00:00:09] [SPEAKER_02]: with the aim of leaving you behind of meaningful takeaways that you can apply in your life,

[00:00:14] [SPEAKER_02]: business and career. For today's show notes I'd like you to head over to thesoundofaccra.com

[00:00:19] [SPEAKER_02]: forward slash rocky. That's the sound of accra.com forward slash rocky for all of

[00:00:24] [SPEAKER_02]: today's key wisdom nuggets, links and references from today's episode. If you're

[00:00:29] [SPEAKER_02]: watching on YouTube please hit the like button, hit subscribe, leave us a comment. Let us know

[00:00:34] [SPEAKER_02]: what you think of today's conversation. If you listen on Spotify, Apple Podcasts,

[00:00:38] [SPEAKER_02]: our five star review is very much appreciated wherever you get your podcasts.

[00:00:42] [SPEAKER_02]: I'd like to introduce today's guests. I'm joined with free time Grammy nominated singer,

[00:00:49] [SPEAKER_02]: songwriter, activist, I mean he does it all, producer. He's a goodwill ambassador as well

[00:00:54] [SPEAKER_02]: the UN and environmentalist for Africa. The one and only Rocky. Thank you. It's an absolute

[00:01:01] [SPEAKER_02]: honor to have you on the show. Pleasure to be on your show today. Yeah, thank you so much.

[00:01:05] [SPEAKER_02]: It was wonderful to kind of speak to your team and when they reached out to me and they wanted

[00:01:10] [SPEAKER_02]: to have wanted you to come on the show I was humbled and I was honored to have you in the

[00:01:14] [SPEAKER_02]: show. Just to find out what you've been doing and who you are and your kind of career

[00:01:19] [SPEAKER_02]: and what you've done this is pretty remarkable. Thank you. Thank you very much. Thank you. Thank

[00:01:24] [SPEAKER_02]: you for coming down. So just for those that don't know about you maybe within less than 60

[00:01:28] [SPEAKER_02]: seconds could just share with our wonderful audience out there who Rocky Dewan is.

[00:01:35] [SPEAKER_01]: It's a pretty difficult question to actually think of yourself in there as a person but

[00:01:42] [SPEAKER_01]: but you know the thing is that I was born here in Ghana. I'm a native of Ghana.

[00:01:52] [SPEAKER_01]: I grew up in Michelle Camp which is a military base right outside of Temma. So from a very

[00:02:00] [SPEAKER_01]: early age I was introduced to music on the radio and also it was also a time that

[00:02:07] [SPEAKER_01]: Ghanaian military was in politics. So there's a lot of politics there so I grew up in a mixture of

[00:02:14] [SPEAKER_01]: military environment, politics and music. So it kind of shaped my world view

[00:02:22] [SPEAKER_01]: as to what I wanted to do as a musician. So from the barracks I started working on music

[00:02:31] [SPEAKER_01]: and then when I moved to the secondary school I started really applying

[00:02:41] [SPEAKER_01]: what I had already been inspired as a kid to my music, disturbing everybody in the dorm,

[00:02:50] [SPEAKER_01]: writing music, singing and all of that. But my idea was to also as a musician be able to

[00:02:56] [SPEAKER_01]: articulate the things that had inspired me which is being a representation of the culture,

[00:03:02] [SPEAKER_01]: the politics, the aspiration of all the people that I grew up with and then also

[00:03:08] [SPEAKER_01]: being able to be an artist that presented a kind of plural idea as to communities and humanity

[00:03:17] [SPEAKER_01]: by making music that brings people together. So that led me to embracing reggae music

[00:03:25] [SPEAKER_01]: which became kind of the foundational music in addition to the high life and all the music that

[00:03:31] [SPEAKER_01]: I was inspired to. And then you know that became the foundation of my identity so as a

[00:03:37] [SPEAKER_01]: musician I really represented these and I have been fortunate enough to have really be able to

[00:03:47] [SPEAKER_01]: take the music right from even our environs to different parts of the world and then in

[00:03:53] [SPEAKER_01]: terms of my activism to being able to create a network of impact and then myself to being able to

[00:04:03] [SPEAKER_01]: articulate the belief that I have in terms of the power of music to bring people together to

[00:04:07] [SPEAKER_01]: having the opportunity to do that on the highest level. So I would say that really defines who

[00:04:13] [SPEAKER_02]: I am. Incredible, incredible in terms of like your upbringing and the influences that's been

[00:04:21] [SPEAKER_02]: around you. I'm quite curious, I mean I think your music of course helps to bring the world

[00:04:27] [SPEAKER_02]: together and helps to kind of make an impact and I think it ties in really well with what

[00:04:31] [SPEAKER_02]: you're doing in terms of activism, social impact. Tell us in terms of how did you

[00:04:38] [SPEAKER_02]: kind of get into all of that because I think that takes quite a bit of your time now.

[00:04:41] [SPEAKER_02]: Yes. You're jetting around, you're flying out to different countries and events and

[00:04:45] [SPEAKER_02]: like the UN etc. Tell us a bit about what you've recently been up to because I think I know

[00:04:53] [SPEAKER_02]: recently you just kind of came back from the US. Yes, yes, yes, yes, yes. Was it the

[00:04:59] [SPEAKER_01]: United Nations or was it COP28? Yes, I was at the earlier, last year,

[00:05:07] [SPEAKER_01]: 2023, I was at the United Nations General Assembly that was kind of like really

[00:05:12] [SPEAKER_01]: beginning and prior to that I was at the United Nations Environment, UNE, United Nations

[00:05:19] [SPEAKER_01]: Environmental Assembly and then also the gathering of all the ministers, United Nations

[00:05:27] [SPEAKER_01]: ministers of Africa too in Ethiopia for the whole initiative to bring a foundational agreement

[00:05:37] [SPEAKER_01]: was prior to COP28. And then at the General Assembly this last year too was really a very

[00:05:46] [SPEAKER_01]: pivotal time for me as an activist when at the moment when the Prime Minister of Barbados

[00:05:52] [SPEAKER_01]: was on the UN floor and quoted my lyrics as part of her speech to world leaders over there

[00:05:59] [SPEAKER_01]: which showed me especially the impact of the work that I've been doing. And it also for me

[00:06:07] [SPEAKER_01]: was also a testament that these things are, it comes from a belief because we all have a certain

[00:06:19] [SPEAKER_01]: shall I say gifts and I believe that those gifts are things that are innately in your DNA.

[00:06:26] [SPEAKER_01]: So if you're able to find it and embrace it you are better able to express and articulate

[00:06:32] [SPEAKER_01]: in a way that it becomes infectious. Many people to like see it oh wow you know this is what you

[00:06:39] [SPEAKER_01]: represent and then people buy into it you know and you're able to inspire people. And I feel

[00:06:44] [SPEAKER_01]: that for me that has what has been my belief in the music and the power of the music,

[00:06:50] [SPEAKER_01]: the convening power of the music and so you know last year with that this year you know

[00:06:58] [SPEAKER_01]: year started off with you know and then actually last year before the year ended you know I was

[00:07:05] [SPEAKER_01]: in Costa Rica you know working on initiatives to do with people of African descent and then

[00:07:11] [SPEAKER_01]: that also took me to Brazil and now we're planning Colombia and other places too in

[00:07:19] [SPEAKER_01]: terms of bringing you know so there was an environmental side there was also the side of

[00:07:26] [SPEAKER_01]: raising consciousness you know within people of African descent and a diasporian community

[00:07:31] [SPEAKER_01]: beyond just America. And then the year started this year too with in terms of the

[00:07:38] [SPEAKER_01]: you know the Grammys which were you know I was nominated last year this year I didn't have a

[00:07:45] [SPEAKER_01]: nomination but the previous year yeah so but I was there more to support you know be in the

[00:07:53] [SPEAKER_01]: mix you know be in the mix and also because I've been a long-term advocate for the increase of

[00:07:59] [SPEAKER_01]: African voices when it comes to recording academy and the Grammys so it was good to see that all

[00:08:05] [SPEAKER_01]: of a sudden you know there is like an attention on you know African music and

[00:08:10] [SPEAKER_01]: African music you know kind of you know gaining a lot of grounds and attention.

