Yours truly is very certain that in his many years of writing, one thing that he is yet to do is an in-depth review of a song. That's not my style. The reason being that and without sounding offensive, I have not been impressed with reviews of songs that I have come across or maybe read.
Unfortunately, I think we have failed to differentiate between an opinion that we hold and a fact about something that people should see or observe without being told.
Okyeame Kwame and Stone are good rappers and that is a FACT; saying the former is better than the latter is an OPINION. Anybody can hold such an opinion. That distinction is not just a matter of my perspective. It is easier to know when a song is beautiful and touches the heart.
In the same breath, a completely wasteful song is easier to pinpoint. So a music review of a wasteful song with opinions to make it sound like a good song turns me off. A good review of a bad song doesn't add anything to the song.
Yes, I do not do music reviews because I do not think that I am qualified enough for that job but Okyeame Kwame's latest single, Small Small featuring MzVee and produced by Appietus with the Patch Bay Band is worth writing about.
It's the kind of song that touches the heart when one hears it. The theme of the song which talks about appreciating small beginnings has touched my heart to write about it.
The trending issue in Ghana is the case concerning an exposé of painstaking investigations by ace investigative journalist, Anas Aremeyaw Anas, where about 34 Ghanaian judges were videotaped and recorded demanding and receiving bribes to compromise cases brought before them.
The story paints a very undesirable picture of the state of Ghana's judicial and highlights the fact that, instead of people working “Small Small” to make it in life, people are more interested in making it overnight through unscrupulous means which I believe contravenes the law of fairness.
The quest for people to get rich overnight is a worrying phenomenon, which has eaten into society. It feels like things have gotten to the point where nobody believes in hard work anymore.
People do not accept small beginnings and the need to work towards their future gradually. They are in so much haste to succeed in life that they do not think about how they make it, which often lands them in all kinds of troubles. Small Small is a typical Okyeame Kwame love song but it has many lessons for the youth of today. Even adults can relate to if they so wish.
Theme of the song
In the haste to get rich overnight, the spirit of small beginnings is completely lost among the youth of today. Small Small has three main themes. First, let's accept that nothing is small. Secondly, the phrase, ‘I love you' has lost its value. Let's take gradual steps in our love journey. And finally, let's accept that everything is a process. So you can't just move from class one to become a millionaire. You have to pass through the mill.”
In this era of internet fraud popularly known as ‘Sakawa' where young people make it illegally using all sorts of charms, there is no better message to the youth than “Small Small.”
The motivation
Every musician is motivated by something to write, for Okyeame Kwame, the annoying quest for people to get successful overnight and ignoring vital things in this process were the motivating factors in writing Small Small. He told me the concept of the song below.
“The thing about Small Small is that, now everything is fast. Five years ago, there was no way people could stay online and choose which programs to watch. Now, people have choices. Because of these same choices which are an advantage, it has given people the opportunity to be quick and that ‘fast pace' philosophy of life makes us make so many mistakes because when you are running fast, you don't have a lot of grounding.”
A man meets a woman
In recent times, men are in a hurry to have carnal knowledge of women they meet, even on the same day.
“So you meet a woman, you sleep with her the same day. Corruption is everywhere. Women are saying, “I don't want to marry this guy because he is not a ‘borga.' When a woman meets a man, she actually puts a calendar on his life and says this guy, if in the next two years, he's not moved up, then I'm leaving. All these things are plaguing society.
Young people are completing schools and going into marriage life and spending ridiculous amounts of money. It's because the concept of Small Small has been deleted.
The ‘Sankofa' bird in that Adinkra symbol is no longer in there, so I did a song to remind people of how important it is for us to accept small beginnings.”
Lyrics
First things first, if you want to be a top rapper, you must first start as an underground rapper and then you grow to be on top of your game.
Okyeame Kwame demonstrated that in the intro of the song. He said you must first learn to crawl with him if you want to walk with him.
“If you want to walk with me my baby oh, first learn to crawl with me my baby oh”, “If you want run with me my baby oh, Sometimes you walk with me my baby oh”, “If you want to fly with me my baby oh, Sometimes you run with me my baby oh”, “If you want to land with me my baby oh, First have to fly with me my baby oh.”
The hook comes in with the most over used phrase “I love you” The chorus stresses on the concept of small beginnings and growing together. “Small Small oh, Grow together”, “I no get shoto, Grow together”, “I no get am sokoo, Grow together”, “Make you no foko, Grow together”, “We go win lotto, Grow together”, “I'll buy you a motor, Grow together”, “Before the dondoo, Grow together.”
The idea of growing together is lost and the concept of becoming rich quickly has taken over. Though Small Small is a love song, it entreats that whatever you are doing, if you start small, you can grow.”