Ghanaian rapper Joey B has opened up about a difficult period in his career that saw him step away from the spotlight for a while, a break he now links to undisclosed health struggles at the time.
He explained that his absence from the music scene was not planned but became necessary after he began experiencing persistent health issues that he did not immediately understand.
In an interview on 3Music TV, Joey B revealed that he had been living with asthma without knowing it, a condition that gradually worsened while he continued performing and recording.
He recalled how symptoms such as breathlessness and exhaustion often surfaced during live shows, but he initially brushed them off as normal fatigue associated with performance demands.
“I got sick. Asthma. Yeah. It was bad because I think I didn’t know I had asthma… I didn’t know it. Like I used to go out performing, and it’s like I would feel tired, like I can’t breathe,” he noted.
According to him, the first serious indication came around 2019 when a doctor raised concerns that pointed toward asthma, helping him finally make sense of what had been affecting his breathing and energy levels.
He also reflected on how the situation hit closer to home, noting that his father had previously dealt with asthma, which made the diagnosis even more significant for him.
From that moment, the “Tonga” hitmaker said he became more deliberate about prioritising his health and adjusting his lifestyle to better manage the condition.
He further pointed to his work environment as a major contributing factor, especially the long hours spent in the studio during intense recording sessions.
Joey B explained that the materials used for studio soundproofing, particularly foam, appeared to aggravate his condition the more time he spent working in that space.
“What was triggering it was… every time, I no dey sleep house, I sleep in the studio. So the more I slept there, the worse it got,” Joey B noted.
Despite the setback and his temporary withdrawal from public view, he stressed that quitting music was never something he seriously contemplated.
When asked if he ever reached a point of giving up, he dismissed the idea outright, saying the break was only about recovery and regaining his strength.
“Oh, hell no. I just needed my strength back,” he insisted.
He also acknowledged the pressure artistes face when stepping away from the spotlight, particularly the risk of losing relevance, but expressed confidence in his ability to return on his own terms.
For Joey B, his outlook on life and career has long been shaped by his spiritual beliefs, which he credited for helping him stay grounded through uncertainty.
“It’s like, anyone that knows me knows I’m very spiritual, like very. God has always been my anchor for me. Before I even got here, I always knew, no, something must be governing, like something, something must be happening. I didn’t understand it. So the older I got, I knew that something is definitely looking at me. Something is definitely looking up or towards me,” he added.
