Pioneering Ghanaian musician King Ayisoba returns on May 29 with his explosive new single “No Tradition, No Africa” featuring the Grammy-nominated Ghanaian star Rocky Dawuni.
The first single from King’s seventh album Pure Confusion, “No Tradition, No Africa” is an uptempo dancefloor afro-house banger driven by pulsing percussion, infectious hooks and Ayisoba’s unmistakable kologo — a homemade two-string lute fashioned from a calabash and covered in goatskin, which also doubles as percussion.
“No Tradition, No Africa” is the sound of two cross-generational icons of Ghanaian music reflecting on the importance of tradition: “If you don't know your grandfather's background, you get stuck. If you don't know history, you get stuck… no tradition… no Africa.”
Produced by Panji Anoff, the track reconnects Ayisoba with the legendary Ghanaian producer who first helped launch his career, while the forthcoming album Pure Confusion also features production from renowned UK dub producer Adrian Sherwood, following Ayisoba’s appearance on the 2023 African Head Charge album A Trip To Bolgatanga, also produced by Sherwood.
For more than two decades, King Ayisoba has stood as one of the most distinctive and uncompromising voices in African music. Emerging from northern Ghana with his kologo, he transformed local folk traditions into a bold, modern sound that has captivated audiences globally. His music combines hypnotic grooves, socially conscious storytelling and a fearless experimental spirit, earning him a reputation as both a cultural innovator and a powerful live performer. Relentless international touring has included performances at major festivals and cultural institutions including Roskilde Festival, WOMAD, Le Guess Who? and the Barbican, the latter two via invitations from Shabaka Hutchings, as well as collaborations with Lee “Scratch” Perry, Orlando Julius, Adrian Sherwood, African Head Charge and Zea (The Ex).
Named one of Africa’s Top 10 global stars by CNN, Rocky Dawuni is a Grammy-nominated musician celebrated for blending Afrobeat, reggae and soul. He has shared stages with Stevie Wonder, Peter Gabriel, Bono, Janelle Monáe and John Legend, and last year was awarded a Ghanaian diplomatic passport in recognition of his efforts promoting Ghana and Africa worldwide.
About “No Tradition, No Africa”, King Ayisoba says: “The storm is brewing, and the time is now. We’re standing at a crossroads, Africans. Are we gonna’ keep chasing shadows of others, or rise with the power of our ancestors? Our traditions are the heartbeat of this continent. They’re the rhythm of our soul, the fire in our bones. But we’re losing it. I made this song to shake us awake: without tradition, we lose our way. Without our roots, we’re just leaves blowing in the wind. This is a call to reclaim our culture, our pride, our identity. Let’s rise, let’s remember, let’s celebrate what makes us unapologetically African.”
Born in Bolgatanga in rural northern Ghana in 1974, King Ayisoba descended from a Fra Fra hunting tribe and was a prodigy on the kologo — a traditional two-string lute with numerous variants found across West Africa. Playing locally from an early age, the instrument quickly became “like an extended part of his body”, with not a single day passing without him playing.
Ayisoba rose to national prominence with his debut album Modern Ghanaians in 2006. The album took Ghana by surprise and the hit single “I Want To See You My Father” spread like wildfire across the country, earning him three Ghana Music Awards in 2007 including Discovery of the Year, Traditional Song of the Year and Most Popular Song of the Year. Since the mid-2010s he has worked closely with Arnold de Boer of Dutch post-punk legends The Ex, recording albums for his Makkum imprint as well as 1000 Can Die and Work Hard for Germany’s influential Glitterbeat Records, which alongside international touring has helped build an international reputation for him as one of Africa’s most distinctive and uncompromising musical voices.
Singing in Frafra, Twi and Pidgin English, Ayisoba’s music is politically charged, spiritually intense and socially observant, addressing injustice, corruption, greed, morality and family relationships with direct, powerful songwriting. His recordings blend traditional Ghanaian music with influences from hiplife, punk rock, dancehall, reggae, folk music and even techno, creating a sound that continues to evolve through collaborations with musicians, producers, dub artists and DJs from around the world.
King Ayisoba’s forthcoming seventh album Pure Confusion features production from legendary UK dub producer Adrian Sherwood. This follows Ayisoba’s appearance on the 2023 African Head Charge album A Trip To Bolgatanga, produced by Sherwood, which laid the foundations for their new studio partnership.