Pastor Moses OK has revealed that one of the most destructive things to the Gospel music industry is the poor payment if at all, given in acknowledgement of service rendered.
The singer-songwriter was detailing some factors that tampered with the careers of music acts of his heyday, circa 2007.
According to the music celebrity, the transition from physical copies and marketing of music to the digital space was a challenge he and his contemporaries had to grapple with.
He also cited producers like “Big Ben, John Mensah Sarpong, His Majesty Music Production, Kumasi Market [and others],” withdrawing “funds from the industry,” and how “it started affecting some of us.”
“The industry was migrating onto the digital platforms,” confessing that: “During those times, some of us didn’t have much knowledge about how to go about it.”
“It was new and we were also not able to capture [take advantage of] that transition,” the ‘Kakra Kakra’ hitmaker admitted. “This made our job very difficult.”
He spoke to Apostle Bismark Owusu on the No.1 Live Worship programme on No.1 FM, 105.3.
He gave the impression that the superlative challenge was the poor or absence of remuneration for Gospel musicians.
“You know, it is only recently that the Gospel ministry experienced a change and got enlightened,” he remarked. “In those days, the money you were given when you were invited to programmes was sometimes discouraging,” he said.
He argued that this was unacceptable because the invited artiste had to work with a team and pay them; “backing vocalists, instrumentalists, etc.”
According to Moses, “it was very normal” for some churches and organisations, after his service, to promise later payment and honourariums only to disappoint.
He confessed that this attitude made it difficult for him to respond to calls to serve with his music gift “because it was as though I was working but seeing nothing meaningful come out of it.”
“It is scriptural [to pay someone for their service],” he stressed. “The Bible says, ‘A labourer is worthy of his wages’.”
He buttressed his point by referring to the story of Israel’s God asking the infant nation’s prophet Moses to collect offerings and tithes to build a mobile worship place, the tabernacle; and how it was instituted that Aaron and his Levi lineage who worked in the tabernacle and subsequently the temple, would make a living from their service to God “at the altar, to survive.”
Having said this, he decried the constant neglect of the Gospel musician.
“It’s as though you’re on your own,” he lamented. “However, it is the utter truth that Gospel musicians are making a strong impact in the Body of Christ [Church].”
“At times, a person may not even listen to preaching but no matter what, you may happen to get into a car, you may be home, at night, at dawn, you may hear someone play a [Gospel] song that can [speak to you],” Reverend Moses OK said.
“At times, a person may not even listen to preaching but no matter what, you may happen to get into a car, you may be home, at night, at dawn, you may hear someone play a [Gospel] song that can [speak to you],” Reverend Moses OK said.
An example, he stated, is what a young man said about his latest song ‘Ene Menko (Go With Me)’ on YouTube.
“The young man’s statement was that anytime he listens to the song, before he realises, he is lost in prayer,” the beloved singer-songwriter informed.
He emphasised that he has received “testimonies upon testimonies coming out of this [new song].”
“How many times do people even listen to preaching and pray?” he quizzed looking for the YouTube comment, he referred to earlier, on his phone.
