Ghanaian rapper Trigmatic recently opened up about his early career and how he got his music onto radio stations across the country. During an appearance on Joy FM’s Showbiz A-Z, he revealed that, at the beginning of his journey, he would buy items—specifically fried rice—for radio presenters as a way to show appreciation for their support of his music.
Trigmatic’s comments shed light on the sometimes complex dynamics between artists and media in the Ghanaian music industry. While payola is often associated with cash payments for airplay, the artist’s story highlights how even small gestures, like food or gifts, can play a role in an artist’s visibility and career progression, especially early on.
He emphasized that these acts were simply a gesture of gratitude for the support he was receiving, helping him establish a presence in the competitive music scene.
Trigmatic shared an interesting insight into his early career during his conversation on Showbiz A-Z. Reflecting on his mindset back then, he revealed, “Me I was a hard guy, hard guy in my mind. So whenever we recorded, I was the guy that got my song on radio.” He continued, “At the time payola wasn’t a thing but it was there. You could give things like fried rice.”
This comment highlights the informal and often unspoken ways emerging artists navigated the music industry, especially in terms of securing airplay and building relationships with media gatekeepers. While he didn’t directly offer cash payments, Trigmatic made it clear that small gestures—like buying food for radio presenters—helped him gain traction in the early stages of his career. It’s an example of the subtle ways artists interacted with the media before payola became a widely recognized issue in the industry.
Trigmatic confirmed that he indeed used fried rice and other food items as a way to show appreciation, explaining, “Oh yeah, just to say ‘thank you’. You know, giving a box of fried rice or chicken and chips was a big deal.”
His lighthearted comment underscores how artists would often use small tokens of gratitude—food in this case—rather than outright money to build and maintain relationships within the music industry, especially with radio personnel. It highlights the informal practices that were common in the past, offering a glimpse into how things have evolved in today’s more commercially regulated environment.
Trigmatic’s 15-year milestone in the music industry is a major achievement, and it’s great to see him also branching out with his leadership book, A Lion’s Aide. It sounds like he’s not just been an artist, but someone who has a deeper perspective on personal growth and leadership—likely something he’s drawn from his own journey in the music business.
With five albums under his belt and hits like My Jolley, Mefri Ghana, Agyei, Where We Dey Go, and Gye Nyame, Trigmatic has certainly left a mark on the Ghanaian music scene. His ability to evolve and diversify—from music to leadership—is pretty inspiring.#newsafro_
