Joshua Baraka Opines On The Challenges Of Bridging Gaps Across Continents

Ugandan singer and music producer,Joshua Baraka, has described Ghana as a critical cultural and musical hub, stressing the country’s importance in shaping conversations around African music and cross-continental collaboration.

Speaking on the Big Conversation, the Ugandan artiste said his decision to include Ghana in the promotion of his new album was both intentional and symbolic.

“Ghana is definitely on the forefront of African music,” he said. “Even if people sometimes try to make it seem like it’s not, it absolutely is.”

Baraka, who is in Ghana for a short visit, explained that his trip combines album promotion with networking and collaboration with Ghanaian musicians. Though brief, he says the experience has reinforced his belief that African music hubs must be actively engaged, not admired from afar.

Addressing the long-standing conversation about the perceived divide between West and East African music industries, Baraka attributed the gap to historical, political and infrastructural factors.

He noted that while West African music particularly from countries like Nigeria and Ghana has enjoyed global pipelines for decades, East African industries are still finding their footing.

“Our industries are still young,” he explained. “You’ve had global stars before us. There’s infrastructure already in place. For East Africa, it’s still being built.”

Despite this, he believes music is already doing the work of uniting the continent though more support is needed from governments through visa-free travel and cultural exchange policies.

Baraka admitted that it is often more difficult for East African artistes to penetrate West African markets than the reverse, largely due to limited exposure.

“West Africans don’t always know what’s happening in East Africa and you can’t really blame them,” he said. “That’s why some of us have to travel, show up and push our music directly.”

He cited collaborations and previous visits to Ghana as key steps in building familiarity, including his work with KiDi on the song SOMEDAY, as well as earlier projects involving King Promise and Joeboy.

He described Ugandan music as heavily influenced by dancehall, infused with local cultural references and traditional rhythms, while a new generation of artistes experiments with more urban and global sounds.