[00:08:15] [SPEAKER_01]: So there was so much you know celebration points this year that it was overwhelming

[00:08:20] [SPEAKER_01]: but it's also a testament to the I would say the innate potential of our music and our culture

[00:08:28] [SPEAKER_01]: especially in these times to be able to create meaningful impact but I believe that all of those

[00:08:35] [SPEAKER_01]: meaningful impact will depend on how we work to be to be in charge of that ecosystem because

[00:08:42] [SPEAKER_01]: music is a two-way sword you know if it becomes popular does not mean it could be a tool for

[00:08:47] [SPEAKER_01]: you know you having no control over it and it being the message in being here to against your

[00:08:54] [SPEAKER_01]: society in terms of amplifying consumerism amplifying you know illusion amplifying

[00:09:02] [SPEAKER_01]: you know certain things that are not innately beneficial to the people but if we are in

[00:09:09] [SPEAKER_01]: charge control and then we use it more to articulate the narrative as an African then I

[00:09:15] [SPEAKER_01]: believe that we are on the right course so we are on that kind of crossroads and I think that

[00:09:19] [SPEAKER_01]: there needs to be a lot of thinking yeah especially in what we consume and what we share.

[00:09:26] [SPEAKER_02]: Beautiful wow um I know you've I know your music career spans a number of years how many

[00:09:31] [SPEAKER_02]: years has it been roughly no? Oh man it's been that quite yeah quite some time yeah

[00:09:37] [SPEAKER_01]: you know because you know and the thing is that you know I have always believed you know

[00:09:41] [SPEAKER_01]: just like I said early you know everything is a mission you know and once it's a mission it's

[00:09:48] [SPEAKER_01]: uh it's your lifelong journey you know so you are part of a scene at the same time too you're

[00:09:55] [SPEAKER_01]: not part of a scene you know you're part of a scene because your creativity has to be shared

[00:10:00] [SPEAKER_01]: with the world by the same time too you also need those times to where you work on

[00:10:05] [SPEAKER_01]: what your creativity is you know so I a lot of times people ask me like you know in terms

[00:10:10] [SPEAKER_01]: of what are the keys to longevity and just being in all of that I just like is just believing in

[00:10:15] [SPEAKER_01]: what you do and understanding that constantly you're challenging yourself and constantly you're

[00:10:20] [SPEAKER_01]: open to learning more because the more you learn the more you you know your your the

[00:10:26] [SPEAKER_01]: the parameters of your uh kind of your gaze becomes more expanded you know and you are

[00:10:31] [SPEAKER_01]: able to see things you are able to even do the things that you know better because you have

[00:10:37] [SPEAKER_01]: new tools and so for me it's the constant thing about never stop learning and never stop growing

[00:10:43] [SPEAKER_01]: and I believe that that is what has been the key for me to keep doing what I'm doing

[00:10:48] [SPEAKER_02]: until now yeah do you think that's been the key differentiator between people such as yourselves

[00:10:55] [SPEAKER_02]: who have been going for a long time and been increasing in their their awareness to other

[00:11:01] [SPEAKER_02]: haven't maybe been as as as our artists who haven't been around as long yes yes yes yes yes

[00:11:07] [SPEAKER_01]: I mean I'll say that for me that's what works because you know everybody on their journey you

[00:11:12] [SPEAKER_01]: know and um and you know the music industry is a very interesting uh parameters you know things

[00:11:19] [SPEAKER_01]: have changed I mean if you look there you know you know records like before the internet age

[00:11:26] [SPEAKER_01]: you know you had to create a record you have to be signed to a label the record had to be uh you

[00:11:32] [SPEAKER_01]: have to get radio in local each local area to pick up the music so you have to have promotion

[00:11:39] [SPEAKER_01]: within all those local for the music to go global yeah so it was a very sophisticated thing

[00:11:44] [SPEAKER_01]: you know so but now you know it has it has changed you know it has changed because

[00:11:50] [SPEAKER_01]: the internet you know the internet you know it's like you know the whole world kind of concise in

[00:11:56] [SPEAKER_01]: one little market ecosystem when you think about it in actual fact and uh it's a borderless

[00:12:04] [SPEAKER_01]: kind of medium so when you put music out there there is an ability for it to kind of

[00:12:11] [SPEAKER_01]: really be able to be disseminated quicker so the parameters of how music was being pushed

[00:12:15] [SPEAKER_01]: has changed you know and I think that uh we started off you know you you know we came from

[00:12:22] [SPEAKER_01]: both sides of the paradigm you know so you had to do you know a hand-to-hand combat as they

[00:12:28] [SPEAKER_01]: say every medium and then of course now they have the tool so people are able to push their

[00:12:33] [SPEAKER_01]: music much more faster and we you know so I think that you just have to be adaptable apart

[00:12:38] [SPEAKER_01]: from listening you just have to have the sense of adaptability to to adapt to new ideas

[00:12:44] [SPEAKER_01]: without compromising what is key to you know your own uh artistic mission and vision you

[00:12:51] [SPEAKER_01]: know so I think that once you're able to kind of zone in on that it it it ensures a level of

[00:12:59] [SPEAKER_01]: constant innovation you know and I feel that that is kind of the difference between you know

[00:13:04] [SPEAKER_01]: artists who stay in it for a long time and also artists who are in it just for the quick

[00:13:09] [SPEAKER_01]: thing of the allure of the lime light the fame and all of that which to some extent in my opinion

[00:13:16] [SPEAKER_01]: is an illusion because it comes and goes you know and it depends on what you use that for

[00:13:23] [SPEAKER_02]: that is what's going to show your longevity yeah yeah and you're clearly using your your

[00:13:28] [SPEAKER_02]: fame and your influence for good for social impact yeah clearly yeah okay um speaking of

[00:13:39] [SPEAKER_02]: that you're involved in yeah um could you talk us through some of these so like us good good

[00:13:44] [SPEAKER_02]: well ambassador yeah um could you talk us through some of the initiatives that you involved in

[00:13:48] [SPEAKER_01]: well I mean before I will you know even touch on that you know I will you know talk about

[00:13:53] [SPEAKER_01]: really what inspired me because I feel that um you know those are topical representations

[00:13:59] [SPEAKER_01]: of what inspires me to do that you know what I mean yeah um I believe that you know

[00:14:07] [SPEAKER_01]: when each of us is born you know when each of us is given an opportunity to life

[00:14:14] [SPEAKER_01]: you know an opportunity the breath of life when you wake up there's a certain thankfulness

[00:14:19] [SPEAKER_01]: you know to the almighty for the gift of life but the the gift of life is also about

[00:14:26] [SPEAKER_01]: what you do you know what kind of legacy do you intend to use that life for what kind of impact

[00:14:32] [SPEAKER_01]: do you use that life you know life is not about you know coming in and walking around

[00:14:37] [SPEAKER_01]: and you know and then exiting without contributing to you know the creativity of creation

[00:14:44] [SPEAKER_01]: you know so for me I feel that that's the core definition of my intention to focus also

[00:14:52] [SPEAKER_01]: on activism is that you know I have the gift of song the gift of music the gift of ability to

[00:14:59] [SPEAKER_01]: also talk to people not about you know how special they are but also the power of God

[00:15:06] [SPEAKER_01]: that is in them you know the importance to also embrace you know an idea of humanity too

