There has long been a belief that renowned music producer Hammer discovered and groomed several top talents in Ghana’s music industry, with artistes such as Edem, Obrafour, Sarkodie and Tinny often cited as beneficiaries of his mentorship.
However, rapper Tinny has set the record straight, insisting that Hammer did not discover him.
Speaking in an interview on UTV, Tinny explained that he personally approached Hammer and paid to record with him, rather than being scouted by the celebrated producer.
“I went to Hammer to record my songs. He didn’t look for me or discover me. I paid him to work for me,” he stated.
Tinny said his interest in Hammer was sparked after listening to Obrafour’s album and being impressed by the distinctive kicks and drum patterns in the production. Determined to work with the producer, he made efforts to locate him.
He recalled, however, that his first studio experience was disappointing because Hammer himself was not present. Instead, another engineer handled the session, and the final sound did not meet his expectations.
“I didn’t hear the signature drums and kicks Hammer is known for,” Tinny noted.
He later realised there had been confusion, as there were two producers operating under the name Hammer who had worked together on Obrafour’s Pae Mu Ka album. Eventually, Hammer himself contacted Tinny, and they were able to connect directly.
In a separate interview on JoyPrime, Tinny also addressed perceptions about his musical identity, clarifying that he did not initially begin his career as a Ga rapper.
“I actually started as a Twi rapper. I was doing more Twi and English, with just a bit of Ga. I wasn’t a Ga rapper,” he explained.
According to him, choosing Twi at the time made strategic sense, as it is the most widely spoken language in Ghana and offered broader appeal in terms of market reach and merchandising.
