Listen Africa! meets Klu, a 31-year-old ace Ghanaian rapper who has released 29 bodies of work in 11 years
He is due to release his 30th body of work, '2020 Ultimate Paradise: Plenty Better Things' on October 30, 2020.
Stage Name
Klu
Age
31
Background
Fresh out of Secondary School, I started selling plain T-shirts and sneaker kicks that made me meet people who liked being fresh some of my customers were artists. Being around them made me realize their need for beats. The only producer around where I lived was taking a lot of money for sessions, so I decided to learn production.
I challenged myself to make 10 beats a day over a month. I had a lot of beats, so I sold for half price. Selling beats and selling clothes made me some money, so I bought studio equipment - recording and making beats for people. I also made more money.
Moving forward I had so many beats, so I started trying to make my own music.
With good reviews from artists, I decided to make a name for myself. I then dropped 12 full mixtapes with an average of 15 tracks per mixtape.
Between 2010 to 2014, I dropped a mixtape every quarter of the year. I had met my goal and made a name for myself. I had so many songs and collaboration because artists would exchange verses for beats on my mixtapes.
At this point, I had worked with so many big names like Edem, Wanlov Kubolor, Little Shaker, Bra Kevin, Joey B, Kojo Cue, Mr. Eazi Edi Young and RJZ.
I have also produced for artists like Sarkodie, 4x4, Fuse ODG, Atumpan, Joey B, Pappy Kojo, Mr Eazi and King Promise. My mixtape hustle created a niche and started the mixtape culture in Accra, Ghana.
Style Of Music
My mixtape hustle saw me create a space for myself in the music scene whilst learning what my listening audience would want from me as an artist. I would make different types of music - Rap, Afropop, R&B, HighLife and more - on my mixtapes.
How Many Projects Do I Have ?
Mixtapes
[Free Download]
2009 Framework
2010 Wright.Ingram.Nestor
2010 Independence Day Mixtape
2010 Stolen Music
2011 CanvasLife
2011 Stolen Music 2
2012 Triple Threat EP
2012 Stolen Music 3
2013 It's Just Different
2013 Stolen Music 4
2014 Wright.Ingram.Nestor 2
2015 Asokor Yellow Disco Collection
2016 Level EP
2016 This Thing That We Do
2016 This Thing That We Do 2
2016 International
2017 Triple Threat 2 EP
2017 Triple Threat 3 EP
2020 Triple Threat 4 EP
Studio Albums
2015 With All Reason
2015 Be Careful
2017 Wright.Ingram.Nestor 3
2017 Everything Shining
2018 ABEN
2020 2020 Ultimate Paradise: Plenty Better Things
Collaborative Albums
2012 Kay-Ara & Klu - Tuesday EP
2016 ROYALKCMG - NEW WORLD ORDER
2016 Kay-Ara & Klu - Tuesday 2 EP
2016 Jae Ghost & Klu - SOmething’s Gotta Give
What inspires you?
My goals and aspirations inspire me. My music is a forecast of a future that I hope for, and sometimes its my therapy for what I'm currently challenged with.
What does music mean to you?
It gives me a voice. For a very long time, I felt like everyone was on different page to me. But somehow, music gives a place and creates a my own world where people like me share equal thinking capacities and aspirations
How is your audience these days?
Well after a decade, an audience moves on to their own aspirations. Some now have their own families, with jobs of their own and lives of their own. As an artist, if you make anything for yourself with the music, you should be on to bigger things. But where I’m from, I’m just like a new artist struggling to be here to and appeal to an ever-evolving soundscape.
What makes you happy?
Mostly feedback from an engaging audience, seeing people enjoy the music, hearing back from them, seeing videos of how they enjoy the music and having them come to shows.
It's been a struggle but the little things make it worth my while. We still hope for bigger and better things
How did your last EP come to life?
So the last EP dropped during quarantine. I hadn't dropped anything since my last album ABEN in 2018, so I just wanted something for the period since everyone was at home.
I also discovered a disconnect between me and my audience, basically because there are new artists working on the sound that I was known for. These artists were also getting all the support and backing from from blogs, and were doing it with newer and cooler presentation, you know.
New audience, new times and all. So I wasn't necessarily the go to guy for those sounds anymore. My Last EP Triple Threat dropped on a the idea to reconnect with an old audience and pique the interest of a new audience as well
What's the ultimate goal for Klu?
Simple - to have a successful revenue-generating career and to share my story as well as the stories of many others like me.
What’s your roll-out plan these days?
The purpose is still alive, but capital is always the concern. Currently, I'm gearing up to release a new album 2020 Ultimate Paradise: Plenty Better Things. Album art and concert have also been released/announced.
It’s just basic at this time.
If you had $1Million what would you do with it?
I would give my audience a premium sonic and visual experience. I would also create a very lucrative attraction for the Klu brand.
#ListenAfricaExtra - Here are additional bits of content from the past week;
Boombuzz charts with BBNaija Lockdown winner, Laycon and fourth runner up, Vee. Watch below;
Pulse Nigeria’s Senior Editor, Steve Dede chats with UFC Champion, Israel Adesanya. You can read that HERE.
You can catch up with Motolani Alake’s work this week HERE.
Fu’ad Lawal, Editor-In-Chief at Zikoko starts a newsletter, Vistanium.
Veteran Culture Journalist, Ayomide Tayo launched the first installment of his newsletter, Naija Times. You can also get his podcast, 234 Essential HERE.
Veteran Journalist and Tech professional, Chiagoziem Onyekwena also manages GetDotAfrica, a weekly newsletter on happenings in African Tech.
Davido Adeleke, Head of Communication at Eko Atlantic started Communique, a newsletter.
Veteran Nigerian Journalist and Director of Marketing at OPay, Osagie Alonge is back with a new podcast titled, A Music In Time.
You can catch up with veteran Nigerian Journalist, Jide Taiwo’s newsletter History Made for some mind-blowing stories about Nigerian music.
You can get the playlist on all five streaming platforms HERE.
Here are the song on the Listen Africa! Playlist on Apple Music, YouTube Music, Audiomack, Deezer and Boomplay;
R&B
Icecold Mob - Friends
Mthunzi - Selimathunzi (Extended version)
Elaine - Risky
Mizzle - Hands On You
Afropop
Kwamz - Ronaldo
Nappy - Many Things
Young Jonn - Incase
Tekno - Puttin
Timmss Obey - Gat You
Reekado Banks ft Kida Kudz & EO - Need more
Rap
Medikal - La Hustle remix ft. Criss Wadde & Joey B
Cassper Nyovest - Nokuthula
Gigi Atlantis - Wahala On The Rocks
Mannywellz - Wrong Place
Olamide - Green Light
Alternative/Pop/Folk
Yes Liya - Be My Vibe
BANTU - Me, Myself and I
Simi and Adekunle Gold - Bites The Dust
Cassper Nyovest featuring Zola 7 - Hlengiwe
3rty featuring Joyce Olong - Dreaming
Contact:
Follow us on Twitter: @ListenAfrica_
Follow us on Instagram: @ListenAfrica
Shoot us an email for playlist inclusion or a feature: curatealisten@gmail.com
Until next week, guys…