[00:15:14] [SPEAKER_01]: that is just beyond they themselves as individuals you know and I feel that that

[00:15:19] [SPEAKER_01]: fundamental to all of us being able to live harmoniously together but for me I also recognize

[00:15:27] [SPEAKER_01]: at a very early time in my career too that to also articulate there's a difference between

[00:15:34] [SPEAKER_01]: being able to articulate those ideas and then also being able to make them real impact in

[00:15:41] [SPEAKER_01]: the real world because we live I you know ideals and ideas are great but to be able

[00:15:46] [SPEAKER_01]: transform those ideas into so that led to also my belief too that I have to find you know

[00:15:57] [SPEAKER_01]: organizations and individuals and systems that also share the same vision that I have and then

[00:16:06] [SPEAKER_01]: leveraging my impact to and my belief to be able to work together to make these happen

[00:16:11] [SPEAKER_01]: so those were the things that kind of now you know started I started engagement with a lot of

[00:16:18] [SPEAKER_01]: organizations and you know that's how that came about yes that's what how that came about

[00:16:22] [SPEAKER_02]: and did they come to you or did you more like I've got this great idea no it came to me

[00:16:27] [SPEAKER_01]: because I was really that's what I represented and I was doing so organizations you know you

[00:16:32] [SPEAKER_01]: know all of a sudden there you know I remember one of the even earliest mission success that

[00:16:37] [SPEAKER_01]: we did was actually with the guinea worm eradication initiative that was going on in Ghana

[00:16:43] [SPEAKER_01]: you know it was the Qatar Center you know UNICEF and a whole lot of organizations who were

[00:16:47] [SPEAKER_01]: working on it so at a point they and they came to talk to me about you know they were

[00:16:52] [SPEAKER_01]: like you know you're from the north we need somebody to really help us in terms of not

[00:16:57] [SPEAKER_01]: only trying to eradicate this issue but also going into the communities and starting

[00:17:04] [SPEAKER_01]: and advocates within the communities for people to make choices in terms of you know the water

[00:17:10] [SPEAKER_01]: sources because we're trying to do trying to go to the the roots of the problem so we had to

[00:17:16] [SPEAKER_01]: you know kind of advocate for clean water initiatives from people who are drilling wells

[00:17:21] [SPEAKER_01]: organizations who are drilling wells and government and at the same time to the

[00:17:25] [SPEAKER_01]: communities about making sure that when you go and fetch water even in an area during like

[00:17:32] [SPEAKER_01]: dry season the processes that you need to go through to make sure that water was portable

[00:17:37] [SPEAKER_01]: enough and all of so we went on the ground and what I was doing too was that I also brought a

[00:17:42] [SPEAKER_01]: lot of musicians along you know because I was like you know many musicians who had a platform

[00:17:49] [SPEAKER_01]: but did not were not using it for anything I brought them along so I would take them we

[00:17:54] [SPEAKER_01]: went on a mission in the north you know different villages meeting communities talking

[00:17:59] [SPEAKER_01]: to chiefs looking to leaders working on music together all of this stuff so this was stuff that

[00:18:05] [SPEAKER_01]: we were doing and then at that time too I had a big festival to independence day festival so the

[00:18:11] [SPEAKER_01]: festival was also used as a platform too to advocate for this then you know I started

[00:18:17] [SPEAKER_01]: working with the UN global fund approached me because they were working Bono was doing the

[00:18:24] [SPEAKER_01]: one initiative and all of that and they you know they were doing HIV AIDS initiatives in

[00:18:32] [SPEAKER_01]: terms of yeah in terms of trying to get cheap medication and all of that kind of stuff I mean

[00:18:36] [SPEAKER_01]: had like the I these iPods or iPhone the reds yeah yeah yeah that was all of that so I was

[00:18:40] [SPEAKER_01]: engaged to be one of the main voices for that and then even through our advocacy the first

[00:18:48] [SPEAKER_01]: uh funding for uh kind of uh Ghana East Commission got like a big funding from the UN

[00:18:56] [SPEAKER_01]: global fund at that time for one of the funding from the organization came to you know

[00:19:03] [SPEAKER_01]: Ghana East Commission you know and now so came down went on the ground you know met people

[00:19:08] [SPEAKER_01]: you know and advocate so that was how I dealt with things you know even when it came to

[00:19:16] [SPEAKER_01]: building I was I collaborated with an organization out of Rwanda ages trust to go into Rwanda and

[00:19:23] [SPEAKER_01]: travel all around and go and learn the from the root causes of the genocide there you know meet

[00:19:29] [SPEAKER_01]: community leaders uh you know uh you know work in peace building ideas with you know various

[00:19:37] [SPEAKER_01]: partners down there in order to push the idea of peace among Africans and also elevation of

[00:19:44] [SPEAKER_01]: the identity of Africa you know so that's how I operate you know and then with environmental

[00:19:51] [SPEAKER_01]: initiatives to you know right now also championing the regreening Africa initiative

[00:19:56] [SPEAKER_01]: that UNEP is putting together you know to restore you know thousands of you know hectares of land

[00:20:02] [SPEAKER_01]: reclaim land you know also encourage organic agriculture sustainability protection of

[00:20:11] [SPEAKER_01]: biodiversity empowerment of women you know inspiring youth all of these are ideas that

[00:20:18] [SPEAKER_01]: I believe you know for me it's more about upholding the greater good in us so it defines

[00:20:25] [SPEAKER_01]: the kind of the umbrella of us an activist I don't go into activism because oh you are UN

[00:20:32] [SPEAKER_01]: goodwill ambassador or you are that kind of stuff you know those are all kind of they're

[00:20:40] [SPEAKER_01]: mission of what you represent but the long run is all part of what I see as my mission

[00:20:47] [SPEAKER_01]: as a person in an artist and also a citizen of the world doing my due diligence and also my

[00:20:55] [SPEAKER_01]: belief in in God as to what I need to use my life for that's powerful that's impacting

[00:21:01] [SPEAKER_02]: that's powerful rocky yeah in the midst of all of all of this you know advocating fundraising

[00:21:09] [SPEAKER_02]: rallying up other artists raising awareness collaborating with organizations with other

[00:21:14] [SPEAKER_02]: communities what's the main thing I know I know your mission encompasses so many different

[00:21:21] [SPEAKER_02]: things but what's the main thing that keeps you up at night in terms of Africa because

[00:21:24] [SPEAKER_00]: Africa there's so many things that we need to work on yes yes yes infrastructure to the

[00:21:29] [SPEAKER_02]: yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes

[00:21:36] [SPEAKER_02]: That's one thing that keeps what's the what's one I know it might be a hard question to

[00:21:40] [SPEAKER_01]: answer but I think it's simple I think it's simple I think the bottom end of it is you

[00:21:44] [SPEAKER_01]: know they said you know Africa needs to awaken you see when all of these things

[00:21:54] [SPEAKER_01]: can be solved when you have people whose consciousness is awakened as to who they are

[00:22:00] [SPEAKER_01]: and where they're going once we have that it would transform everything you unlock everything

[00:22:06] [SPEAKER_01]: it will unlock everything because you know you need to have capital to make a lot of this when

[00:22:15] [SPEAKER_01]: you look at the construct of let's say an economic model that's based on capitalism

[00:22:20] [SPEAKER_01]: but human capital is actually the real capital if you wake your people up and say they want to

[00:22:28] [SPEAKER_01]: the continent everybody says today this is what Africa is Africa we want we are all going to work

[00:22:34] [SPEAKER_01]: together to build this continent we're all gonna go if it's roads okay we'll go and we make it

[00:22:41] [SPEAKER_01]: happen with the human capital because we all work together for the greater good of all of us

[00:22:46] [SPEAKER_01]: if we change that mindset yeah we will transform everything so it's all a mindset change

