Konnected Minds Podcast with Derrick Abaitey

What if the biggest difference between people who build sustainable creative careers and those who burn out isn't talent or opportunity, but understanding early that survival requires adaptability, that childhood trauma can become your greatest strength, and that seeing the world differently from everyone around you is not a curse but your secret weapon?

In this raw and deeply personal episode of Konnected Minds, we sit down with Kiti, an Afrobeats artist who reveals the uncomfortable truth about growing up everywhere and nowhere, never staying anywhere long enough to make friends because his mom was in a bad situation and they had to keep moving, why he never had a home where he grew up but was always the outsider trying to play football with kids in the park or join games at the game center, and why moving from St. Anthony's to Great Lamptey Mills and back again meant he missed two important years of growing up with his friends and became a stranger to the very people he once knew.

He breaks down why his mom is undoubtedly undisputedly the best cook in the world and has ventured into hairdressing, pastries, cooking for funerals and weddings and corporate lunches, why they kept moving because she was in a marriage that didn't work out and as a stepchild she always thought about him and his little brothers, why his dad died when he was seven before he could even form thoughts to appreciate what fatherhood looked like, and why his early memories of his dad are just being a stubborn child and being punished but also remembering him as the life of the party who loved life and kept the family together organizing things for everyone to come together.

But he also confronts the burden of growing up too fast. Why on his dad's side he had four siblings and on his mom's side he was the first of three boys, why in all the moving around his two younger brothers were toddlers and because of what his mom was going through he had to play a part time role of a mom bathing them changing diapers feeding them rolling them around until they fell asleep, why looking back it doesn't make him feel good but he's blessed to have gone through those experiences because as a child he just wanted to be a child and play Konami and Sega and Mortal Kombat but he recognized very early on what his reality was and had to step in and do what needed to be done to support his mother.

He reveals why he didn't know what fighting looked like and just accepted his reality and dealt with what life gave him, why it's crazy that he is actually the person he is today because his worldview at a very early age was boxed into his reality, why it's an amazing phenomenon that he's become one of the most open minded and easygoing people you'll ever meet but he has no idea where that switch came from, and why maybe he needs to do a deep deep deep deep deep triple platinum deep dive into his psyche to understand where the switch came but as it stands now he has no idea.

But he also shares the survival mentality that shaped him. Why he survived everywhere and if you put him in Taekwondo he will beat Black Masters, if you put him in football he will survive, if you put him in athletics he will survive, if you put him in art and painting he was one of the best, why he used to paint draw play football run sing rap and put him anywhere in the world anywhere in life he will come out better than the people that are supposed to be the bosses there, and why he doesn't write off his early realities because as much as they had negatives they shaped him into who he is today.

He explains why his outlook on the world is quite different from a lot of people around him, why when everyone looks at the same thing he sees something different, why we're all looking at the same thing but he's looking at the hues of blue and how it dissolves into lighter shades, and why he doesn't think he's better than anybody but his perspective and his outlook on life feels quite different from most people around him.

But we also dive into the record deal conversation. Why when he found out he was going to be a father it made him feel scared, why they called him to a family meeting asking if he was serious about music and whether music is what he can do to one day put food on the table for his family, why when he got the first invitation to get a record deal he didn't think about the numbers involved and didn't care about the money aspect of it, why he doesn't own all of his masters and to go into detail about that conversation would require diving deep deep deep deep deep deep so he'll leave it here, and why looking back he wishes he read the fine prints but he didn't and now he'll deal with the consequences of not reading them.

He confronts the brutal reality of the music industry. Why the music industry is a wild wild place and he's telling us for a fact that if he didn't have the passion for what he's doing by year five he would have hung his mic and called it a day, why sometimes...

