Mr Drew Calls for Bigger, Fairer Music Industry

Ghanaian musician Mr Drew has called for a more inclusive music industry, saying the sector has become too focused on a handful of artistes while many other talented musicians struggle for attention.

The “Case” hitmaker believes Ghana’s music industry has enough talent to become much bigger if emerging and less recognised artistes are given more opportunities to perform, promote their music and reach wider audiences.

Speaking in a recent interview on Onua FM, Mr Drew said the industry was being made to look smaller because the same group of musicians continued to dominate major events, performances and music platforms.

“The industry is so big for all of us, but sometimes, we’ve made it so small. We’ve made it look like it revolves around a few people, and this is not helping the industry to go far,” he said.

According to him, there are several artistes with good music who remain largely unnoticed because opportunities are repeatedly given to already established names.

“There are so many good artistes who are not getting attention, but over the years, the industry has been built around a few people. If those few people are scattering things, everybody else suffers,” he stated.

Mr Drew also questioned why major events and music programmes continue to feature similar lineups when there are many other musicians waiting for their chance.

“Meanwhile, it can be bigger. Every day, it’s the same people, the same names and the same lineups. If the other good artistes are given the platform, they can even do more,” he added.

Beyond opportunities and visibility, Mr Drew also raised concerns about the financial benefits musicians receive from their work, particularly through Ghana’s royalty system.

In an interview on Onua FM on September 24, 2026, the musician said artistes can spend huge amounts of money promoting their songs after release but still struggle to make meaningful income from royalties generated locally.

“There’s no money in the system. You can do a lot of promos after releasing a project, but the royalty system is bad here,” he said.

Mr Drew explained that although musicians can track income generated from their music within Ghana, many still depend on foreign systems to receive substantial payments.

“You can even track your income locally. We all depend on the foreign system to get our money,” he stated.

He also questioned the amount of money musicians who have been registered with royalty systems for several years actually receive from their work.

“When you ask, they will tell you that you’ve registered, but the person who registered for years, how much are they paying them?” he asked.

Mr Drew further argued that a large share of the money earned by Ghanaian musicians comes from outside the country, despite money being generated within Ghana.

“The most money comes from outside the country, but meanwhile, funds are here,” he added.

His comments have brought attention to two major issues facing Ghana’s music industry — equal opportunities for artistes and the ability of musicians to earn fairly from their creative work.