Names of the young are highly regarded in Akan culture, and Cojo Rae chooses one with Aberanteɛ from the Gen Z Highlife album.
The word indicates a young man, usually strong and enthusiastic, coming into his own in the community. In many a Ghanaian context, a young man is expected to work, support the family, and conduct himself with respect. The word is used proudly, and occasionally with a slight nudge to behave.
That fits an album with a name that’s a generation. A title about being a young man, it implies a record that examines youth from the inside, with its pride, pressure, and ambition. Nigerians will get it. Our own young men nursing similar hopes, from school payments to family upkeep.
I can’t quote the lyrics since I can’t verify them, but the title indicates a coming-of-age tale. When a buddy wonders what Aberanteɛ means, you might find yourself talking about your own road to adulthood.
Anyone who remembers the pressure of growing up a man will see himself here. Good for thoughtful evenings and chats with elder brothers.
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