What if the biggest difference between artists who build sustainable careers and those who flame out after a few hits isn't talent, passion, or even opportunity, but simply understanding that no matter how hungry you are for success, you must read the fine prints before signing anything because the music industry is show business and if you don't understand the business aspect you will work your whole life and realize there's nothing to show for it? In this raw and deeply personal episode of Konnected Minds, we sit down with an artist who reveals the uncomfortable truth about getting signed to a record label as an overexcited young man who never had to struggle for studio sessions because talented people always wanted to help, why he never mentioned his friend Senabaita's name in any interview until today but this was the guy at University of Ghana who had studio equipment and a home setup and would say come come when you want to record so paying for studio sessions was never even a thing in his mind because his reality was people were always ready to offer help whenever they heard him sing, and why going into the conversation about getting signed it never crossed his mind how others struggled to pay for studio time or get money because even though he had none money was still never a thing in his mind. He breaks down why if he could go back and make decisions differently today he would not have been an overexcited young man who just wanted to make music for passion alone because no matter how much passion you have it's show business and there's a business aspect of it, why you can make all the music and make all the love songs and make the world dance but if you don't read the fine prints you work your whole life and realize you've worked but there's nothing to show for it, why he doesn't own all of his masters and to go into detail about that conversation would require diving deep deep deep deep deep deep so he'll leave it at here but he wishes he read the fine prints and now he'll deal with the consequences of not reading them. But he also confronts the reality of what he tells young talented kids who get into his DMs asking for help. Why his advice is simple and powerful in one line: read the fine prints, why the music industry is a wild wild place and if he didn't have the passion for what he's doing he would have hung his mic and called it a day by year five, why sometimes you go into the deepest and deepest of lows where you ask yourself is all of this even worth it, all these late nights and being on sets for 12 hours and people insulting you, is it even worth what you're getting at the end of it, and why the answer is no it's not worth it but what is worth it is the passion. He reveals why he balances passion with business now because it's very important and you need to be able to survive and keep doing what you're doing by putting money back into your business, why no matter how hungry you are he wasn't hungry when he went into it but was just a kid that loved music who just wanted to sing and did not care what he sang, and why he doesn't wish to be diplomatic and political but for this specific conversation he recognizes there's depths and depths and depths that would need an actual conversation to delve deeper into so he doesn't want to say it and leave it shallow for interpretation. But he also shares the powerful realization that changed his perspective. Why he appreciates that regardless of what happened the path he took is what made him who he is today, why he's super super super grateful for the opportunities, why growing up he heard something means the truth is only one but as an adult he's realized that's false because two things can be true, why a situation might be negative but that situation also helped shape the person he's become, and why when people listen to his childhood story they might say what bro but he recognizes both the negative and the positive truth of it. He confronts the brutal reality of the music industry. Why anytime he speaks to artists about money stuff and hears conversations about artists selling their catalogs and not owning masters there's always a thought that somebody is trying to use somebody, why that's something you're going to have to learn the difficult way because everybody's using everybody, why one of the best things you're going to have to have is leverage because leverage is what allows people to not be used, and why leverage shows up in so many different ways from knowing what you have to knowing who you are to knowing what you bring to the table so that when you walk into any room nobody can bully you. But we also dive into why he stayed under record labels for so long. Why every year taught him something and a lot of what he learned started from year four or five, why he learned very early on that he was a man of his own with his own values vision thoughts and ideas about how he wanted life to be but was working with people who were...

