Ghanaian hiplife rapper and singer, Dadie Opanka has stated that being a gospel artist doesn’t guarantee one’s entrance into heaven.

Opanka made this assertion during an interview where he was asked about his thoughts on those that heavily criticized gospel musicians who featured secular artists. He asserted that some secular musicians worship God more than these critics, and even some gospel artists. He further added that some of these critics act so heavenly but, they sometimes do horrible things in secret that secular artists will not even think of doing.

“Being a gospel artist doesn’t mean you will go to heaven. The fact that I am a secular musician doesn’t mean you will go to heaven before me, no. You can be a gospel musician and still go to hell. Most of us even worship more than these critics and gospel musicians. God looks at the heart, and these are human beings who are always judging us but the Bible speaks against it. They make us [secular artists] look like we are sinners that they have not sinned before. They are not better than us because God loves us all equally.”

He further posited that it is not wrong when gospel musicians collaborate with secular artists since it is just one way to send out their message to a wider audience.

Dadie Opanka who himself has collaborated with Ghanaian gospel musician, Gifty Adoye, revealed that he received a lot of backlash from people in the gospel music fraternity, to the extent that he lost respect for a certain gospel artist because of what the person said. He also disclosed that the same song he received insults for had saved and inspired the lives of many.

The ‘Wedding Car’ hitmaker revealed that a lot of things inspired him and that he doesn’t take in any substance to push him to do his music. He went further to state that even though he doesn’t record or perform under the influence of alcohol or weed, he is not against artists who use such substances to influence their creative ability.

“Let me make this clear, I don’t take alcohol, I don’t smoke, I don’t take anything. I am always myself because, I want to be able to know what I am doing clearly. No two ways, I am not against those who take stuff before they do what they do. But as for me, I don’t want to feel like something [alcohol, weed] is pushing me to do what I am doing”.

Speaking on the issue of awards in Ghana, Opanka intimated that awards don’t validate him as the best in what he does, since, he already believes in himself. He further stated that awards limits artists from reaching their inner creative selves because sometimes undeserving people get an award that they shouldn’t have and some of them even buy the award to make them feel fulfilled.

“I feel like awards and all those stuff limits your talent or your greatness. The award is given to artists by certain people… and it’s not all that legit…people can buy award, people manipulate themselves in there and get the award. See, I don’t need validation to know who I am. Awards are just there to create a certain perception that you are the best or you are doing well. So, when I get an award is a bonus, when it comes or not I don’t mind”.