Friday, 05 December

Yaw Siki opens up: Why Hiplife and Gospel could never coexist

Entertainment
A screenshot from the visualiser for Yaw Siki's brand new song None Like You

Rapper Yaw Siki has opened up about why he completely abandoned Hiplife — and the revelrous lifestyle that often accompanies entertainment — to devote himself fully to evangelism following his near-death accident.

Responding to comments under an X post promoting his new Gospel song, None Like You, Siki addressed a fan who questioned why he did not simply pursue Christianity while remaining in secular music. The fan suggested Siki could have maintained a clean lifestyle, married and stayed faithful, gone to church, and still been a successful entertainer, without becoming a full-time evangelist and Gospel musician.

“Senior Yaw Siki, you could’ve blown up huge in the industry, married one wife, stayed away from all the things Ghana’s society calls ‘bad’, and still been a regular churchgoer… but hmm…” the commenter, Mr. AmofSavvy, wrote.

Yaw Siki’s response was firm yet gracious. He explained that while he understood the fan’s perspective, his radical repentance brought a deeper fulfilment that fame and money never could. He said he had discovered and embraced his divine calling — and felt no longing for his former life as a rising Hiplife star.

“A man remains empty, incomplete, till he pursues his divine calling… money and fame can never fill the void,” he wrote.

Yaw Siki rose to prominence as a gifted storyteller and lyricist in Hiplife, with Wope Dodo (2009) among several hits in his short but promising career. During the era when Tema rappers dominated Ghana’s music scene, he was regarded as one of the most exciting young talents — until a horrific accident in April 2013 abruptly cut short his ascent.

After recovering in 2016, Siki chose a totally new direction. He renounced the profits of his music career, turned down bookings, and even asked DJs to stop playing his old songs because he felt they promoted immorality and no longer aligned with his renewed values.

In a January 2025 TV3 interview, he revealed that he had spent the past decade strengthening his Christian faith and spreading the Gospel on the streets and in commercial vehicles. He only returned to releasing music this year — now strictly Gospel — yet still displaying the unmistakable artistry that once filled dancefloors. His lyrics now reject vice and encourage Christian living instead of fuelling nightlife energy. 

Source: classfmonline.com