Kojo Cue advises artistes to put mental health first
Ghanaian rapper Kojo Cue is urging fellow musicians and creatives to place mental health at the forefront of their personal and professional lives.
In a candid conversation with Graphic Showbiz, the artiste, born Linford Kennedy Amankwaa, emphasized that asking for help isn’t a sign of weakness but a mark of courage and self-awareness. He believes that more honest conversations around mental wellness are desperately needed, especially within the entertainment industry.
Cue’s advocacy comes from deeply personal experience. After enduring two back-to-back traumatic events in 2020 and 2021, compounded by the isolation and emotional strain of the COVID-19 pandemic, the rapper found himself overwhelmed and eventually sought therapy.
“In 2020 and 2021, I faced two back-to-back traumatic experiences that pushed me to my limits. I’m intentionally withholding some details as they relate closely to my upcoming projects, both in theme and execution,” he shared. “However, those events occurring so closely together, alongside the pressures of COVID, became overwhelming. It was this situation that drove me to seek therapy and address the challenges I was facing.”
One of Cue’s key healing mechanisms was travel, a conscious decision to break from routine and immerse himself in new environments. His journeys took him across continents, from Nigeria and Kenya to the U.S. and Italy, each destination offering clarity and perspective.
“I travelled extensively. At one point, I visited Nigeria, then Kenya, spent some time in the US and even lived in Italy for a while. My travels took me all over, including various places here. The essence behind that was simple: a change in environment can often clear your head,” he explained. “It’s similar to how tidying up your room can enhance your mental clarity. When you are in a new space, your brain is flooded with fresh information to process, leaving little room for overthinking or moping. It helps you reset.”
Apart from travel, Cue credits his emotional restoration to therapy, close friendships, and the simple act of gardening, activities that anchored him during his break from the spotlight.
Reflecting on his two-year hiatus from music, Cue described it not as a disappearance but a deliberate and meaningful pause.
Each moment of that silence, he said, was transformative and it played a part in shaping the person and artist he is today.
Now back in the public eye, Kojo Cue hopes that sharing his story will encourage others to prioritize mental wellness, reach out when needed, and recognize they are not alone.
