Sultan Incorporation: The Turning Point Of Nanky’s Music Career

No person, fanatic around the world can downplay the importance of record label activities in the projection of talents. It has been part and will continue to be part of showcasing artist’s showmanship to the world.

Various labels far away from our jurisdiction have shaped and continue to shape, as well as do wonders for the growth and sustainability of musicians.

In the Africa space, coming down to the Ghanaian originality, record labels have done a lot and continues to do more in the progress of several musicians.

Nanky real name Haruna Buhari, a sensational Ghanaian singer and songwriter deeply rooted in Afro-pop, Afro RnB, and highlife has attributed his level of growth, showmanship, stage craft, influence, power, among others all to the work of Sultan Incorporation Record Label.

Speaking in an interview with The New Publisher, Nanky indicated he wouldn’t have had his current prowess if not for the massive work been put into his craft by his bosses and everybody in the Sultan recording team.

According to him, although dedication and hard work is the main attribution to his success story, Sultan Incorporation Record Label has done the most in putting together all major collaborations to ensure his current high level of feet.

“I will say both hard work and humility has been my trademark because my boss won’t tolerate disrespect and there’s no way he’d work with a lazy artiste either because he’s a workaholic himself but the label, Sultan Music has made my success in the game so far happen for me. Determination and putting in much hard work in my music is what has ensured my success in this industry but the main turning point was that moment I got signed onto sultan music. It gave me a new look at the future” he said.

Dreams

Nanky further indicated his aims and ambitions for pursuing music is to conquer Africa to the highest esteem, make Ghana proud, his record label gain the highest momentum and as well as be in the history book as one who did a lot during his era.

“I want to be one of the greatest musicians of all time in the history of Africa. I want to place the name of Sultan label on a highest scale, and place my name in the history books. In some few years in the game, I have learned to be more focused on the business aspect because being at the top isn’t permanent.”

The music sensation that caused a stir with the release of his debut 6-track EP, Remedy almost a year ago is geared towards the release of another. He tells the paper, “the remedy EP gave me a certain mileage, sold my sound to the world and also brought some dead ‘HOPES’ back to life. I am currently working on releasing a single soon and maybe another EP ‘probably’.”

Answering to a question about the unique music style he holds, Nanky answered: “high-life and afro R&B is my style but I won’t say I own it because every style of music in this our generation was inherited though we all have different styles.

“When composing a song, I try as much as I can to write something that will sound true and relatable. So that anyone listening will enjoy. And most importantly I always want my songs to impact lives.”

Early Life

Nanky whose songs over the period have been treated to global level production standards with his silky vocals and lyrical dexterity and versatility said he grew up in an average family.

“I grew up in an average home. We didn’t have much but we were okay and I’m grateful for that. But the striving part was my own choice; I had always wanted to be independent so I had to sometimes go out there to chase my football dream along the line, I switched from football to music, therefore I will say destiny chose it for me which I’m so much comfortable with. I was struggling to be heard until Sultan music came through for me.”

He added, “My greatest fear is letting the people that believe in me down, dying young, to lose heaven and making it big in the absence of the people that struggled with me. My role models are Christ brown and Justine Bieber. I used “are” because I don’t have just one. And locally I will say Sarkodie and Kizz Daniel.”

Profile of Nanky

Nanky completed Padmore Primary School and Akodzo JHS in Tema – a music hub where most of the nation’s major talents emerged from. He went on to gain admission into Chemu Secondary School but dropped out in his first to second year.

Although a promising talent in soccer, his love for music began nurturing in 2012 till he broke out as a professional artiste in demand from 2016. He describes his early memories with music as a hobby that later on evolved into a passionate obsession that found purpose, impact and a way of making ends meet upon getting signed into his first record label, Meld Entertainment.

Nanky won the Vodafone Ghana Music Awards (VGMAs) Unsung Award in 2021.

He edged Oseikrom Sikani, Adelaide the Seer, Koby Tuesday, Kwame Yogot, Malcom Nuna, Queendalyn and Naana Blu to win the title previously held by rapper Teflon Flexx.

The Unsung category is dedicated to emerging talent in the country, and guarantees the winner a performance slot at the VGMAs main awards stage – which he basically proved his showmanship on the awards stage.

Nanky’s VGMA victory followed his win at the maiden Global Music Awards Africa earlier this year, where his single ‘Favour’ featuring Sarkodie won the Global Best Video of the Year Award. He also won in the New Lord category at the 2021 4syte Music Video Awards.

He was also nominated in the 3music awards 2021 – next rated (Greater Accra).