SOURCE: BBC NEWS
American rapper, Meek Mill, is trending in Ghana, after people have expressed fury over a music video posted by the musician which appears to have been filmed in the country’s Jubilee House, which is the presidential palace.
The video was reportedly first posted on Meek Mill’s Instagram account on Sunday according to the news site GhanaWeb, but the BBC could not find any trace of the video on the rapper’s social media page at the time of writing this post.
Several American celebrities have been in Ghana over the last few days as the country hosted the Black Star Line Festival last week, which featured big names musicians like Chance the Rapper, T-Pain and Erykah Badu.
Local media say that people are enraged over what they view as the “desecration” of the presidency by Meek Mill and the security issues regarding the filming of a music video in such a high-profile building.
On Twitter, Ghanaians have expressed similar concerns: “All those responsible for this despicable desecration of the Jubilee House by Meek Mill must be fired immediately,” Sam Okudzeto Ablakwa, who is a former Deputy Minister for Education and Information said.
Mr Ablakwa then went on to complain about “explicit” lyrics used by Meek Mill in the video.
Another Twitter user expressed similar anger: “This is the lowest point we can get as a country.”
Meek Mill, whose real name is Robert Williams, recently took a DNA test where he discovered that he is 18% Ivorian and Ghanaian.
A Ghanaian politician has come out in defence of Jubilee House appearing to be used to shoot a hip-hop video saying it is not just “international celebrities” who have access to the presidential lectern – where part of Meek Mill’s video appeared to be filmed.
“All the visitors the president receives at the hall where the presidency lectern is, get access to it and are allowed to take pictures too. From Ghanaians to foreigners,” Kofi Ofosu Nkansah posted on Facebook.
He also noted that guests only get to take photos from the lecture with a badge saying “Presidency”, meanwhile President Nana Akufo-Addo uses a lectern with a badge saying “President”.
All those responsible for this despicable desecration of the Jubilee House by Meek Mill must be fired immediately.
How do those explicit lyrics from the president’s lectern project Ghana positively?
Is Ghana’s seat of government no longer a high security installation? pic.twitter.com/Wwo2rbGIjl
— Sam Okudzeto Ablakwa (@S_OkudzetoAblak) January 9, 2023
