Lots of chocolate, popular proverbs, super-delicious food, and an incredible music scene perfectly defines Ghana. Additionally, this West African land has produced some of the most well-known personalities in the world including Kofi Annan, former UN secretary-general, Michael Essien, former Chelsea and Milan player, Kofi Kingston, a famous wrestler, and many others.
There is another name that is making Ghana proud by making prominent contributions in the world of music, Roger Akutcha, who the world knows as Di Higrade. Based in the United States, this music artist is stirring hype among the Afrobeat/Dancehall fans. With passion for music and exceptional skills, Di Higrade is on his way to becoming one of the top Afrobeat/Dancehall artists.
Childhood Passion as a Full-time Career
There are only a few people in this world who are fortunate enough to convert their childhood dreams into reality. Not many people can pursue careers in a field they are passionate about, but Roger Akutcha, who was born on August 26, 1989, in Tema, Ghana, was one of those lucky individuals.
Music was something young Roger grew up with, and it helped him feel complete. Whenever he used to listen to music, it soothed his soul, and it was music in which he found comfort and solace. He was deeply in love with this form of art. Roger found his true passion and love at a young age, which helped him groom his craft and polish his skills. His passion and determination helped him compose his first song when he was just ten years old. The young boy was excited about his song and sang it to his friends. Performing in front of his friends, instilled a passion in him to perform in front of an audience.
Roger’s eyes were full of dreams, and his heart full of admiration for this art form. However, finding success in the industry was a challenge for him as he was growing up without his parents. Instead of giving up, he dedicated his time and efforts into making music, as he was determined to make a name for himself in the music world.
Using His Life Experiences to Make Music
Roger spent most of his life on his own, making big decisions for himself. Growing up without parents is not easy, and it can derail one from their true passion, but Roger did not let this become an obstacle in his life. He was never one of those people who could give up easily, and he worked tirelessly towards achieving his goal.
He used his life experiences to create his music and started releasing his singles in Afrobeat and Dancehall genres. Roger took up ‘Di Higrade’ as his professional name and started the uphill journey in his life. The talented Afrobeat and Dancehall artist looks upon Bob Marley, Vybz Kartel, Movado, Shaggy, and Sean Paul for inspiration. Di Higrade talks about how his life experiences influence his music, “Going through the experiences makes me appreciate life more, …, Life is a beautiful struggle. I always put these experiences into music to send my story out there.”
When he released his single, “HTML” in 2015, it stirred hype in the music industry. HTML was not a song about computers, programming, or technology, but it was a classic ballad and a musical love letter. HTML was an acronym for “Hello to My Lover.” The song tells a beautiful story about how a lover misses his soulmate and spends time with a longing to see her face.
In 2016, he rocked the market by releasing two songs consecutively. The first song was “Obsession,” a fast Afro-Dancehall jam, produced by Denswag. Di Higrade dedicated this song to girls all across the globe. It was followed by the release of “Party Time,” an anthem dedicated to all the party-goers. The second song was a production of Tubhani Muzik.
Di Higrade’s songs are driven by his experiences, feelings, and passion. His dedication and love for music are taking him to the top in the world of music. In just a few years, this Afro-Dancehall artist has acquired a global fanbase.
A Music Artist Making this World a Better Place
Besides being a top emerging music artist, Di Higrade is a firm advocate of giving back to the community. While on one hand, he uses his music to tell his story and spread his message of love, motivation, and passion, on the other hand, he is dedicated to making this world a better place for all.
Di Higrade is tirelessly working to minimize the poverty crisis by highlighting societal issues of inequality and injustice. On one occasion, the down to earth music artist said, “Can you imagine what it’s like not to have enough food to eat and go to bed hungry at night? Poverty is not a joke.” He is also serving in the US Military while pursuing his music career.
However, Di Higrade’s last release was HTML in 2016, and after that, he completed his Business Information Technology Undergraduate Program at NCC Education in the United Kingdom. He used to repair computers when he was 17 years old, and he is now working on grooming his skills. In 2018 after completing his undergraduate program he acquired notable certifications including Cisco Certified Network Associate Routing and Switching (CCNA), Microsoft Certified Solutions Associate (MCSA), CompTIA A+, and CompTIA security+. Even though he has been out of the picture for a while, he has not stopped working on his music. Di Higrade will announce his EP soon!