2019 Rapperholic Review: Sarkodie learnt from his mistakes and needs the applause for a great show

SarkNation went berserk. How dare you criticize our king when the show was not even over? Seriously, how dare you?

READ LAST YEAR'S REVIEW: Sarkodie’s Rapperholic was a clone of what Shatta Wale SHOWS are criticized for

Frankly, everything that needed to be noticed as bad about the show had already happened when the story went up on Pulse Ghana. It could only get worse so the hope was it stayed as it is … on the night.

Proverbs 12:1 outlines how he who loves instruction loves knowledge but he who hates reproof is brutish, which translates in other versions as stupid.

When the lack of proper planning that marred the entire organization of the 2018 edition of Rapperholic was highlighted by the many people who love Sarkodie’s music, The Highest listened and addressed it.

2019 Rapperholic Review: Sarkodie learnt from his mistakes and needs the applause for a great show Pulse Ghana

One of the key problems of last year’s Rapperholic was the safety of the people. Tickets had been oversold and fans were being bullish as what seats were theirs.

The mayhem saw VIP ticket holders battle to even have a chance of sitting in the walkways at the Accra International Conference Centre so they could catch a glimpse of their idol, Sarkodie.

People had to find their own chairs and carry them to the auditorium so they could have a chance at enjoying the show.

While forcefully trying to get over all these problems, the ventilation at the Accra International Conference Centre was that which no human being deserved at a show. Not to talk about a show they paid money for.

Rapperholic 2018 was a show that needed no applause irrespective of the music and performances. It was bad on all treating people right levels. It was a mess.

However, people do make mistakes in their lifetime and Sarkodie’s comeback with 2019’s edition of his annual Rapperholic show shows a man who deserves all the respect he has earned.

Having been in the music industry for so long and achieved what most musicians could only dream of, Ghana’s fastest rapper highlighted all the points that went wrong in his last show to produce of the best Rapperholics so far.

Tickets

Sarkodie and his team made sure they gave fans enough time to decide on whether they wanted to be at this year’s show or not.

The ‘Black Love’ album creative launched the 2019 edition of the show back in September, a plan that worked so well in pushing the show as well as managing the pressure that comes with it.

Announcing all the relevant spots people could book their seats, the team also monitored and made sure they did not go overboard with the numbers their venue could accommodate.

Every individual who had purchased a ticket for the show could testify this was one of the hustle free entrance to a show they’ve ever been.

A destructible media or crew pass gave access to relevant places for coverage while not breaching security and also containing the expected numbers at the venue.

Security

One of the most criticized parts last year’s show was the security who could not speak English but only French at the gate (whether an act or not, yet to be known).

People who tried to make their voices heard could not communicate properly. Maybe because they did not take their French lessons in school seriously but that is not the point. It’s a show, not a language test.

Sarkodie and his team were spot-on at every step of the way with security. Having the best of security at shows involve those who do not interrupt a process, intimidate anyone or make people feel uncomfortable until they actually need to and the men at 2019 Rapperholic were everything described in perfect security.

Not only did the security involve just personnel, but the arrangement and outline of the entire venue were also one that put the people’s security at heart. At the backstage, the small demarcations for the various performers to be in their own chambers with their team and protection was one that needs commending.

Ambience

Chills!

While last year’s Rapperholic could qualify for an experiment as to how the heat in hell could feel (hyperbole), 2019 was a concert that gave you chills … literally.

From the temperature in the room to the vibe of how people were relaxingly enjoying their favourite rappers and singers spit some lines, this show was in recent millennial terms THE BOMB!

The main show

When it comes to rap, Sarkodie never disappoints. And it seemed some of that eye to detail had rubbed off all of the other performers who were gracing his show.

The likes of Kelvin Boy, Kwesi Arthur, Darko Vibes and Medikal who were all at the show sent fans into a frenzy with the best of acts, more than they paid for.

One of the great attributes to a show is proper sound engineering and Sarkodie with his team did not take that for granted.

So were the minor details like the smokes and fireworks.

Rapperholic 2019 had a number of the best performers showcase their craft on a night where Christmas could only be merry. Sarkodie’s appearance on stage is always a sight to behold and 2019 was no different.

Sarkodie and Stonebwoy (Photo: ROB Photography) Pulse Ghana

The BET award-winning rapper’s time with Mr Eazi on stage got the crowd ‘dettying’ their December the more. If there could only be so much Ghanaian talent on one stage, it was when Stonebwoy and The Highest performed together.

It’s worth knowing that if there was a bad side to the show, it could probably be described with the word ‘nothing’.

Shows are meant to be fun at the same time taking into consideration the safety of the people having fun.

Sarkodie showed he is a man who has his people at heart despite his team pulling the ‘Pull Him Down’ jargons as a fronting mechanism when the article on a poor Rapperholic went up last year. Such is the character of a professional and truly, the experiences Sarkodie has had over the years in other countries he’s performed in screamed loud in all the fixes he made for one of the best Rapperholics so far.

2019 Rapperholic Review: Sarkodie learnt from his mistakes and needs the applause for a great show Pulse Ghana

To all the fans out there who love their idols and will criticize any critique who tries to help them reaccess their actions, just know that sometimes, everyone needs to realise that to be the best, one must act like the best.

Sarkodie had a 2019 Rapperholic devoid of any flaw, proving that taking ‘Advice’ from a critique whose ‘Huh’ is not worth 10k is sometimes worth it.