This Week's Listen: 'Sincerely Accra' Gets Real
If you’re looking for an authentic sound of Ghana, eiiii, Chale!... "Sincerely Accra," will give it to you.
First, thank you for the lovely words after my last post. I’m genuinely excited to be back sharing the global Black pop culture gems that come my way - from stripease chickens (you read that right) to hoop earring swings, I’ve been inundated with global Black brilliance. But today’s episode is a dedicated podcast review of a show from the home of the Black Stars — Ghana. Let’s get into it:
Podcast Review: Sincerely Accra’ by ‘The Gold Coast Report’ Network
🗓️ Episodes drop: Every two weeks on Monday
If Accra were a podcast, then I’d say “Sincerely Accra” is probably it.
The show, which is part of The Gold Coast Report network, was created by Joseph Nti, who hosts the show, and Kwame Asante Ofori, who produces it.
The show alternates between in-studio interviews and on-the-street audio (or vox pops), where you get to hear the fast-paced, colorful, and animated sounds of Accra. And it’s an immersive listen, even when you’re checking it out thousands of miles away, as I discovered when I first came across the show while going for a walk, while on a break in a small town in Southern California, no less.
And this discovery came right on time. Being a member of Ghana’s diaspora – I grew up feeling a little far removed from the place, but ‘Sincerely, Accra,’ yanks you back in - in the warmest, and funniest of ways - with the kind of love Ghanaian’s know to give best, roasts, teasing, laughter, and passionate debates.
Listen to the trailer here:
What makes this show stand out, to me at least, is its unfiltered honesty. And Joseph Nti’s laugh (it’s infectious!) The show isn’t concerned with polished narratives, though the team could pull that off. They’re focused on real conversations, real opinions, and real life as it unfolds in Ghana's vibrant capital.
The first episode I listened to back then was on diasporans coming to visit Ghana and what they missed. I felt seen. Or targeted. Or both. Either way, I was happy to feel like I was part of the conversation as Joseph read the listener's letter and shared his perspective on what diasporans get or miss.
And the best part? Joseph spoke in a mixture of languages; I heard Fante, Ga, AND English, so don’t think you won’t be able to follow — you will. I do have to say that hearing Joseph weave in and out of languages just added to the reality of living in Accra — or at least growing up in a Ghanaian home, where conversations wove in between continents. And that made the show feel more like home. Looks like I’m not alone, either. When I talked with Kwadzo on AudioDiaspora in 2023, they had over 1 million streams. On the achievement, he said:
“[The] 1 million club and that's pretty exciting because I think when we first started it very much was a passion project and then we sort of transitioned into I guess we are good at this…and now we find ourselves in this space and we are pros in the space and we are like dictating the industry space and all of that which is pretty cool.”
Not bad at all!
Part of their success lies in the fact that the team behind ‘Sincerely, Accra’ and ‘The Gold Coast Report' is focused on capturing the voices, feelings, and vibe of the moment. And I think that dedication is what makes this listener feel like they’re allowed to eavesdrop on conversations between a massive group of good friends - a conversation that they’re welcome to weigh in on.
🎧 Listen to new episodes now.
Visual Gems on My Socials
Now, look. I love sound, but I also LOVE art. And I adore a good earring hoop, and a statement piece, so this creation by Ja’Hari Ortega checks ALL the boxes.
I mean, look at this. LOOOOOK!
Called Big Hoops to Fill, Ortega’s piece is a large-scale sculpture of two “door knocker” earrings - just like the ones Salt, Pepa, Spinderella, and so many other queens of Hip Hop wore back in the day - the kind that I couldn’t wear to school, but ABSOLUTELY rock today.
Gorgeous.
Ortega says he piece is an opportunity to: “heal one’s inner child, cultivate and encourage healthy multigenerational relationships, and foster confidence in one’s identity and culture.”
The installation is in Boston, so if any of you are in the area, check it out — it’s on display until next year.
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That’s it for this edition. I’ll be back soon with more Black pop culture goodness.
