Why hip-hop artist Kobi Onyame finds Glasgow the perfect city for independent musicians
28 September 2018
Rising star Kobi Onyame has opened concerts for Kanye West, Nas and De La Soul, and was shortlisted for Scottish Album of the Year 2018. Would he have had the same opportunity in London or tied to a label? Kobi isn’t so sure.
‘As an independent you get to choose how you make your music, what type of music you make and get the freedom to put it out the way you want to. Being independent in Glasgow, I’ve had great opportunities to play countless shows, even for really massive artists’.
Kobi Onyame on what Glasgow is like for an independent musician
Glasgow's Kobi Onyame on what the city is like for an independent musician
Kobi describes his musical heritage as ‘one big mixing pot, one big stew’ – a bit of highlife from Ghanian roots, bit of from growing up in the UK, and a bit of indie from his time in Scotland.
Taking these ingredients, he wanted to cook up something he’d have fun performing on stage. This lead to — and, as he admits, being named alongside the likes of Young Fathers and Franz Ferdinand is ‘a recognition, celebration and an encouragement that every young artist desires’.
So what makes his adopted hometown so special? ‘There are so many acts in Glasgow that are absolutely incredible. There’s just so much going on in the city and there’s space to allow for that creativity’.
‘Scotland itself embraces independence, politically and musically. They celebrate originality which makes the artist unafraid to try, and nothing beats knowing that you can and will be celebrated for being different’.
Scottish Album of the Year
The record that influenced Kobi鈥檚 music massively
The programme in full
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6 Music鈥檚 Art School Tour: Glasgow
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