What if the biggest difference between people who make it and those who stay stuck isn't talent, connections, or even opportunity, but simply the relentless belief that no matter what life throws at you, you will always find a way? In this powerful and deeply personal episode of Konnected Minds, we sit down with Nana Adjamina, an artist who reveals the raw truth about discovering you're going to be a father while still in university, facing family ultimatums to make music work in 18 months or abandon the dream forever, crying real tears when the one outlet that saved you through every dark moment growing up seemed like it would be taken away, and why even when his boss told him on the final day of national service that you've shown us you don't want to be here, he walked out knowing that people would see him on TV and hear him on radio because this is not where he wanted to be. He breaks down why finding out he was going to be a father very early in the trimester while in different countries created a scary concept because he was still raising himself, still trying to figure out his place in the world, still trying to find his sound, and now another human was being added to that equation, why the first time he ever performed outside of Ghana was in the UK and that was when he got the chance to meet his son for the first time, and why when they came to visit and COVID happened they ended up just staying because he loved the concept of having his son near where he could see him anytime he wanted to. But he also reveals the fire that changed everything. Why becoming a father put fire under him along with many other things, why that fire was what made everybody ask where is this guy from and where did he come from, why he needed it to work not just because of his son but because his brother and his brother's wife called a family meeting with his mom after she attended a concert at Plus 233 and saw legends they grew up listening to performing looking like nothing had gone well for them in their lives, and why she asked him are you sure music is what you can do to one day put food on the table for your family. He confronts the moment that almost broke him. Why his family gave him an ultimatum of one year, maybe one and a half years, to make music work or go back to school, further his education, and get a nice job like everybody else sitting in an office wearing a suit and tie, why he shed real tears because music was his escape in all those dark moments growing up, his outlet to voice his concerns and his love, and it looked like it was going to be taken away from him, and why from doing his national service he came to understand that he does not want to be confined behind a desk because there's joy for some people in wearing a suit and tie and driving to the office but that does not mean it works for him and his narrative and his story and his vision. But he also shares the turning point. Why on the final day of national service when people were working hard to be retained and hoping to be picked by the boss, his boss walked into the conference room and told him you have shown us in nine months you've been here that you don't want to be here, why he said thank you boss and told his colleagues you will see me on TV and hear me on radio because here is not where I want to be, and why he counts himself immensely blessed and highly favored that the one year his family gave him was the first year he got his breakthrough songs that lit his path and changed the conversation at home from concern to understanding. He explains why he was able to buy his first car after Hitmaker because part of the winning prize included a cash prize to help start life, why he counts himself as one of those people who will always find a way because if you bury him he will germinate and become an oak tree, and why he is always grateful to life and grateful for the people, his family, his brothers, his sister, his friends who are always the voices in his ear that he needs. But we also explore the reality of raising a child while building a music career. Why in the initial stages as a young artist coming up the pressure of needing to support his son was one of many things that put fire under him, why he wasn't able to be there for the check caps and things because they were in different countries until his son was actually born, and why having his son near him in Ghana gave him the motivation and focus to keep pushing forward no matter how difficult things became.

What if the biggest difference between people who succeed and those who stay stuck isn't talent, resources, or even opportunity, but simply the willingness to explore everything, survive anywhere, and refuse to box yourself into one narrow identity?

In this powerful and deeply personal episode of Konnected Minds, we sit down with an extraordinary creative mind who reveals the raw truth about growing up without privilege, developing a survival mentality that allowed him to excel at everything from Taekwondo to painting to music, and why he believes that where we come from in the world means you start life at minus 20 and spend your entire existence fighting just to reach ground zero where other people begin.

He breaks down why he survived everywhere he was placed, why if you put him in Taekwondo he would beat Black Masters, if you put him in football he would survive, if you put him in athletics he would survive, if you put him in art and painting he was one of the best, and why this ability to adapt and excel in any environment shaped him into someone who sees the world differently from everyone around him even though he can't pinpoint exactly where or how that perspective developed.

But he also reveals the uncomfortable truth about dreams and aspirations. Why he wanted to be a pilot after watching a movie where pilots maneuvered planes so coolly, why he wanted to be a model at some point, why he wanted to be an artist drawing because the best gift anyone could give him was a sketchbook, and why his uncle always bought him sketchbooks because he loved painting so much.

He confronts the reality of not having support for exploring multiple passions. Why he wishes he had somebody to support him in all the various crazy ideas he had growing on, why he didn't have that privilege, and why he now allows his nine year old son to explore every passion from creating his own comics with characters, dialogue, storyline, and plots, to forming his own brand, to wanting to play piano, sing, rap, and do everything because eventually the child will find that one thing he's 150% clear on but until then allow their brains to roam free and explore without creating a life full of what ifs.

But we also dive into the tension between freedom and restriction. Why sometimes people must be restricted a bit because questioning forces you to think, why being a pharmacist was probably the best decision someone ever made because their father questioned their choices, but also why someone else might say their father told them to do sociology and it wasn't what they wanted, and why we as humans never really know what the right side of the line is until time tells us what it is.

He explains why his outlook on life is quite different from most people around him, why when everyone looks at the same thing he sees something different, why he notices the hues of blue and how they dissolve into lighter shades while others just see an object, and why this perspective wasn't developed through travel or exposure because his first time traveling was way later in life and he didn't even have a passport but something in his experiences and interactions with different people from different backgrounds shaped him into who he is.

