New Era Explores Accra’s Local Sounds and Meets its New Wave of Creatives Driving the Scene
Continuing New Era’s deep-rooted association with music and underground youth culture across the globe, the world’s leading headwear brand takes a tour of the world’s emerging underground scenes and meets the faces defining creativity for future generations.
On the west coast of Africa, in Ghana’s seaside capital of Accra, there’s a scene bubbling up, one unlike anything the country has seen in some time. Supercharged by the determination, energy and curiosity of Ghanaian youth, an entire creative community has formed around alternative music, as well as skate and surf culture. And it’s one that is becoming quickly populated with new collectives, new ideas and new spaces to hang out, create and play.
The city is the scene of New Era’s latest documentary about the innovative sounds coming out of Ghana. It’s part of a docu-series that will continue throughout 2023, during which New Era will be collaborating with creative communities around the world, providing the donations and support to help fuel them even further. “People in Ghana always say: oh, it’s afrobeats or nothing,” says Sandy Alibo, the founder of Surf Ghana, Vibrate Space and Freedom Skatepark – three institutions that have become central to Accra's new music scene – and one of the many faces that start in the doc. “I’m like, guys you’re wrong, there is a platform for an alternative scene here, and it’s at the skatepark.”
According to Sandy, “the community in Ghana is ready to create, build, and connect with the world. With New Era,” she says, “I want to give them the resources and tools to make things happen.” Sandy set up Surf Ghana in 2016: a collective of surfers, skaters, musicians, artists, photographers, DJs and more. “The idea was to explain to people: if we work together, we can achieve so many things. We can achieve the unexpected.” In December 2021, Sandy used the collective’s growing momentum to open Accra’s first ever purpose-built skating facility: Freedom Skatepark.
Since opening, it’s become much more than a skatepark; it’s the epicentre of Ghana’s thriving alternative music scene, where collaborations happen, collectives are formed, and parties are thrown. And one of the most hyped collectives in Accra right now is All My Cousins. “All My Cousins is me, Narah, Cozy, Tony, Seyyoh, Shrek and Juicy,” says Ansah, founder of the crew, and an artist, producer and DJ in his own right. “It’s about cousins coming together to discuss, connect and create.”
Each member has their own thing going on. For instance, Cozy (real name: David Nana Opoku Ansah) is an award-winning photographer and filmmaker. Tony, who releases music as 95ANTNY, is a genre-defying artist responsible for lush and rhythmic heaters like “less is more” and “5STAR”. And Narah dropped an entire 40-minute live performance on YouTube in 2021 that cemented her place as one of the rising stars of Ghanaian neo-soul. But they also work as a group and collaborate with other artists across Accra.
Last year, Sandy and Surf Ghana decided they needed to do more to accommodate the DIY music scene that was bubbling up at the skatepark. They opened Vibrate Space: a community recording music studio and music business program designed to educate and equip emerging young musicians and aspiring managers and promoters. It’s not just the members of All My Cousins recording there; they’ve had artists visit from all over Ghana and Africa as a whole. “South Africa, Nigeria, Togo, Ivory Coast… they are coming every month. I’m proud of this. I want to make sure that they believe in themselves and discover the resources and talent here,” says Sandy.
“What we’re doing here is about education,” says Sandy. “We’re taking the time to educate people that there is so much potential here; we just never get the tools and resources to realise it. But as soon as we do, it’s like BOOM!”
Throughout 2023, New Era will explore the stories from alternative and progressive communities from across the globe to see what life is like for the faces on the creative edge of their respective countries. Amplifying these stories through New Era’s global presence, New Era will continue to work with local communities by supporting growth and contributing to the future of creative cultures.
New Era’s latest partnership with Surf Ghana and Vibrate space will provide support for over 400 emerging artists over the next six months through mentorship, access to the Vibrate Space studio, and opportunities to perform at live events. Contributions from the brand will also help provide AV and studio equipment and digital support for artists to raise awareness of their content across the region and globally.
Find out more at neweracap.eu
ABOUT NEW ERA:
Since 1920, New Era has been handcrafting the finest headwear in the world. Today, with apparel and accessories lines, the brand is a market leader rooted in sports and an influencer of street and lifestyle culture around the globe. With over 500 licenses in its portfolio, New Era is the brand of choice in the worlds of sport, fashion, music and entertainment. The Company is headquartered in Buffalo, N.Y., and its products are sold in more than 80 countries. For more information on New Era’s global offices and partnerships, visit www.neweracap.eu and social channels @neweraeurope.