[00:22:52] [SPEAKER_01]: but if we have been programmed through colonial education and also you know subscribing to

[00:23:01] [SPEAKER_01]: you know the religious concept of constantly waiting for a better life when you die yeah you

[00:23:07] [SPEAKER_01]: know that's really a fallacy because god will never give us life if life is about waiting

[00:23:13] [SPEAKER_01]: to die to go and find that life yeah it doesn't make sense it doesn't make sense

[00:23:17] [SPEAKER_01]: so focusing that this is our time this our opportunity and we to awaken we to work

[00:23:22] [SPEAKER_01]: together absolutely for us yeah if that changes it changes everything everything else then it's

[00:23:29] [SPEAKER_01]: like okay economic opportunity all of this we work together African leaders work together

[00:23:36] [SPEAKER_01]: and if you're working towards something that is a greater good self-service becomes goes to

[00:23:43] [SPEAKER_01]: the back because you know that in the long run when the ecosystem you know as a friend told

[00:23:48] [SPEAKER_01]: me yeah why will you fight each other to get a loaf of bread when you can build an oven

[00:23:54] [SPEAKER_01]: together and everybody can get a loaf of bread whenever they need it it's amazing it's just

[00:24:00] [SPEAKER_02]: incredible um i love quotes like this and i think you know Africans aside i think as black

[00:24:06] [SPEAKER_02]: people at least what i see in the west yes or quite kind of selfish or you know kind of

[00:24:21] [SPEAKER_02]: yes yes yes yes yes yes yes you know we do need to see a lot more of that no we need to see a

[00:24:27] [SPEAKER_01]: lot more of that but you see that's what i'm saying that our what the first thing to get

[00:24:31] [SPEAKER_01]: over is the mindset because our mindset has been programmed for a long time and what we

[00:24:36] [SPEAKER_01]: have to understand that we we're one of the races that have been enslaved that has been

[00:24:44] [SPEAKER_01]: colonized that is still being uh is still the pawn of new colonization any major power that is

[00:24:52] [SPEAKER_01]: coming here it's not coming here if it is collaborative collaborative is about owning

[00:24:57] [SPEAKER_01]: the narrative so everybody that's coming here is looking at winning so when they look at winning

[00:25:03] [SPEAKER_01]: that means that they have to play the game better than you do so if you are only in the

[00:25:07] [SPEAKER_01]: game just playing and not understanding that even if you have partnerships you have to know

[00:25:12] [SPEAKER_01]: the partnership is looking for advantages you know so we need to get out of that whole thing

[00:25:19] [SPEAKER_01]: start looking at how we work for we first if we work for we then we can be able to also

[00:25:29] [SPEAKER_01]: on equal terms be able to engage i mean we only have to look at the headline and see that

[00:25:36] [SPEAKER_01]: who among the people of the world will find resources and then others will come in and then

[00:25:43] [SPEAKER_01]: you the one who owns the resources get the littlest percentage of the resources when it was found

[00:25:49] [SPEAKER_01]: in your own ground yeah you know i mean we have mineral rights we are the most what's it

[00:25:55] [SPEAKER_01]: called but all the deals that our leadership is doing the deals we are always the last in

[00:26:01] [SPEAKER_01]: how do we what kind of mindset mindset or educational system programmed us to look at that

[00:26:07] [SPEAKER_01]: and say that is all right no it's not okay you know it's not okay we're understanding

[00:26:11] [SPEAKER_02]: ourselves look at cocoa bauxite gold all of these different those are leverages yeah and

[00:26:16] [SPEAKER_01]: if they are leveraging and imagine when you leverage that even and quantify that as holdings

[00:26:22] [SPEAKER_01]: if you cut for that as holding that means you are richer than everybody so if you have

[00:26:27] [SPEAKER_01]: as holdings why will gold that is extracted from the ground be used as a platform for currency

[00:26:35] [SPEAKER_01]: to be strong what are the gold that is in the ground why can't if we had the upper hand

[00:26:40] [SPEAKER_01]: we will quantify that as wealth and in economics use that as this is the resources

[00:26:45] [SPEAKER_01]: that we have we are leveraging that for this for you to bring us that because we have that

[00:26:51] [SPEAKER_01]: ground but the extractive aspect of it has become more valuable than the ones that own

[00:26:57] [SPEAKER_01]: it you know and i think that we just need to look at the educational system and know that

[00:27:03] [SPEAKER_01]: we have been programmed to feel a certain way about us so we have been programmed to

[00:27:09] [SPEAKER_01]: to see what wealth is wealth is the land that we've been given and i think that

[00:27:13] [SPEAKER_01]: god gave us everything that we need and we have spent so much time and others have spent

[00:27:19] [SPEAKER_01]: so much time to blind us from seeing what we have and i think that's why we need to look at

[00:27:26] [SPEAKER_01]: you know the religions that we follow yeah uh this education that we follow the

[00:27:34] [SPEAKER_01]: media that we consume from outside and see that all of it is meant to keep our mindset

[00:27:40] [SPEAKER_01]: in that space so that we never rise beyond who we are because we only have to look at

[00:27:47] [SPEAKER_01]: history and see that we were enslaved we were colonized so if we are engaging the same entities

[00:27:52] [SPEAKER_01]: they're not coming here to for our betterment they're coming here to keep us our mindset still

[00:27:57] [SPEAKER_01]: in that space but it's none but we ourselves can be able to rise beyond that so if we're

[00:28:05] [SPEAKER_01]: envisaging a new africa the new africa has to first be in terms of changing our mindset

[00:28:09] [SPEAKER_01]: change our mindset and like the little competitiveness yeah tribal competitiveness

[00:28:13] [SPEAKER_01]: you go even here you go you know some business that the right person is there somebody would be

[00:28:18] [SPEAKER_01]: like oh who he said what tribe does he belong in and all of a sudden it's more about a tribal

[00:28:24] [SPEAKER_02]: thing we become they're caught up in more meaningful things exactly the prime directive

[00:28:32] [SPEAKER_01]: we've lost the path of the prime direct directive and fighting over things that are not

[00:28:36] [SPEAKER_01]: important to our collective uh define our collective purpose and define our collective

[00:28:42] [SPEAKER_01]: vision to be able to rise beyond the challenges the challenges that we have are will dissipate

[00:28:50] [SPEAKER_01]: when we change our mindset it's the way we view the world that has really brought all

[00:28:55] [SPEAKER_01]: that's why we go to somebody to go and borrow money when we are sitting on wealth you know

[00:29:00] [SPEAKER_01]: so so so we need to and this is the time you know and this is the time for us to do that

[00:29:05] [SPEAKER_01]: things like that no no no no no no no no you know we are far too blessed with too many human

[00:29:14] [SPEAKER_01]: capital first of all which is one of the most valuable thing how to guess that said the same

[00:29:20] [SPEAKER_01]: thing and then we also have the economic capital too that is there but somebody who

[00:29:26] [SPEAKER_01]: doesn't have anything and can push papers can come to you and tell you that they have the

[00:29:35] [SPEAKER_01]: and also phantom money yeah that is based on what you already have yeah and then you think

[00:29:42] [SPEAKER_01]: that that's a better thing to come and go to go and get and then you uh you are being used

[00:29:48] [SPEAKER_01]: depth is being used as it means to depreciate you to put you on your knees and all of that

[00:29:54] [SPEAKER_01]: because you owe you know and then it's and then people control your economy that and they're

[00:30:00] [SPEAKER_01]: sure that you never rise above all of that it's one of the slavery isn't it rookie no no

[00:30:05] [SPEAKER_01]: no see it's a it's a it's a it's slavery has never left the concept of slavery is just being

[00:30:11] [SPEAKER_01]: defined with new tools you know and now we live in a time where you don't have to be

