TikTok has become one of the most influential platforms shaping today’s music industry, and Ghanaian rapper M.anifest believes it is opening doors for independent artistes while transforming how they connect with audiences around the world.
He stated that although the platform places extra demands on artistes, it has created fresh opportunities for musicians outside traditional entertainment markets to gain global visibility.
Speaking in a recent interview with Kafui Dey, M.anifest revealed that he is far more active on TikTok than many people would expect. He said the platform has become one of his favourite digital spaces, both for entertainment and for observing creative trends.
The rapper recalled being surprised by TikTok’s weekly account summary, which showed he had spent around nine hours on the app over the previous week. He attributed the spike largely to his curiosity about the buzz surrounding Kwarteng’s song.
“I love TikTok. I saw that every week, TikTok gives you like an account update. I think probably because of Kwarteng’s song, I was kind of observing. Last week was the most time spent on TikTok, which was nine hours. Usually, it’s like two to three hours a week, but those two to three hours are some of my favorite hours because it’s so fascinating to me,” he said.
Aside from viral trends, M.anifest said one of the platform’s biggest attractions is the creativity displayed by Ghanaian users. He singled out content creators from Kumasi, praising their originality and their ability to showcase local culture through language and humour.
He said their videos have even eased some of his concerns about the future of indigenous languages.
“Kumasi TikTok is very interesting to me. They’re very creative people who are doing all sorts of skits. At some point, I was getting really concerned that our languages are disappearing. Some of the young people sound like our ancestors, especially with the Twi,” he stated.
READ ALSO: M.anifest Opens Up On Why He’s Unlikely To Revisit Rap Beefs
The rapper also believes TikTok has transformed opportunities for musicians working outside traditional global entertainment centers. According to him, the platform’s recommendation algorithm allows independent artistes to reach audiences they might never have accessed through conventional music promotion.
“You get a glimpse of so many things but I think the most interesting thing is, a lot of independent artistes or artistes operating outside of the margins of the center of where this thing is, which is the US and Europe, can benefit.
“Things like TikTok can become equalizers, and you can go viral. The algorithm is crazy. META and people are suppressing the thing so you can advertise. I think there’s a very reluctant demographic when it comes to TikTok,” he observed.
Even with those opportunities, M.anifest admitted that today’s music industry demands much more from artistes than simply creating songs. In the digital age, musicians are expected to constantly market themselves and compete for attention alongside influencers and content creators.
He said maintaining visibility online has become almost as important as the time spent making music in the studio.
“Artistes who don’t like to perform, it’s tough because you become the marketing tool. You’re competing with content creators. The algorithm is not saying this is a musician. You’re a content creator. I’ve spent hours in the studio, and then I have to come online and get the thing out there. It can be a challenge,” he explained.
Despite those realities, M.anifest views the shift as part of the natural evolution of the music business. In his opinion, successful artistes have always needed to engage the public, and social media platforms such as TikTok have simply become the latest stage on which that connection happens.
“One thing we have to remember is that art, artistes, and success have always been tied to some level of public performance, so this is the new version of that,” the rapper further stated.
Watch his statement below.
@kafuidey7 I love TikTok, Kumasi TikTok just dey jorm me – @M.anifest Check my YOUTUBE channel (@kafuideymc) fir full interview #KafuiDeyInterviews #foryoupage #viralvideo ♬ original sound – Kafui Dey