But he also reveals the brutal economic reality of where we come from. Why based on where we're from in the world we don't have the privilege of identifying our passion very early in life, why it's hard to hear but where we're from when you come into this world you're already behind at minus 20, why you're struggling and fighting just to build to ground zero where you actually start life, and why a lot of people don't even make it to ground zero and struggle their entire life operating in the negatives.

We confront the mindset of overcoming obstacles. Why his mindset about life is always about okay so this is the problem, this is the situation, now what, how do we overcome that, why you know you want to become something but your experience of life at age three is different from age seven which is different from age ten which is different from the friends you meet at age twelve and thirteen, and why you keep growing, building your mind, and finding different interests as you experience life.

He shares why his son at age nine is one of the best artists he's ever seen, why the child is able to create his own comics at that age, why he's wanted to play piano, sing, rap, and do everything, and why every step of the way he supports every passion because he wishes he had that support when he was exploring his own crazy ideas.

What if the biggest difference between people who succeed and those who stay stuck isn't talent, resources, or even opportunity, but simply the willingness to explore everything, survive anywhere, and refuse to box yourself into one narrow identity? In this powerful and deeply personal episode of Konnected Minds, we sit down with an extraordinary creative mind who reveals the raw truth about growing up without privilege, developing a survival mentality that allowed him to excel at everything from Taekwondo to painting to music, and why he believes that where we come from in the world means you start life at minus 20 and spend your entire existence fighting just to reach ground zero where other people begin. He breaks down why he survived everywhere he was placed, why if you put him in Taekwondo he would beat Black Masters, if you put him in football he would survive, if you put him in athletics he would survive, if you put him in art and painting he was one of the best, and why this ability to adapt and excel in any environment shaped him into someone who sees the world differently from everyone around him even though he can't pinpoint exactly where or how that perspective developed. But he also reveals the uncomfortable truth about dreams and aspirations. Why he wanted to be a pilot after watching a movie where pilots maneuvered planes so coolly, why he wanted to be a model at some point, why he wanted to be an artist drawing because the best gift anyone could give him was a sketchbook, and why his uncle always bought him sketchbooks because he loved painting so much. He confronts the reality of not having support for exploring multiple passions. Why he wishes he had somebody to support him in all the various crazy ideas he had growing on, why he didn't have that privilege, and why he now allows his nine year old son to explore every passion from creating his own comics with characters, dialogue, storyline, and plots, to forming his own brand, to wanting to play piano, sing, rap, and do everything because eventually the child will find that one thing he's 150% clear on but until then allow their brains to roam free and explore without creating a life full of what ifs. But we also dive into the tension between freedom and restriction. Why sometimes people must be restricted a bit because questioning forces you to think, why being a pharmacist was probably the best decision someone ever made because their father questioned their choices, but also why someone else might say their father told them to do sociology and it wasn't what they wanted, and why we as humans never really know what the right side of the line is until time tells us what it is. He explains why his outlook on life is quite different from most people around him, why when everyone looks at the same thing he sees something different, why he notices the hues of blue and how they dissolve into lighter shades while others just see an object, and why this perspective wasn't developed through travel or exposure because his first time traveling was way later in life and he didn't even have a passport but something in his experiences and interactions with different people from different backgrounds shaped him into who he is. But he also reveals the brutal economic reality of where we come from. Why based on where we're from in the world we don't have the privilege of identifying our passion very early in life, why it's hard to hear but where we're from when you come into this world you're already behind at minus 20, why you're struggling and fighting just to build to ground zero where you actually start life, and why a lot of people don't even make it to ground zero and struggle their entire life operating in the negatives. We confront the mindset of overcoming obstacles. Why his mindset about life is always about okay so this is the problem, this is the situation, now what, how do we overcome that, why you know you want to become something but your experience of life at age three is different from age seven which is different from age ten which is different from the friends you meet at age twelve and thirteen, and why you keep growing, building your mind, and finding different interests as you experience life. He shares why his son at age nine is one of the best artists he's ever seen, why the child is able to create his own comics at that age, why he's wanted to play piano, sing, rap, and do everything, and why every step of the way he supports every passion because he wishes he had that support when he was exploring his own crazy ideas. But we also explore the challenge of too many choices.