OKC the Artiste

A musician’s success story.

“Soca has my body, but calypso has my soul.”

Whether in body or soul, music takes control of Osei Clarke almost as well as he takes control of music. Known professionally as an O.K.C The Artiste, Osei wasn’t always the entertainer he’s known as today. He says there was a time when he and his brothers ran through Sophia when it was just dams and backlands. From playing music on makeshift drums to signing labels and live shows, Osei has come a long way to earn his title as an artiste.

Self-described singer, songwriter and musician Osei says that his love for music began long ago. “My love for music began long before I knew myself. By the time I saw three, I was playing the drums. I knew music before I knew my name,” the artiste explained.

The name O.K.C came as a burst of inspiration to Osei after he needed a name to place on his first-ever single, an R&B song called ‘Closer’. After brainstorming, he decided to stay true to himself and choose his initials Osei Kwado Clarke and went on to make that name known.

Growing up, Osei began singing at the age of nine in his church’s choir; music, however, wasn’t always what he wanted to do. At first, he wanted to be a pilot. In highschool, Osei developed a love for writing and then had aspirations of being a journalist or television presenter. Although he didn’t become a journalist, he is a television presenter, with his show, ‘African Beats’. Commenting on this he said, “Everything happens for a reason. I didn’t get to become a pilot, but my love for writing does help in scripts for my show and, of course, my music,” he said. Although not what he thought he would be doing, music was an instrumental part of his life, as he calls calypsonians his heroes. “I grew up on calypso music, Sparrow and Bill Rogerswatching the calypso and soca monarch was a family tradition. We wouldn’t go but the family would sit around the TV every year. While other children had WWE and John Cena; [we had] Adrian, Jumo, Revel and lord Canary.” These heroes are what inspired him to become a musician and a hero to other children, as the calypso legends were to him. As he looks at his community and the youths there that look up to him as a beacon of hope and the neighbours that hold him with a sense of pride; this, he says, is his motivation.

A passion for performing

This year was Osei’s first year in the senior national singing competitions, and at a place where many would second guess themselves, Osie didn’t. After winning in junior competitions in the past, this year was an entirely new ball game with very different competitors. This, however, didn’t pose a challenge to Osei as he came out third in the competition and described it as his biggest and most memorable performance ever. “ The soca performance was the most memorable. The calypso had its moments, and the chutney had its moments. But the soca was the most memorable. I am most comfortable in soca, but I have a deep love for calypso. I love soca but calypso gives me peace of mind.”

To Osei being a musician means having his voice heard. To him, it’s all about having the chance and opportunity to have his music reach the length and breadth of Guyana. And the only way to do this is to perform, and that’s exactly what he loves to do. “My producers would bring up the issue of money and promoters not paying. But that doesn’t really matter to me. I just love to perform. I just want to be on stage. Even if they decide to give me a stipend, that is not a problem for me. Money is not the problem.Performances and performing is what I

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