Okyeame Kwame

On 21 November 2016 the city of Cincinnati gave Okyeame Kwame a key to the city and declared 17 November "Okyeame Kwame Day". It was an unusual honour for a Kumasi rapper who started out in the 1990s as half of the hiplife duo Akyeame.

Early life and education

He was born Kwame Nsiah-Apau on 17 April 1976 in Kumasi. Two of his brothers perform as the rap duo Bradez, one of whom is Flowking Stone. He studied Akan and Sociology at KNUST, where he also took music lessons under Koo Nimo, and later earned a master's in Strategic Marketing from the University of Ghana (2016) and a master's in Alternative Dispute Resolution (2024).

Akyeame and solo career

In 1997 he formed Akyeame with Okyeame Kofi. Their albums Nyansapo (1997), Nkonsonkonson (1998), Ntoaso (2000) and Apam Foforo (2002) helped define early hiplife, and "Mesan Aba" won Hiplife Song of the Year in 1999. He went solo in 2004 with Boshe Ba, followed by Manwesem (2008), The Clinic (2011) and Made in Ghana (2019). In 2009 he was Ghana Music Awards Artiste of the Year, and "Woso" won Hip Hop Song of the Year. Since 2012 he has staged The Versatile Show at the National Theatre.

Industry roles and advocacy

He served as public relations officer of MUSIGA in 2012 and 2013 and of GHAMRO in 2014. He has been an African Union youth ambassador (2015), a UNICEF "Super Dad" ambassador (2017) and an Earthshot Prize ambassador (2024), and has run a hepatitis B foundation since 2009. He has turned down offers to be running mate to both Alan Kyerematen and Mahamudu Bawumia, saying he is apolitical.

Disputes

In 2011 Obrafour challenged him to a rap battle over his "Best Rapper Alive" claim; it never happened and Obrafour later apologised. In 2020 he sued the highlife musician Gyedu-Blay Ambolley over allegations that he and others had received GH₵50,000 each from a MUSIGA budget; after arbitration, the court endorsed Ambolley's retraction and apology.

Family and business

He married Annica Nsiah-Apau in 2009; they have two children, Sir Kwame Bota and Sante Antwiwaa. He runs the label OK Music and has been a partner in Horseman Shoes and in Sante's Hair for Kids, named after his daughter.