[00:30:16] [SPEAKER_01]: uh you know you are a free man but you are not free you know you're free to walk around

[00:30:21] [SPEAKER_02]: but the chains are right in the mind that's that's that's that's something that's quite

[00:30:27] [SPEAKER_02]: you mentioned rwanda not too long ago um when you look at economies like rwanda compared to

[00:30:34] [SPEAKER_02]: gana we're not trying to bring down gana or anything um it's quite different how they

[00:30:39] [SPEAKER_02]: operate over there isn't it yeah talk talk me in your perspective like what you like from

[00:30:43] [SPEAKER_01]: rwanda how they operate compared to you know my my whole thing was that the economic thing

[00:30:49] [SPEAKER_01]: is a very complicated thing you know it's really a complicated i don't want to get into

[00:30:52] [SPEAKER_01]: the gist of all of that you know um my rwanda what i i just went to the fundamentals of rwanda

[00:31:01] [SPEAKER_01]: you know i was you know i didn't want to get caught up in the in the you know in the

[00:31:06] [SPEAKER_01]: politics of the place and all of that kind of stuff because sometimes it blinds you from seeing

[00:31:10] [SPEAKER_01]: i wanted to go to write to the people you know and see that okay uh these are people

[00:31:18] [SPEAKER_01]: that went through the most tragic time in their history and and rwandese even the concept of

[00:31:27] [SPEAKER_01]: hutus and tutsis was a fabricated one it's not like different people is the same people

[00:31:33] [SPEAKER_01]: you know it depends on you know what social structure you belong to and all of that kind

[00:31:39] [SPEAKER_01]: of stuff that was how this whole tutsi and who's who to identity was kind of created

[00:31:45] [SPEAKER_01]: you know so it was created was not like you know oh this is like even the language is the same

[00:31:54] [SPEAKER_01]: so it it was based on a setting in reality something that really was not

[00:32:02] [SPEAKER_01]: a means by which a people should be divided and then that was used as a means to for the

[00:32:08] [SPEAKER_01]: people to rise against each other and really try to annihilate each other you know so for me

[00:32:15] [SPEAKER_01]: rwanda represented like the tragedy of sometimes the divisions that before us but the victory of

[00:32:24] [SPEAKER_01]: it was that through that tragedy how they dug themselves out of it and are working towards

[00:32:32] [SPEAKER_01]: reconciliation and healing and that was what really was amazing to me in terms of rwanda

[00:32:42] [SPEAKER_01]: you know everybody can fall everybody falls at some point but how good are you at getting back

[00:32:49] [SPEAKER_01]: when you fall and i feel that that shows that the promise of what africa all of africa

[00:32:54] [SPEAKER_01]: and throughout what we've gone through is that we can have that strength of that mindset

[00:33:01] [SPEAKER_01]: and willpower to be able to move forward and then secondly when it comes to the economy

[00:33:05] [SPEAKER_01]: and all of that you know i mean it's really hard to tell because i think that the dynamics of what

[00:33:14] [SPEAKER_01]: rwanda you know represents different from where you know gana our positioning and then what we

[00:33:21] [SPEAKER_01]: are doing you know and you know what access to wealth what access to uh you know you know

[00:33:29] [SPEAKER_01]: should i say the ability to navigate the global geopolitics paradigm that they have been doing

[00:33:38] [SPEAKER_01]: and also what our leadership here has been doing so i feel like it's it's it's wrong to

[00:33:44] [SPEAKER_01]: compare economically because you know it's different dynamics and we have to look

[00:33:50] [SPEAKER_01]: at what we have yeah and and i feel that we are constantly looking externally for

[00:33:57] [SPEAKER_01]: the hand that will raise us up you know we're constantly looking for a savior that will come

[00:34:04] [SPEAKER_01]: and transform us when we are actually the savior that we've been waiting for

[00:34:09] [SPEAKER_02]: that's powerful so all along we've we've we've we had the superman the s on our chest and we've

[00:34:15] [SPEAKER_02]: been looking to somebody else so it was more for regarding rwanda was more about looking at

[00:34:21] [SPEAKER_02]: rwanda as inspiration in terms of like equality and distribution and socioeconomic uh you know

[00:34:28] [SPEAKER_02]: equality rather than just the economy itself um yeah this is powerful these are powerful and

[00:34:34] [SPEAKER_02]: there's like the we've absolutely explored um i want to go back to the music so i know

[00:34:42] [SPEAKER_02]: of course you went to the grammys recently i'm sure that was amazing um and then i know

[00:34:47] [SPEAKER_02]: come up with some songs recently i know you did this collaboration the stone boy

[00:34:50] [SPEAKER_02]: and then you got the shade tree song that's that's called fairly recent project as well

[00:34:56] [SPEAKER_01]: could you tell us through talk us through some of those projects yeah yeah the um it has been

[00:35:00] [SPEAKER_01]: an exciting year because i'm getting ready for a new album that is going to come out this summer

[00:35:06] [SPEAKER_01]: so what i did was that the last last year i released like two advanced singles you know so

[00:35:13] [SPEAKER_01]: first one was actually the advanced single was a uh uh um never bow down you know which

[00:35:24] [SPEAKER_01]: was got nominated for a grammy so that's kind of like the preq so it's like building up to

[00:35:29] [SPEAKER_01]: this album so never bow down was nominated and then uh shade tree too was uh also the

[00:35:36] [SPEAKER_01]: second single and shade tree uh you know was you know a very you know well well received

[00:35:43] [SPEAKER_01]: song yeah yeah yeah and then uh the video too uh was filmed in bahia you know and for me it

[00:35:52] [SPEAKER_01]: was you know to to also stress on the importance of you know the connection between

[00:36:00] [SPEAKER_01]: africa and the diaspora especially in the times in which we live in you know and also

[00:36:04] [SPEAKER_01]: their being able to understand the uh social dynamics too of the our brothers and sisters

[00:36:11] [SPEAKER_01]: in the diaspora the historic background of many of their experiences and then the shared

[00:36:16] [SPEAKER_01]: commonality too that culturally still you know uh is alive in connecting with our people

[00:36:23] [SPEAKER_01]: and i it was really a beautiful opportunity to do it through the eyes of music because

[00:36:30] [SPEAKER_01]: music has been also the two by which we've been we've preserved and uh all of those history so

[00:36:37] [SPEAKER_01]: being in bahia experiencing that meeting you know um our brothers and sisters you know uh who've

[00:36:44] [SPEAKER_01]: been uh kind of inspired by african west african traditions especially the yoruba culture

[00:36:52] [SPEAKER_01]: which is very permanent there you know and even and oh yeah yeah yeah you know there's a lot

[00:36:58] [SPEAKER_01]: yes presidians and yeah and it's preserved it's preserved it is preserved to the point

[00:37:03] [SPEAKER_01]: where you can even find some older practices that probably are not you know around right now

[00:37:10] [SPEAKER_01]: that are there because what they did was that even the concept of orishas you know which

[00:37:15] [SPEAKER_01]: is part of yoruba traditional uh world religion has been also elevated there more in terms of

[00:37:22] [SPEAKER_01]: the saints because what they did was that you know in also a means by which to circumvent

[00:37:32] [SPEAKER_01]: the colonial clamp down on expressing your traditions

[00:37:37] [SPEAKER_01]: you know some of these things have to be adapted almost to the religion of the day

[00:37:41] [SPEAKER_01]: so just like how haiti you know uh you know haiti did also with in terms of catholism and

[00:37:47] [SPEAKER_01]: the african uh you know in terms of african deities and african beliefs there too the orishas

[00:37:52] [SPEAKER_01]: are like you know kind of were integrated into like the catholism and all of that

[00:37:57] [SPEAKER_01]: so they developed it in a way that there was like oh okay this persona reflects this

