#GJUPCLOSE: Cofy Dela's Interview with Kojo-CUE (@kojo_cue)
The Hip
hop scene now in Ghana is reaching its peak; this cannot be done alone but done
with a lot of people with the same Vision. Today Ghjams is interviewing one
of the most anticipated hip hop artist who turns to be an inspiration for most
young and upcoming artiste especially the Kumasi based ones. He is nobody rather
than our own Punchline King, Kojo_ Cue.
Enjoy the
interview below:
Dela: Welcome to
Ghjams interview
Kojo_Cue: Thanks
bro
Dela: So Kojo
are you a student?
Kojo_Cue: Yes I am
a 4th year student of the Ghana Institute of Journalism
Dela:When this
whole rap thing did began?
Kojo_Cue: Started
in JSS but it got serious in my last year of SHS.
Dela: So when did u start serious music?
Kojo_ Cue: 2010,
where I did my first professional recordings.
Dela: Was it just a track?
Kojo_Cue: It wasn’t
a track; it was the recordings that
become my first mixtape album…
N.A.T.H.A.N (acronym for Now And The Here – After Nigga).
Dela: It contained how many songs?
Kojo_ Cue: 12 songs
and 4 of them were original songs.
(That
actually got me introduced into the hip-hop scene in Ghana and my fans)
Dela: Where did
you complete you Senior High School?
Kojo_ Cue: Kumasi
Anglican Secondary School (KASS)
Dela: Did you ever rap at school?
Kojo_ Cue: Yes... I
only performed once in SHS
Dela:
Did you win an award on the wards night?
Kojo_ Cue: Didn’t
win an award but all the rappers knew that I could rap
Dela:(Great)
Dela: Which
part of the country do you hail from?
Kojo- Cue: Kumasi,
Bantama to be precise
Dela: Why the
name Punchline King?
Kojo_ Cue: I was
given that name by DJ Slim after I freestyle on his shows... I was giving him
so many punchlines he had to hear two times to understand so he dubbed me the
punchline King.
(Dela:
That’s massive)
Dela: I no you
are signed to Cue Records, Right?
Kojo_ Cue: Yes, that
is right
Dela: Is that your first label?
Kojo_ Cue: No, I
used to be Primitive Music and I left
Dela: Between
which years were you with Primitive Music?
Kojo_ Cue: I was
with Primitive Music from 2010 till beginning of 2012
Dela: Why did
you leave Primitive Music?
Kojo_ Cue: I left because our marketing and promotional
goals were not the same… They wanted to market me mostly to the outside world
over the internet and I liked that idea but I believed that we had to start at
home and on radio
Dela: In terms
of ideas, how is Cue’s own to yours?
Kojo_ Cue: Yes, they
have the same ideas as mine... So everything is working out as it should in the
meantime
Dela: I know
you have five (5) mixtapes
Kojo- Cue: No, seven
(7) but two (2) were not serious projects so I have five (5) serious mixtapes
Dela: Mention
them in order?
Kojo_ Cue: Ok,
N.A.T.H.A.N, N.O.N.A, Now and Forever, The Wait, Before We Shine, 4 Play,
Before We Shine 2.
(4Play and
The Wait were not serious projects)
Dela: I know
all these are massive projects, which is your favorite?
Kojo_ Cue: Before We
Shine 2, because it’s the best out of the bunch but I also had a soft spot for
Now and Forever.
Dela: Have you
ever tried featuring any one outside the country (Foreigners)?
Kojo_ Cue: No, no
foreigners on any of them.
Dela: Do you
have any collaboration mixtape with Fatao Cue?
Kojo_ Cue:
Yes,
there were songs originally recorded for BWS2 but didn’t make it, so he
complied them into a mixtape called ‘Touch Of Magic’.
Dela: So you
did this together?
Kojo_ Cue: It is
just a complilation of my unreleased songs with Fatao hosting it.
Dela: Have you
won any national award yet?
Kojo_ Cue: No, I
haven’t
Dela: How was
the feel like when you had the ‘lie ben’ song with Asem?
Kojo_ Cue: It felt
great, the two of us had been compared for a long while so it was great for us
to get together and work and give the fans something to smile about.
Dela:
(That was an exceptional one, kudos)
Kojo_ cue:
(Thanks bro, I appreciate it)
Dela: How did
the song do on the internet and on the local radios?
Kojo_ Cue:
Incredibly well on the internet, with 20,000 and over downloads and radio did
well too. Considering, I didn’t send them copies but it’s still being played.
Dela: Considering
those whom you have worked so far with, whom have you enjoyed working most
with?
Kojo_ Cue:
So
far I have enjoyed working with Klu the most because we have incredible
chemistry and Stone of Bradez too.
Dela: Do you
only do hip hop music?
Kojo_ Cue:
No,
I also do Afro- Pop, Highlife and Blues
Dela: Least I
forget, which of the songs that you have produced is your favorite?
Kojo_ Cue: I love
every song I have produced so far and do not have a favorite
Dela: So which
people or person do you wish to work with now?
Kojo_ Cue:
Right
now I have worked with anybody … who is willing to work and I have a few line
up
Dela: Can you
make the list known to us?
Kojo_ Cue: Okyeame
Kwame, Killmatic, Lil Shaker, Lousika.
Dela: So how do
you see hip hop and your career in the years to come?
Kojo_ Cue: Hip-hop
is gradually becoming the major genre in Ghana and my career, is bright.
Dela: Now, tell us, who is the lady behind your
success?
Kojo_ Cue:
(Laughing)
I am not sure she wants the attention, but there is a lady,
a lady pharmacist. That’s all I can say
Dela: (lucky
you)
Dela: Wishing you attain tour dreams
Kojo_ Cue:
Thanks
bro, wish success for you too
Source: Cofy Dela