Tic Tac

Tic, long known as Tic Tac, is a pioneer of Ghanaian hiplife, one of the artists who defined the genre in its early years and the first to take its sound onto the international collaborative stage.

Early life

He was born Nana Kwaku Okyere Duah in 1980 in Kwamo, a town in the Ashanti Region. He began performing in 1997 as part of a group called Natty Strangers, alongside his friend Cold Sweat, before launching the solo career that would make his name.

Breakthrough

His 1999 debut album Philomena announced a major new talent, with songs like KKBK and Mmaa 4Mula topping the Ghanaian charts for weeks. His catchy, melodic take on hiplife made him one of the most popular artists of the era.

International collaborations

He broke new ground as the first Ghanaian artist to collaborate with international stars, working with Ivory Coast's Meiway and Nigerian superstar Tony Tetuila on his album Fefe Na Efe, which won awards internationally. In 2004 he was named Musician of the Year at the Ghana Music Awards, and became the first hiplife artist to front a major international phone-card brand.

Standing

A hiplife trailblazer who helped carry Ghanaian music across borders, Tic remains one of the genre's foundational figures, an artist whose early hits and international ambition helped shape what came after.