The question of whether one would choose to be a nobody in America rather than a star in Africa has been a challenging one for Ghana-born, US-based musician, Anthony Rison Enyie Okai, known as Rison.
According to him, it was a question posed by a brother concerning the fact that he started his music career in America with Rhythm and Blues (R&B), which is an American genre of music.
In a conversation with KMJ on Prime Morning, the musician stated that the question has been a challenge thrown at him, thus he is working harder to make a difference.
He said, "When I started, it was more R&B, and I was trying to get into it. It was very hard because I wasn’t born there. So, my brother said something to me in 2014. He asked, "Would you rather be a Wizkid of Africa or a nobody in America?
Replying to the question, he said, "But I’ll still be somebody in America." To prove his answer, the artiste has been working towards changing the ideology.
Speaking on how artistes can use dual citizenship to their advantage, he admitted that it has given him a lot of opportunities as he travels to and fro countries without a visa.
But in terms of music, he thinks it is about the value and relevance of the music and not the location of the artiste.
Considering the challenges he has been through during the early stages, he admitted that "music is a patient game."
To break through the music industry, Rison indicated that "it is about who you know; talent is just a small part of it." He said one needs to "pay your dues in order to get there".
The singer, who is also a writer, has released a new song titled "Nobody," which can be accessed on all music platforms.
The question still remains: "Would you prefer to be a nobody in America or a Wizkid of Africa?"
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