In a candid interview with Giovanni Caleb on 3FM Drive on October 30, 2024, celebrated Ghanaian gospel musician Mark Anim-Yirenkyi stunned listeners by declaring his departure from the religious music genre. After three decades of captivating audiences with his distinctive country-music-inspired gospel style, Anim-Yirenkyi now advocates for a shift in focus.
“I no longer believe in religious music,” he asserted. “Instead, I differentiate between good music and bad music. The message conveyed through music should transcend generations.”
Anim-Yirenkyi emphasized the pivotal role music plays in nation-building, urging governments to incentivize artists to create music that inspires civic responsibility.
“Africa’s rich endowments remain underutilized due to mislearning,” he lamented. “We require ‘nation-making’ music that reminds individuals of their role in shaping our collective destiny.”
The singer-songwriter’s latest album, “Back to Yah,” features the empowering track “Bibini” (meaning “The African”), which celebrates the black race’s originality and supremacy.
Anim-Yirenkyi challenged the notion of internalized racism, questioning, “When a black person despises themselves, what do we call it? Self-liberation begins with recognizing one’s heritage and potential.”
He concluded, “Music is inherently spiritual, often misrepresented as mere entertainment. Its true purpose is to remind us of our identity, origins, and aspirations.”
