Now I understand people who asked what my parents thought about my choice to do music - M.anifest

Rapper, M.anifest, says although he was tired of people frequently asking him what his parents thought about his decision to become a rapper, now he understands those queries.

According to the rapper, he can come to terms with those questions now because when he looks back on his career, he realizes how unlikely it is to succeed as a musician.

“At a point I was incredibly fatigued with the ‘what did your parents think when you decided to become a rapper’ question. But in retrospect I understand. Even my naïve African teenage self would have thought a career in music was far-fetched.”

He, however, urged his followers on Facebook to follow their passion as he did and they should ensure they are adept with what the career they want to pursue.

“Do what you love, love what you do...sure. But make sure you become really, really good at it. The trick is there is no trick. Pure sweat, toil and resilience. Focus on what is within your control. Find hacks... and hopefully lady luck finds you in the process. Godspeed.”

Officially known as Kwame Ametepee Tsikata, M.anifest is the son of Ghanaian lawyer and academician Tsatsu Tsikata and Rev. Dr. Priscilla Naana Nketia, a lawyer and pastor. His maternal grandfather Joseph Hanson Kwabena Nketia was a composer, professor and ethnomusicologist.

M.anifest moved to the United States in 2001 to attend Macalester College in the twin cities of Minneapolis-St. Paul, where he graduated in 2005 with a Bachelor of Arts in economics.

In 2012, he was tipped as one of four rappers to watch out for by the The Strand on BBC Radio.

Three years later his single ‘Someway bi’ earned him a third-place honour in the International Songwriters Competition (ISC). The Guardian described M.anifest as "the foremost rapper on the continent," in that same year.