Tinny has attempted to disabuse aspiring music stars of chasing and relying on collaborations with established acts thinking it would ease their struggles and bring them success.

The legendary rapper who is celebrated for being a one-of-one at the skillful use of the Ga language, urged young musicians to work hard and, as it were, wait for their destined time to be recognised, instead of operating with an unchecked sense of entitlement to the assistance of those who have gone ahead of them.

Tinny, born Nii Addo Quaynor, advocated a dogged attitude and approach to the music business, buttressing it was this that made him rise to prominence.

He spoke to Nana Romeo on Okay FM challenging the notion that he was not mentoring or helping any of today’s young artistes, especially from his Ga community.

“Is it by force to help somebody?” he asked, arguing no established musician owed help to anyone.

Self-motivation

“When I was rising, who helped me? Who brought me [here]? Nobody featured me to come [into] this industry. So why are they waiting for me? You can do it. Who am I? Believe in yourself. You can do it without Tinny,” the rap star said.

“I live a stress-free life,” he noted. “This is not pressure on me at all. I enjoy hearing [the false accusation]. Those I have helped [truly] know [it] – I mean, the Ga rappers.”

“I don’t know why [these criticisms keep coming] but it’s okay. It’s not by force,” Tinny emphasised.

Support

The Ringtone hitmaker asserted, “I do programmes, I do shows, I put them on, I feature them, I put my voice on their songs, they call me [and] I pick up, any advice [I have I give to them], I listen to their songs before [releases]. So what do they mean when they say I don’t support the young [Ga] acts? I don’t get it.”

He lightheartedly wondered if he was expected to spoon feed new musicians, when to him, apart from skills, timing was the ultimate decider of success and mass appeal.

“I also believe in time,” he said. “If the time is not up…”

Record labels

“I will not sign somebody to a record label,” Tinny said matter-of-factly.

He argued that, historically, it was not the norm for great musicians to create record labels and sign new acts. He noted while he was not against established musicians signing younger acts, everyone had their unique paths and parts to play in the music ecosystem.

“Someone told me about Samini signing Stonebwoy, and Sarkodie signing Akwaboah. So, I asked them about who Amakye Dede signed. Lumba brought someone [Ofori Amponsah] but A.B. Crentsil who did he sign? Michael Jackson, Bob Marley, Bobby Brown, Whitney Houston, did they sign someone? It’s not by force. The fingers are not equal, too. Some may sign, others may not,” he said.

Future

Tinny spotlighted a Ga rapper he said was “on my list” as the best after him.  

“After Tinny is [the rapper] Apaatse,” he said.

“After Apaatse is Tii Nku,” he added.