Ghanaian rapper M.anifest has shared his admiration for TikTok, describing the platform as a major force reshaping opportunities for musicians and independent creatives around the world.
The award-winning artiste said although TikTok comes with added pressure for musicians, especially those who prefer to focus solely on making music, it has created a new space where talent can gain visibility beyond traditional entertainment markets.
Speaking with Kafui Dey on July 5, 2026, M.anifest disclosed that he spends more time on TikTok than many people might assume, noting that the platform’s influence has grown significantly in his creative life.
He explained that TikTok provides users with weekly activity summaries, which recently revealed that he had spent about nine hours on the app in a single week, partly due to his interest in the attention surrounding Kwarteng’s song.
“I love TikTok. I saw that every week, TikTok gives you like an account update. I think probably because of Kwarteng’s song, I was kind of observing. Last week was the most time spent on TikTok, which was nine hours. Usually, it’s like two to three hours a week, but those two to three hours are some of my favorite hours because it’s so fascinating to me,” he said.
Beyond entertainment trends, the rapper praised the creativity of TikTok users, particularly creators from Kumasi, whose content he believes reflects the richness of Ghana’s culture and languages.
“Kumasi TikTok is very interesting to me. They’re very creative people who are doing all sorts of skits. At some point, I was getting really concerned that our languages are disappearing. Some of the young people sound like our ancestors, especially with the Twi,” he stated.
M.anifest also pointed to TikTok’s ability to level the playing field for musicians who operate outside major global music hubs such as the United States and Europe.
According to him, the platform’s algorithm gives independent artistes an opportunity to reach audiences they may not have accessed through conventional channels.
“You get a glimpse of so many things but I think the most interesting thing is, a lot of independent artistes or artistes operating outside of the margins of the center of where this thing is, which is the US and Europe, can benefit.
“Things like TikTok can become equalizers, and you can go viral. The algorithm is crazy. META and people are suppressing the thing so you can advertise. I think there’s a very reluctant demographic when it comes to TikTok,” he observed.
However, the rapper admitted that the rise of social media has expanded the workload of artistes, who are now expected to double as content creators and promoters of their own work.
M.anifest noted that musicians must now balance the demands of recording songs with maintaining an active online presence to remain visible.
“Artistes who don’t like to perform, it’s tough because you become the marketing tool. You’re competing with content creators. The algorithm is not saying this is a musician. You’re a content creator. I’ve spent hours in the studio, and then I have to come online and get the thing out there. It can be a challenge,” he explained.
Despite the pressure that comes with the digital era, M.anifest believes connecting with audiences has always been an essential part of an artiste’s path to success, with TikTok simply representing a modern version of that interaction.
“One thing we have to remember is that art, artistes, and success have always been tied to some level of public performance, so this is the new version of that,” he added.
Below is a video of his statement.
@kafuidey7 I love TikTok, Kumasi TikTok just dey jorm me – @M.anifest Check my YOUTUBE channel (@kafuideymc) fir full interview #KafuiDeyInterviews #foryoupage #viralvideo ♬ original sound – Kafui Dey