[00:38:05] [SPEAKER_01]: and all of that in a way to publicly be able to express it without it being clamped down

[00:38:10] [SPEAKER_01]: so you can see that they've been able to develop that concept too in a way that is very different

[00:38:19] [SPEAKER_01]: but also inspiring and exciting you know to learn you know so being able to go there

[00:38:26] [SPEAKER_01]: and use the music and then the concept of shade tree which is like the idea of that we

[00:38:32] [SPEAKER_01]: were all part of the same you know sharing the same uh shade tree the same community

[00:38:38] [SPEAKER_01]: but obviously through the concept of uh you know being uh uh you know kind of separated from each

[00:38:47] [SPEAKER_01]: other you know true obviously historic happenings now we are still finding a way back by using

[00:38:54] [SPEAKER_01]: music to express that and also amplifying the commonalities that lie within associate tree was

[00:38:59] [SPEAKER_01]: really a song that really articulated that and that is also coming as part of the album

[00:39:05] [SPEAKER_01]: that is um fantastic you know it's on the way coming yeah fantastic and it's a very fitting

[00:39:11] [SPEAKER_02]: song you know to kind of like create and shoot out there because of course lots of diasporans

[00:39:16] [SPEAKER_02]: out in central south america yes how do they how do they respond to the music your music

[00:39:22] [SPEAKER_02]: out there and what's the what's the energy and what's the what is the kind of attention

[00:39:28] [SPEAKER_01]: that you get out there oh it's it's amazing you know brazil just like every african

[00:39:33] [SPEAKER_01]: country or every african diaspora when you go the music of the diaspora is popular so reggae music

[00:39:39] [SPEAKER_01]: african music all of that every kumbia every kind of music that has been created in the black

[00:39:45] [SPEAKER_01]: diaspora finds its way back to a part of the black diaspora you know just like how reggae

[00:39:51] [SPEAKER_01]: is popular here you know soca and all of that were popular here and now afro beach is popular

[00:39:55] [SPEAKER_01]: over on that other side you know and you know high life music all of this so it's kind

[00:40:01] [SPEAKER_01]: of like the cultural conversation that has been going on so it was very receptive you go there you

[00:40:07] [SPEAKER_01]: start playing you know we feel with our heart and we know each other through our you know

[00:40:12] [SPEAKER_01]: the genetic memory that we all share you know i think that people just the music it was a

[00:40:18] [SPEAKER_01]: great opportunity to to bring the power of the music and also to amplify you know the shared

[00:40:26] [SPEAKER_01]: commonality and at the same time too the concerts were focused on the way of the people of african

[00:40:35] [SPEAKER_01]: diaspora are being treated in most of those countries you know most of those countries have

[00:40:39] [SPEAKER_01]: a big black population but when you go there you find that the black population is also at

[00:40:43] [SPEAKER_01]: the lower end of the puto temple you know just like because they came there as slavery

[00:40:48] [SPEAKER_01]: and systematically although they've been they've found their way into the cultural mix of it

[00:40:56] [SPEAKER_01]: they still don't wield real power and they're suffering from same thing that we're suffering

[00:41:01] [SPEAKER_01]: from from discrimination from lack of opportunities lack of education lack of representation and uh

[00:41:09] [SPEAKER_01]: you know and a lack of opportunity you know so the the that was a very it was important to go

[00:41:16] [SPEAKER_01]: there and highlight the systemic racism too that is happening in countries too that are

[00:41:24] [SPEAKER_01]: the African diaspora or we have a bigger number of black people represented there i mean it's quite

[00:41:29] [SPEAKER_02]: amazing rocky how things like racism you know even when people like obama was president of

[00:41:35] [SPEAKER_02]: america and he's gone and come right he's come and gone right um it's amazing how these kind

[00:41:41] [SPEAKER_02]: of issues still discrimination racial inequality and things like that how these issues are still

[00:41:46] [SPEAKER_01]: kind of persisting in this day and not by the things that we shouldn't delete delude

[00:41:50] [SPEAKER_01]: that you know that they're gone because most of them they became legally integrated into the

[00:41:59] [SPEAKER_01]: concept of certain constitutions in countries without it being overtly raised racist

[00:42:04] [SPEAKER_01]: you know people use you know different ideas of you know economic demarcation and all of that

[00:42:10] [SPEAKER_01]: you know now there's so many tools you can keep a community you know underserved you know

[00:42:15] [SPEAKER_01]: and opportunity and oppression and all of that and it's being done so you go to these places

[00:42:23] [SPEAKER_01]: there you know there's a lot of drugs there's no education you know there's a lot of drugs

[00:42:28] [SPEAKER_01]: being pumped in there's no a lot of opportunities so you know this society is set up to to fail

[00:42:34] [SPEAKER_01]: and then be in that vicious circle you know so the racism is not whereby they'll come and

[00:42:40] [SPEAKER_01]: you are black you are this but it's denying you the ability to fully become who you are

[00:42:46] [SPEAKER_01]: is kind of the model that has been integrated in many social systems but so it's very hard

[00:42:53] [SPEAKER_01]: for you to even point a hand at it but you see the repercussions or the evidence of it through

[00:42:59] [SPEAKER_01]: the societies that has been birthed out of that you know so the thing is there too is

[00:43:05] [SPEAKER_01]: really be able to advocate for that the world sees that and most of those countries to should

[00:43:14] [SPEAKER_01]: you know you appeal to the higher sense of the you know the conscience of those countries to be

[00:43:20] [SPEAKER_01]: able to zone in on those things and try to do what is right try to bring investments you know

[00:43:35] [SPEAKER_01]: it up of crime and you know and and and drugs and all of these things that eventually

[00:43:42] [SPEAKER_01]: you know that's not set up a community to succeed you know but sometimes it's very hard to

[00:43:48] [SPEAKER_01]: ask the system to police itself you know so that is the battle that is still being

[00:43:55] [SPEAKER_01]: fought yeah you know to to find the right you know the right space for that so for me

[00:44:00] [SPEAKER_01]: these concerts were a means to highlight that and we just did the first two of them

[00:44:07] [SPEAKER_01]: you know costa rica and then brazil yeah and i think the next one we're going to be doing

[00:44:15] [SPEAKER_01]: is going to be in in canada brilliant yeah to bring attention to you know this issue to these

[00:44:22] [SPEAKER_02]: issues so as we talked about mindset as in looking at the way out looking within ourselves

[00:44:29] [SPEAKER_02]: and our potential that come if we once we unlock it can help us get out these issues and help us

[00:44:34] [SPEAKER_02]: to break out from all of these you know stigmas poverty etc yeah apart from that apart from that

[00:44:41] [SPEAKER_02]: would you say music is is the way up because of course you looked at you're looking at a you

[00:44:46] [SPEAKER_02]: know global citizen concert maybe a year or two ago that took place um you know what you're

[00:44:52] [SPEAKER_02]: doing in the concerts you're doing abroad there's a lot more now focus around kind of

[00:44:57] [SPEAKER_02]: kind of being used to kind of highlight africa i mean super bowl i think we just had there was

[00:45:01] [SPEAKER_02]: like an advert yes you know highlighting gana i think when ash was performing would you say

[00:45:06] [SPEAKER_02]: now music is kind of now being used as a tool to kind of help to kind of break you know africans

[00:45:12] [SPEAKER_01]: music has always been our tool of triumph you know even true slavery you know you go you know

[00:45:18] [SPEAKER_01]: you only have to hear of uh you know you go into the slavery thing they don't have that

[00:45:22] [SPEAKER_01]: had the freedom to sing so they'll be singing you know and all of those even uh work songs found

[00:45:30] [SPEAKER_01]: their way into popular consciousness and became huge songs and inspired you know uh you know

[00:45:36] [SPEAKER_01]: negro spirituals you know all of these things that have been given certain names so music

