Barima Yoofi Calls For New Approach To Keep Spoken Word Relevant

Ghanaian spoken word artist Barima Yoofi says practitioners of the craft must adapt to changing audience habits and make spoken word more appealing to younger generations.

Speaking in the Morning Bite segment on 3Music TV’s Culture Daily morning show, Yoofi said spoken word artists can no longer rely solely on traditional approaches if they want to remain relevant in an era where people are increasingly consuming content through digital platforms.

“We are losing our audience touch on grounds,” he said, reflecting on the challenges facing poetry and spoken word today.

According to him, while pioneers such as Rhyme Sonny, Poetra Asantewa and others helped shape the art form for their generation, younger artists must find new ways to engage audiences.

“We’ve been looking at how best to evolve the craft to meet a generation like ours,” he said.

Yoofi, who prefers to describe himself as a spoken word artist rather than a poet, explained that spoken word differs from traditional poetry because it is designed primarily for live performance and audience engagement.

“Poetry is mainly, you know, it follows a certain metre, structure. Mostly it’s on books, like it’s on the pages. But spoken word artists are basically for live performances,” he said.

The artist said his approach has increasingly focused on using contemporary tools and audience participation to make spoken word more accessible.

One example is his Word on the Street series, where he invites people to provide random words and then builds performances around them.

“I try to do as much as possible to utilise the tools,” he said.

Yoofi said the technique emerged after he realised audiences often remember performances that stand out from the norm.

“I tell people that people will never remember good. They remember the difference,” he said.

The spoken word artist also stressed the importance of storytelling, arguing that effective communication remains at the centre of every successful creative career.

“I’m a storyteller. Every one of the best in whatever you’re doing, you need to be a storyteller. You need to communicate,” he said.

The conversation coincided with the promotion of his latest spoken word project, I Wish We Knew, a collection available on major streaming platforms.

The project explores themes including identity, authenticity, mental well-being, friendship, faith and personal growth.

One piece, he explained, was inspired by a conversation with a friend who struggled with seeking validation through social media.

“Everybody’s losing their authenticity,” he said while discussing the inspiration behind one of the works.

Yoofi said significant thought went into making the project appealing to listeners who may not ordinarily engage with spoken word content.

“In this age, people are finding it very hard to read,” he said.

As a result, the project incorporates music and other creative elements designed to attract wider audiences.

“A lot of intentionality goes into it,” he added.

Beyond performance, Yoofi described writing as a deeply personal process, saying he does not create solely for public presentation.

“I never write for my place of performance,” he said. “It’s therapy to me. Writing is very therapeutic to me.”

The artist said much of his work draws from lived experiences and shared experiences rather than abstract concepts.

For him, these authentic stories provide the strongest foundation for meaningful artistic expression.

I Wish We Knew was released on 5 June and is available on major streaming platforms including Spotify, Boomplay, Audiomack, SoundCloud, Deezer and Tidal.