Born Derrick Sarfo Kantanka and better known in showbiz as Amerado, one of Ghana’s fastest-rising rappers has spoken about his pauperism before breaking into the spotlight.
Having lost his father and being responsible for his mother and younger sister after school, he decided to flee the 2019 Ghana Music UK Awards festival despite having no valid permit for his stay.
In a recent interview with Deloris Frimpong Manso on his Delay show, which aired on Accra-based TV3 on Sunday, October 9, he revealed that his mother was supportive of his idea of leaving the show to hustle for money to support his then-poor family.
“It got to a time where I didn’t know where my next meal was going to come from but I had a chance to get to the UK in October 2019. I was fortunate enough that my aunt was there. I had to make a decision whether to come back to Ghana and do the music or remain in the UK.
“It was very tough and that was the lowest point in my life. It was a deciding moment for me because during that period I was totally devastated. I nearly run into depression. What I saw and experienced over there was very bad. I can’t say it all,” he told Delay in a sad tone.
He continued “As a young boy who travelled outside the country for tourism. After the event, my mum thinks because I’ve been able to fly, I have to stay behind and work hard over there. She said I should find a job that will enable me to take care of my sister and her.”
According to Amerado, “With the type of visa I had, It wasn’t possible to live there for that long. I started thinking as to whether I should go back to Ghana and pursue my music which is not fetching money or find a way of staying in the UK to secure a job.”
After much thought, deliberation, and advice from many Africans in the UK, he finally decided to abandon his idea and return to his music career.
“Sometimes when I am walking around the train stations, I communicate my thoughts to every black man. I ask the black strangers to tell me what they think,” he revealed.
He also revealed that he returned with little money, with which he enrolled his younger sister in a senior high school, gave some to his mother to start a business, some to a friend, and relied on the remainder until he eventually made it to the limelight.
