Veteran Highlife musician, Jewel Ackah, has been in the media lately for saying the radio stations are killing his new gospel album titled ‘Jesus.’
Unfurling his ordeal and grievance on Channel R on Friday 21st Feb, 2014, Jewel Ackah said he has taken his promo CDs to Peace fm, Rainbow Radio, Sena Radio and others but they don’t play his songs. “I went to Peace fm and met Father Dickson. He introduced one lady to me and asked me to give my CDs to the lady and I did.
Till date, I’ve not heard my song played on their medium. You know Despite has 3 mediums – Peace fm, OK fm and Neat fm; none of them plays my songs. Abeiku Santa, my son (not biological though), I’ve complained to him. He called me and promised of calling to interview me. Here I am, he’s not called me again.
Asked if he paid PAYOLA – monies (arguably illegal) some DJs and presenters take before they play songs from musicians when he gave his promo CDs out, Jewel Ackah retorted “I won’t pay any payola to any DJ! One DJ I gave my CD to at Oman fm called me and told me some of his colleagues want payola else they won’t play my songs.
I told him I won’t pay ‘foko!” Why should I pay payola before my songs are played?” Jewel Ackah also revealed that he’s produced about 2000 copies of his promo CDs. He sent 500 to Despite Stores in Kantamanto and 300 to Airport Shell. The rest are decaying in his room.
“I’ve not sent the rest to the other regions because even in Accra where I can monitor, they (radio stations) are not playing the songs; how sure I’m I that if I take it to the other regions, they will play it.”
At the end of the interview, it was obvious that, Jewel Ackah, a celebrated and experienced musician as he is, currently, does not have an executive producer, publicist and or manager who assists in his branding, promotion and publicity activities or strategies; so he’s turn himself into ‘Captain Planet,’ hoping from one media house to the other – doing promotions.
This is one bane to the image and products of most of Ghana’s old musicians who still wants to be relevant in the music industry. GhanaCelebrities.Com is by this publication, urging Jewel Ackah to contract at least a publicist to project his image and songs in the various mass media – print, online, radio, television, posters, banners and especially, social media. Until then….MOTWUM!!