I Was A Waiter - J.Derobie Recalls Hustle Before Music Breakthrough

Ghanaian dancehall artiste J.Derobie says he worked as a waiter, cashier and chef at a restaurant in Dansoman Mall while chasing his music dream.

Speaking on Chef It Up on 3Music TV, he revealed it took him six months to record his breakthrough song 'Poverty' because of his work schedule.

“I was a waiter,” he said.

According to J.Derobie, he later learned to prepare meals in the restaurant’s kitchen and eventually became a chef because of the practical skills he picked up on the job.

“The food was not hard to make. Seeing how he was doing it, he taught me some of the things,he said.”

When the restaurant relocated, he left before later rejoining the business at its Osu branch, where he combined several roles.

“I became the chef and the waiter and then the cashier,” he said.

Alongside work, he was also studying System Engineering at IPMC, although he said he was unable to complete the programme.

J Derobie said recording music during that period was challenging because of his work schedule.

He revealed that it took him about six months to complete his breakthrough song, Poverty, because he could only visit the studio when he was free.

The musician also recalled serving musician Sarkodie and his family when they visited the restaurant.

He said he was responsible for attending to them during the visit but did not speak to the rapper about his own music ambitions.

J.Derobie said he later volunteered at the Births and Deaths Registry before deciding to focus entirely on music after his career began to gain momentum.

He added that his parents fully supported his decision to pursue music full time.