For Lyrical Joe, inspiration does not always begin in the studio. Sometimes, it starts with an old reggae record, a memory from his past or simply looking back at how far he has come.
The Ghanaian rapper, born Joseph Gamor, has revealed that reggae music has remained one of his biggest sources of creative inspiration, tracing the influence back to his childhood and his admiration for reggae legend Bob Marley.
Speaking to Nikki Samonas on Joy Prime’s Changes, Lyrical Joe said there are periods when he immerses himself completely in reggae, allowing the music and its often motivational messages to influence his own creative process.
“I grew up a reggae fan; I’m a Bob Marley fan. Sometimes, there can be a whole month or week I can listen to reggae songs throughout and I tap inspiration from that place,” he said.
But reggae is only one part of the formula. The rapper also draws heavily from his own journey, including the struggles, setbacks and personal experiences that have shaped him.
Rather than looking only to the present, Lyrical Joe said he often reflects on his past and uses the progress he sees in his life as motivation to keep pushing.
His surroundings, stories he encounters and the things he has personally experienced all find their way into his music.
“I look at yesterday and I feel like today is better and tomorrow I’ll be better. I draw inspiration from that and that keeps me going,” he explained.
Beyond his own music, Lyrical Joe said he also draws inspiration from artistes who came before him and have spent years building their careers.
He respects musicians with longer journeys in the industry, viewing their experience as something worth learning from as he continues to establish his own place in Ghana’s music scene.