[00:45:42] [SPEAKER_01]: has always had uh music is divinity it's an energy of divinity it's an energy of god

[00:45:49] [SPEAKER_01]: you know it's an energy of the spirit you know music comes from the voice and the voice is breath

[00:45:55] [SPEAKER_01]: and it comes it's not your body that makes the music it's your breath it's something that when

[00:46:02] [SPEAKER_01]: you speak is the word you speak yeah that so it has always been our power that nobody controls

[00:46:08] [SPEAKER_01]: nobody can control what you say you know what i mean you just have to be no okay this is

[00:46:14] [SPEAKER_01]: to say or the wrong thing to say is your choice so the ability to also express ourselves to music

[00:46:20] [SPEAKER_01]: has always been our primary power but the problem is that it is a two-edged sword you know

[00:46:29] [SPEAKER_01]: even when you look at not to even that when you look at music has can also be used as a

[00:46:34] [SPEAKER_01]: a means to target you whereby your music that you are making doesn't talk about anything you

[00:46:41] [SPEAKER_01]: it's mindless it diminishes who you are you know i remember in the times when the amplification

[00:46:47] [SPEAKER_01]: of even the word nigger in american rap and everybody thought it was cool but it was not

[00:46:54] [SPEAKER_01]: cool it was a word that was to use to diminish the value of black people and all of a sudden

[00:47:00] [SPEAKER_01]: people think that because they'd use it as like a term of coolness that means it diminishes

[00:47:05] [SPEAKER_01]: it diminishes too at the same time it doesn't stop the original intention of the world so

[00:47:09] [SPEAKER_01]: have to be aware of where you know that's where that's where i when i think of our music

[00:47:15] [SPEAKER_01]: getting popular too is that it also exposes us to the danger of now it could be used as

[00:47:22] [SPEAKER_01]: a reverse source where we are using that to instead of focusing on the main developmental

[00:47:29] [SPEAKER_01]: things we are focusing on the carnal things always you know that you know black people

[00:47:35] [SPEAKER_01]: we think about is just going in and having fun and you know and you know and and and and

[00:47:43] [SPEAKER_01]: expressing only carnal things you know it's not about you know you you go onto the internet

[00:47:49] [SPEAKER_01]: it's about some twerking some something you know you know body this and so we're we're

[00:47:56] [SPEAKER_01]: fixated on only all of that and the music is all you know geared towards that and then

[00:48:02] [SPEAKER_01]: diminishing the value of even our womanhood our woman you know all of that you know telling

[00:48:08] [SPEAKER_01]: you know turning them into objects of sexuality and all of that rather than the queens which

[00:48:14] [SPEAKER_01]: they are you know so if you're not careful that music will also turn around and then

[00:48:21] [SPEAKER_01]: also using the music to also amplify things that are not part of your culture you know

[00:48:26] [SPEAKER_01]: what i mean adapting things too that are not part of who you are to break down who you are

[00:48:31] [SPEAKER_01]: either for you to still fall into slavery so all i'm saying is there is an energy we

[00:48:36] [SPEAKER_01]: have the power we have the ability of it but also just like everything if we lose the narrative

[00:48:42] [SPEAKER_01]: and the control of it it's going to be a tool that will be used against us look at the

[00:48:47] [SPEAKER_01]: musicians who have been uh have have sued the test of time fellacuti bob marley and all look

[00:48:53] [SPEAKER_01]: at what kind of music they were doing the music was not about there was a lot of music

[00:48:58] [SPEAKER_01]: at that time do you hear them no you don't hear them anymore so we have to look at our music

[00:49:05] [SPEAKER_01]: as something that it needs to articulate the african this one has music a music of of of uh

[00:49:12] [SPEAKER_01]: of message big message high message in a music that brings our people together music

[00:49:18] [SPEAKER_01]: challenges they start to school a music that empowers us a music that inspire our people

[00:49:23] [SPEAKER_01]: to know that we are masters of our own and not subservient to anybody that is when we'll be

[00:49:30] [SPEAKER_01]: talking wow that's when our culture wins that's when music rises to be that divine tool i always

[00:49:38] [SPEAKER_01]: say that david in the bible david was king of israel not because he was a warrior he was

[00:49:46] [SPEAKER_01]: chosen because he was he had music that was his first thing he was a musician before he

[00:49:52] [SPEAKER_02]: was called to be a soldier and a king and the funny thing is satan was also a uh musician himself

[00:49:59] [SPEAKER_02]: wasn't he was like the chief musician in heaven wasn't he satan or lucifer if you will yes

[00:50:04] [SPEAKER_01]: yeah music was always and when lucifer was a musician he was in that rebellious aspect he

[00:50:12] [SPEAKER_01]: was a great musician that's why he got elevated to that level yeah you know but

[00:50:18] [SPEAKER_01]: obviously it was used for something else you know but that shows the power that lies in music

[00:50:25] [SPEAKER_01]: that it can either be a tool for positivity or a tool for negativity yeah but it's a power

[00:50:32] [SPEAKER_01]: and that's why african music has to be about something african music cannot be about carnal

[00:50:40] [SPEAKER_01]: things and we should look at how even when you look at rap music you know rap music was

[00:50:46] [SPEAKER_01]: victory for black people but later rap music was all that you talked about was chains

[00:50:52] [SPEAKER_01]: gold chains you know it's still the same chain that way if you have gold why do you have a

[00:50:57] [SPEAKER_01]: chain slavery isn't that slave mindset slave mindset it it propagated slave mindset in a big

[00:51:03] [SPEAKER_01]: way and it was elevated as an aspiration and i think to some extent although the music grew

[00:51:10] [SPEAKER_01]: to be a big thing but socially and mindset wise what was the cost to our people

[00:51:18] [SPEAKER_02]: yeah it was a big cost yes a big cost yes because rocket has been a fantastic conversation

[00:51:27] [SPEAKER_02]: um you are of course you had the grammys um recently and you were around a lot of

[00:51:32] [SPEAKER_02]: african artists and musicians um how do you feel about the future of african music

[00:51:38] [SPEAKER_01]: i think that it's opportunity but as i said in every opportunity it's like what do you

[00:51:42] [SPEAKER_01]: do with opportunity you know what i mean yeah um and what are you saying with opportunity

[00:51:48] [SPEAKER_01]: what do you represent and who are you you know it can just be

[00:51:56] [SPEAKER_01]: just like without saying nothing without meaning nothing yeah without using it for

[00:52:00] [SPEAKER_01]: something yeah you see so it's a good time it's a great time it's a great opportunity

[00:52:08] [SPEAKER_01]: but what do we do with it that's that's the rhetorical question what do you do with that

[00:52:13] [SPEAKER_02]: exactly amazing 2024 i'm sure the year is looking fantastic for you um what are some

[00:52:18] [SPEAKER_01]: of the things you got lined up um the right now you know we're getting ready for some

[00:52:25] [SPEAKER_01]: local concerts i'm i'm thirsty to play here in gana you know just being out there and all of

[00:52:31] [SPEAKER_01]: that so we're working on a show in april we're gonna do start doing some concerts here in akra

[00:52:37] [SPEAKER_01]: as the gradual build up towards the end of the year i'm mostly it's also an election year

[00:52:42] [SPEAKER_01]: in gana so i want to be you know very involved in the peace initiatives that are going here

[00:52:48] [SPEAKER_01]: because uh in the long run what we need to preserve is who we are you know the stability

[00:52:54] [SPEAKER_01]: of our country and also uh amplifying the social cohesion you know and diminishing the tribal vitriol

[00:53:02] [SPEAKER_01]: that has poisoned our you know kind of election narrative and then also um you know people

[00:53:10] [SPEAKER_01]: knowing that there's something called that is citizen of gana that's higher than your

