Fancy Gadam has opened up about the eye-watering amount he paid Sarkodie for a feature on his 2017 hit song Total Cheat, revealing that he only discovered the cost of the collaboration after the deal had already been concluded.
The Ghanaian musician made the disclosure during an interview on Joy Prime, where he reflected on the making of the song and the role played by his former manager, Alhaji Nero, in securing Sarkodie for the project.
Fancy Gadam explained that he was not personally involved in the business negotiations with Sarkodie. Those discussions were handled by Alhaji Nero, who had a longstanding friendship with the rapper.
“For that collaboration, actually I didn’t negotiate business with him. It was my manager who did that with him, so I even believed that collaboration might be free because Sarkodie and Alhaji Nero are very good friends. They are neighbours. It’s like they grew up together, so they have a good relationship,” he said.
Because of the close bond between his manager and Sarkodie, Fancy Gadam said he never expected the feature to come with a substantial fee. He remained unaware of the financial arrangement until the team began preparing for the music video.
“The only time I knew we paid him was when we were about to do the concept. The money that we paid him made my eyes open. Imagine, in 2017, we paid Sarkodie GH¢120,000,” he revealed.
The amount surprised Fancy Gadam, particularly because it was paid in 2017, when the Ghanaian music industry was still developing its commercial structure around major artiste collaborations.
The disclosure prompted the Joy Prime host to suggest that Sarkodie might actually have offered Fancy Gadam a reduced rate, considering that his standard fee for features at the time was reportedly higher.
Fancy Gadam, however, ultimately cared less about the size of the payment than what the collaboration delivered.
The musician said Sarkodie brought significant value to Total Cheat, helping the song gain traction and contributing to opportunities that followed. He also credited the collaboration with playing a role in his awards and the expansion of his career.
“My eyes opened, and I realised music is music; there’s money in music. Trust me, I don’t regret paying that money because he deserved more. He pushed the song, and it got me awards. It opened more doors for me. Thanks to Sarkodie for that wonderful support, and I think I will go back for another collaboration,” he added.
Total Cheat, which brought together Fancy Gadam, Sarkodie and other contributors, became one of the records that strengthened the Tamale-based musician’s profile beyond the Northern Ghana music scene.
Fancy Gadam spills the tea on paying Sarkodie for his concert! 😂💸 Wait till you hear the amount Sarkodie charged… his reaction is EVERYTHING! 🤣🔥 Watch #primetime here: https://t.co/mWNxPnqsDW https://t.co/iF1wYgX2xg
— Joy Prime (@JoyPrimeTV) September 30, 2026
