C-Real Encourages Creatives To Have Strategies And Structures

The Super Bowl No Fee Policy has sparked debates about whether Ghanaian creatives should offer their services for free.

In a discussion on 3Music TV’s Culture Daily, co-host C-Real, asserted that Ghanaian artistes lack established methods that might be used to accrue significant value from these huge platforms even when they are not paid. Citing musician Black Sherif’s performance at last year’s 3Music Awards, he contends that musicians may gain recognition from appearing on such shows but if they do not continue to put a lot of effort into their craft afterwards, all might be a waste.

“There needs to be a structure for you to maximize and capitalize on the opportunity. 3Music can give you the stage and the shower. If Blacko wasn’t consistent after that fact he would have been forgotten. So his follow-up is what made that opportunity worth it. The novelty of what 3Music did for Black Sherif in itself is crazy valuable. The majority of the artistes and the creatives that take these stages do not have the right structures, strategies and business managers to leverage these platforms.”

He continued by adding that during such performances, deliberate attempts should be made to link brands to the artiste because this type of tactic enables the musician to earn some money.

“Looking at the opportunities you would be given at VGMA, you have a 15-minute set and VGMA said they can’t pay you but they can pay your dancers. What songs are you going to perform? Out of your catalogue which songs can you tie in brands to that you can go to a brand and say this my song I LOVE GHANA I want to wear this fabric so I need you to pay me this because the broadcaster is going to broadcast from all major stations, we are going to amplify and it’s going to be on social media so for wearing African Print shirt pay me 100 thousand cedis?”

This discussion follows the just-ended Super Bowl Halftime Show, where multiple award-winning artiste, Rihanna, was not paid for her highly publicized performance.