[00:53:13] [SPEAKER_01]: political colors you know so being able to kind of amplify that and um and then um

[00:53:21] [SPEAKER_01]: and then the record coming you know so the record is being uh prepared and then you know working

[00:53:28] [SPEAKER_01]: on some tours to in the u.s and then i'm actually heading right now to nairobi for

[00:53:35] [SPEAKER_01]: the united nations environmental assembly okay where i'm going to be speaking and also

[00:53:39] [SPEAKER_01]: playing because for me to when the leaders gather too i like to bring like david i like

[00:53:45] [SPEAKER_01]: to bring the message of music first to mindset you know you know when soul couldn't

[00:53:50] [SPEAKER_01]: with the world that he was being is he needed david to play music so that he can get him into

[00:53:56] [SPEAKER_01]: the right heel in mental i feel that music too is a tool of healing so i always like to bring

[00:54:01] [SPEAKER_01]: to the today biggest gatherings and then also to push the environment agenda the re-greening

[00:54:09] [SPEAKER_01]: of the content the preservation of who we are the precision of our soil the preservation of

[00:54:15] [SPEAKER_01]: our arid lands because i know that most of our countries who are selling our land to that

[00:54:20] [SPEAKER_01]: grow food on yeah so all of those things trying to really awaken you know the consciousness of our

[00:54:26] [SPEAKER_01]: people through whatever my efforts are and also inspiring others to to do the same

[00:54:32] [SPEAKER_01]: so that's the key mission yeah that's a key mission isn't it yeah yeah i think it's beautiful

[00:54:37] [SPEAKER_02]: because we had another guest i was speaking to and they were complaining about how um all

[00:54:44] [SPEAKER_02]: of the land has been taken up by property real estate and there's nothing left for the

[00:54:48] [SPEAKER_01]: yeah yeah and how much real estate are we building and people can't even afford it

[00:54:54] [SPEAKER_01]: you know all these arable land who who are selling all of these tracks you know it's just

[00:54:59] [SPEAKER_01]: it's really interesting to see that you know real estate agriculture is where the growth is

[00:55:05] [SPEAKER_01]: you know real estate you're building you know if your economic level if we are not elevating

[00:55:10] [SPEAKER_01]: the ability of our people to be able to to to to afford those things and we're just building

[00:55:16] [SPEAKER_01]: a lot of them you know there's a lot i can tell about real estate i know that you know in many

[00:55:22] [SPEAKER_01]: countries where you go and there's all those skyscrapers half of them to 80 percent of them

[00:55:27] [SPEAKER_01]: are empty many countries are building as a showpiece of economic development so that when

[00:55:33] [SPEAKER_01]: you fly into the country you see skyscrapers and what they want to do like america and

[00:55:37] [SPEAKER_01]: many countries that have a lot of money are doing that but it's not they can support that

[00:55:43] [SPEAKER_01]: because it's a showpiece that you come he's like oh this place is beautiful and all of that kind

[00:55:48] [SPEAKER_01]: of stuff but in the long run we our focus should be more in terms of how do we develop

[00:55:53] [SPEAKER_01]: our people and preserve our culture yes so our culture access to land access to agriculture

[00:55:59] [SPEAKER_01]: so that we can build that capacity of our people to be able to afford

[00:56:04] [SPEAKER_01]: the real estate we don't put the the the egg before the chicken or the chicken before the

[00:56:09] [SPEAKER_01]: we have to make sure that harmoniously all of that work but we need to invest more into the

[00:56:16] [SPEAKER_01]: human capital of africa because in the long run if it's not about the human beings who live there

[00:56:21] [SPEAKER_01]: then what is the purpose of all of it true yeah true it's amazing and one of my guests

[00:56:26] [SPEAKER_02]: said trust is the biggest currency and you said human is the biggest capital yes incredible

[00:56:31] [SPEAKER_01]: yes that's that's why you and i are here you know 100 years when it was somebody else

[00:56:37] [SPEAKER_01]: that was you know so if at this moment we have to do what is elevates all of us and all of

[00:56:43] [SPEAKER_01]: so so the human capital is the most important i certainly agree with you rocky thank you for

[00:56:49] [SPEAKER_02]: enlightening our audience i want you to leave the audience with one last thing because at

[00:56:54] [SPEAKER_02]: the end of the day it's about shaping the mindsets to go and make huge impacts such as

[00:56:59] [SPEAKER_02]: what you're doing right now thank you i'd much like you to speak to one of the cameras and

[00:57:03] [SPEAKER_02]: leave one thing they can take away to go and transform their mindset and go make an impact

[00:57:09] [SPEAKER_01]: in their own way all i can say you know is that you know we are all gifts in the mindset

[00:57:20] [SPEAKER_01]: of the creator you know and imagine each of us was born uniquely out of all possibilities

[00:57:31] [SPEAKER_01]: even the conception in the womb there's a lot of possibilities you know even from the early part

[00:57:37] [SPEAKER_01]: where you were the chosen one to be the one that becomes a baby in the womb of birth so all

[00:57:48] [SPEAKER_01]: of us are special and if you're able to find that special nature in you that also lets you

[00:57:57] [SPEAKER_01]: all the power that you need to become the best of yourself too is already in your own hands

[00:58:02] [SPEAKER_01]: so it's about finding yourself finding your purpose working hard at it and knowing that

[00:58:10] [SPEAKER_01]: even working hard at it each stepping stone will come as a stumbling block but it's about when

[00:58:17] [SPEAKER_01]: you change your mindset you are able to see it for what it is and when you're able to do

[00:58:22] [SPEAKER_01]: i believe that you can be able to be the best of yourself and in the long run we all become

[00:58:29] [SPEAKER_01]: the best of all of us that's the future i couldn't have said it any better than that

[00:58:36] [SPEAKER_02]: rocky has been an absolute honor it's been an absolute pleasure thank you um where can everyone

[00:58:40] [SPEAKER_01]: find you hear your music keep up with what you're doing yes rocky dawni r-o-c-k-y-d-a-w-u-n-i

[00:58:47] [SPEAKER_01]: both facebook instagram twitter you know google find me it's a movement you know it's a movement

[00:58:57] [SPEAKER_01]: of transforming the continents a movement or transforming the globe it's a movement

[00:59:02] [SPEAKER_01]: of transforming humanity it's a movement of bringing that energy of god and the light of

[00:59:07] [SPEAKER_01]: god through all of us through the power of music so join peace and love yeah yes i yeah

[00:59:16] [SPEAKER_02]: you've got a quite a considerable following but i'm pleased you're using that considerable

[00:59:21] [SPEAKER_02]: following for good you're using it yes for good things yeah for bad things like yes

[00:59:26] [SPEAKER_02]: gust yes amazing well then you guys have it guys the one and only rocky dawni um musician

[00:59:34] [SPEAKER_02]: philanthropist entrepreneur economist activist or you can name a little singer-songwriter

[00:59:39] [SPEAKER_02]: he's everything he's everything and i've usually just had a fantastic conversation

[00:59:43] [SPEAKER_02]: you guys have just listened to for all of today's references key links wisdom points

[00:59:48] [SPEAKER_02]: head over to the sound of a crowd.com forward slash rocky that's the sound of a crowd.com

[00:59:54] [SPEAKER_02]: forward slash rocky will have everything in the show notes if you're watching on

[00:59:57] [SPEAKER_02]: youtube or listening on the podcast player look in the description below for some links

[01:00:00] [SPEAKER_02]: to rocky social media and uh yeah that's it guys um thanks thanks for watching let us know

[01:00:07] [SPEAKER_02]: what you think of the conversation get in the chat in youtube leave a comment let us

[01:00:11] [SPEAKER_02]: know what you think drop us an email and we'll catch you at the next episode thank you so much guys take care