Ghana to the World: Meet Tripcy, a New Artist Climbing to the Top

It’s no secret that with the Year of Return that just happened last December, Ghana is officially the country making its way to the top for many reasons and music is one of them. Tripcy, born Prince Selorm Gayome, is an upcoming artist climbing his way to the forefront. His distinct sound has captured the attention of many Ghanaians, including one of the biggest artists in the country and internationally, Shatta Wale. Born in the heart of Accra and a graduate of the University of Ghana, the young creative attended school to study nursing but ended up following his lifelong dream of becoming a musician and is now creating his own lane to help bring Ghanaian music to the world. I had the pleasure of meeting and sitting down with Tripcy getting to know him, his sound, and most importantly his heart and passion for music. Check out my exclusive interview with him below.

When did you get started in the music industry?

Music for me started from High School. I used to rap with my friends, but I started taking it more seriously when I got to University. I moved from studio to studio, in the streets of Accra just to enjoy the environment and create melodies. I always knew I had a thing for music since childhood, my mother says I used to play beats with spoons since I was a child so I guess it really started from when I was a young boy.

How has growing up in Ghana influenced your love for music?

Growing up in Ghana has influenced me so much because listening to highlife, hiplife, and all the old legends, the environment alone is enough to inspire you. The culture here influences me as well. I use the things around me to influence and inspire me.

How would you describe your sound?

I’d call myself an explorer. I love to experiment with different sounds and play around. I would describe my sound as Afrocentric. I’m a mix between afro-pop, hip pop, and a bit of dancehall.

Who are your musical influences?

I’d say, Drake, PARTYNEXTDOOR, and Travis Scott because of their distinct sounds. The way they compose their music and their uniqueness makes them stand out. I don’t like to follow trends and I want to be unique in my own way so watching them do that influences me to create my own lane. Like if you listen to my music, you’ll see that it doesn’t sound like what you would expect. I just want to set a trend for myself.

if you listen to my music, you’ll see that it doesn’t sound like what you would expect. I just want to set a trend for myself.

“Only one” ft. Camidoh is your latest single. What is the story behind it?

With “Only One,” it was really a vibe, to be honest. From the beat all the way down to the melody. It’s about the beauty of the African woman in a positive light and I think the world needs to hear more of that because there is so much beauty in Africa.

It’s no secret that when it comes to music, Nigeria seems to always have the upper hand. With so much talent here in Ghana, why do you think that it seems that we haven’t had our “big break” yet?

I think it’s because Nigeria has a bigger population which also means they have a bigger market than us and they know how to market their music well. For example, you’ll never really go to a club in Nigeria and hear Ghanaian songs but in Ghana, we play Nigerians songs more than our own so how do you expect our music to cross borders? It’s a bit challenging because I think it’s been difficult to find a common voice to represent Ghana but I believe we’ve made great strides. We are learning a lot and we are trying to bridge the gap and bring Ghana to the world. We have people like King Promise, Kuami Eugene, Kwesi Arthur and so many others who are starting to bring that light to Ghana but there’s still more work to be done. I think we need to start doing a better job in really supporting our own and coming together as one to really see the result. It will take time, but I believe we have a great future musically.

you’ll never really go to a club in Nigeria and hear Ghanaian songs but in Ghana, we play Nigerians songs more than our own so how do you expect our music to cross borders?

What is your favorite part about being a musician?

My favorite part is knowing that people like what I do and that nI’m making good music. When people listen to my sound and be like “yo, that’s good” it makes it worth it. One presenter told me that my sound was international. So hearing positive feedback makes me feel good and enjoy it more.

From one creative to another, take me into your creative process. What inspires you?

I’m inspired by distinct sounds in nature–from the birds chirping, to the busses honking, to little kids playing in the street, that all shapes my creative process. My country and its beauty as a whole inspires me so much. I also love beats, so when I’m in the studio it’s always a vibe.

You have a single with probably one of the biggest artists in Ghana, Shatta Wale. How did that come about?

As you know Shatta Wale is one of the biggest artists in Ghana and to get a record with him is not easy, so it’s amazing to get someone like him on my record. I met him one day and he listened to my music and was like “yo, you really got something that Africa is not ready for.” He listened to my song “Dangote,” he loved the vibe and was like “ You don’t know how big this song can be, send it to me” and he sent it right back the next morning. I didn’t know he was going to record it right away because people send him stuff every day, so that alone was big. From there we developed almost like a father-son relationship.

Where do you see the Ghana music industry going? Can you see us as a culture going mainstream?

Like I said earlier, it’s not as big as the Nigerian market but we are setting the trend and getting ourselves out there. I believe we will hit the international market very soon. Give us 5 years or even less than that, Ghana will be international.

Give us 5 years or even less than that, Ghana will be international.

As an upcoming artist yourself, do you have any advice for people coming up behind you, wanting to achieve the same dream?

All I have to say is believe in the process and believe in yourself. Stay focused and work hard, it is very achievable. You just have to set your mind on it.

What can we look forward to in the future from you?

I’m working on some new projects. I’m getting ready to drop my newest single very soon, as well as more music in general. 2020 is going to be a big year so stay on the lookout.

Anything you want to say to your fans?

I really appreciate the love and support from everyone. Thank you to everyone pushing my music, sharing it, streaming it and all that. I have more coming so keep supporting and stay tuned.

Check out Tripcy’s latest single below, “Only One” feat. Camidoh

For the latest on Tripcy, follow him on Instagram, Twitter, Apple Music, and SoundCloud