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UPPER ENT. SITS WITH BEEZTRAP

An insight into the mind of Beeztrap KOTM, Oseikroms‘ newest superstar. This interview explores his influences growing up, and explores his artistic individualism within the array of stars coming from Kumasi after the explosion of Asakaa/Ghanaian drill.



Regarded highly for his use of highlife melodies and influences on mainly drill beats and his effortless ability to shine through with a natural flair for creating bangers. His first hit was “Distance relationship” released in 2022. In 2022 he dropped “By grace” and “Cinderella” in 2023 featuring Skyface SDW, CityBoy, Thomas The Great, Reggie, Braabenk, O’Kenneth and Kwaku DMC, all members of the Asakaa music collective. “Cinderella” was number 1 on Ghanaian charts for 4 weeks, and stayed in the top 100 apple music Ghana for 3 months.



Beeztrap KOTM is originally from Cape Coast in the Central Region of Ghana. He is among the sound makers pushing Asakaa into the global spotlight. He discovered his passion for music at a very young age but started releasing music on youtube in 2018 with his first song called “Abrabo ye Hard”. Delving into the Ghanaian drill scene, Beeztrap reflects a more laid back, spiritual and introspective persona with his music and general approach. Speaking with IMullar, the rapper delves into his style, DIFFERENT TYPE OF GANGSTER as his first EP, the inspiration and some of his influences.



DTOG is a carefully curated 7 track project packed with a variety of songs showcasing his very diverse style. This project merges the irresistible sounds of Ghanaian drill music with influences from hip life, highlife, Ghanaian dance music (azonto/asokpor). He paints vivid pictures of his struggles, success, lifestyle, and love life with his voice gliding effortlessly. “EBESI” for instance is a song Beeztrap employs a
hiplife approach. The intro sets a mellow tone, drawing you with a smooth guitar melody.


He paints a vivid picture of hope and believe and a better tomorrow, his voice gliding effortlessly over a laid back production, setting the mood with his introspective verses. Beeztrap has a soulful charm that shines through as he transitions from verse to hook. Music started for him at home, “my mum and sister were both in the choir and my uncle had a studio at home so I would usually go there because he had a PlayStation. I gradually got interest in recording from listening to the other artist record. There was also a lot of music being played at my mums bar where I served customers sometimes.


That influenced me in primary school because, I used to rap songs by
artists like R2bees and Sarkodie with my friends…one day I decided to write my own rap and perform it to my friends in school and they went crazy!” he laughs: I kept doing that until I gained my confidence
and started recording with my uncle.





WHEN WOULD YOU SAY THINGS REALLY STARTED KICKING OFF FOR YOU PROFESSIONALLY?


So I used to do a lot of cover songs of my favorites so I can take OBIA WONE MASTER by Yaa Pono and do the cover or HERO by Stonebwoy and do the cover. I kept doing that until someone saw my work through a friends post, shout out to Kofi Friday who heard my song and encouraged me to take the music serious. He backed it up by sponsoring my next release and getting it on radio. The feeling was extraordinary, first time hearing my song on radio and it did well too because at the time I was just doing free mp3 downloads with no access to streaming platforms. That song was called ABRABO YE
HARD. Hearing it on the radio was a big motivation for me.


HOW WOULD YOU DESCRIBE YOUR STYLE OF MUSIC?



I would say for now people know me for two styles of music. I have one where I blend highlife with drill and I have the more “spiritual” style. Recently I realized that this thing I’m doing is from way back
because sometimes I just reference some of the old songs and add them to my lyrics.









What are your main influences musically?



I must say I’ve tried every genre from dancehall to a lot of other genres so my influences vary. My mother was very spiritual and was in the choir so that influenced me a lot. She also had a bar where I
sometimes served and you know how bars play a lot of highlife music.


Can you take us through how “Distance Relationship” happened?



When Asakaa came into the scene I also got influenced so I tried the style and dropped a few songs on audiomack but they didn’t do too well, it was just okay. So one time, my producer Stiches just randomly
told me one day he had an appointment with Reggie so I gave him the rough cut of DISTANCE RELATIONSHIP just to play for him to see if he liked it. Stiches didn’t even know how to play the song for Reggie because he didn’t know how he would react until Reggie had a call and in the conversation he told the caller he (Reggie) didn’t charge for features and he liked the song he would hop on it. Stitches just took that chance to play it for him and he loved it. Reggie told Stitches to come the next day with me and apparently he (Reggie) knew me from an old studio I used to freestyle at. He recorded his verse and it was banging. The boys live in one big house so after Reggie recorded his verse O’kenneth heard it
and just popped up and recorded his too.



Just like that?



Yeah, just like that. It was the same with Jaybhad because the next time I went there he told me he heard my song and wanted to put his verse on. The rest was history chale.




What was the aftermath of that experience with the gang?




Big feeling bro, Big feeling…I wouldn’t say I wasn’t expecting it but I was still surprised because when I dropped Distance Relationship I had never experienced anything like it. That was my first big song, on
the first day I got 40k streams on audiomack. I was so surprised, I was shaking…but it motivated me too that I can do it. I followed up with BY GRACE. It was okay but not catching up with Distance Relationship as such but the reception was still better than my previous releases. Then I followed up with few other
songs before CINDERALLA which featured Skyface SDW, City Boy, Thomas the Great, Reggie, Braa Benk, O’Kenneth and Kwaku DMC. That one went crazy.






At this point you had established yourself in the game, then you drop this new EP. What’s the energy behind DIFFERENT TYPE OF GANGSTER?



Different Type of Gangster EP is a tape highlighting my spirituality and phases in life. The need to build a strong social life and also the challenges that come with it. How best our spiritual sanity contributes to our overall well-being. I want fans to think about spirituality when they hear my music. I try to be different wherever I go, I study the system and try to create something on my own. Something that will make me unique.


Beeztrap on the streets of Kumasi



On making this project, what was your most memorable moment?



I recorded all the songs myself but Stiches did the mixing and mastering but I would say recording EBESI was amazing. I mean the studio vibe was excellent and I did that song in 2019. Cinderella also happened almost like DISTANCE RELATIONSHIP because I did my verse and all the boys just kept coming after each other to record their verses. When it dropped it was even crazier that DISTANCE RELATIONSHIP.



What is your creative process like?



Sometimes I write with the beat sometimes I don’t. I’m mostly inspired by the elements of the beat. The elements of the beat usually communicate the mood I tap into. When the elements communicate life, or about love I just do that and most of my lyrics come from my life experiences or that of the people
around me.



You chose not to feature anyone on this E.P but Cinderella…any reason in particular?



I had so much to talk about, I felt like there wasn’t enough space for any other artist at least for this project.


Who are the artists you would love to work with in the near future?



I’m open to work with any artist to be honest. For my songs, it depends on the vibe of the song but I want to work with all kinds of artists.



What is your goal for this project?



My goal for this project is for people to get to know the various aspects of my life and my style of music. It’s an intentional blend of drill, Afrobeat, highlife, hard core hip-hop touching on topics like love, hustle, brotherhood, and also enjoyment.

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