Award-winning musician, Derrick Sarfo Kantanka,popularly known as Amerado, who was born and raised in the Ashanti Region has revealed that he
quit a job in a hospital in his region of birth to come
to Ghana’s capital Accra to chase glory.
According to the “Kwaku Ananse” hitmaker, he was confident about making it to Accra but was pushed by his instincts to relocate to the capital.
Amerado, the curator of Yeete Nsem, Ghana’s first
news casting rap series in an interview with MC
Ogee on the New York-based Adinkra Radio
Entertainment show said he was sure going into
music was the right move to enable him to achieve
his aspirations and also take good care of his family.
“…Before I went into the music industry, I lost my
father when I was 14 years and my mother was not
well-to-do. I have a little sister to cater for and my
mother as well. So, I stopped working in a hospital
to go to Accra and chase glory. I persevered to reach
where I am today. Although I have some family
members in Chicago, London and brothers in Ghana,I chose music because I knew that was what music that God will raise me. So far, so good, I’m trying my bit to be much better and great.”
Amerado added that he had to convince his mother
who was not in favour of his moving to Accra to
allow him to relocate.
“I was working as a Records Officer and Cashier at the Accounts Department of Living Waters Hospital at Ejisu Krapa. I worked there for four years and I
told my mom that Kow had offered to support me so I have to move to Accra to see if I can make it. At the time I had rapped and done freestyles for a long
time in Kumasi. My mom didn’t want me to go and l
told her I am giving her my word. I went there, my
team rented a single room for me and all I had was a computer and that was the time I met Sarkodie and we worked together on a song.”
Amerado has songs with A-list musicians including
Black Sheriff, Okyeame Kwame, Kuami Eugene,
Fameye among others.
