Sarkodie Is Sick!

The information as I gathered from a showbiz blogger friend of mine who happens to be close to Sarkodie broke the heart of my ear. “Sarkodie is sick” he said. Just as i wanted to ask what was wrong with the “You go kill me” hit maker, this friend of mine who at the time seemed to me the first person to break the news added, “Have you heard his new track? It’s so on point”. It sounded to me he did not care Sarkodie’s life was in danger or otherwise but he went on and on touting the rapper’s achievements.
Having heard enough I asked in plain English language, “Which part of Sarkodie’s body is ailing?” My friend just smiled and said “What i meant is, he is a good rapper”. Huh? Is that what sick means in the 21st century? There was a silly looking me confused but quickly i got a long sermon from my friend on being sick and interestingly being dope in music just to normalize my crumpled face.
I developed great interest considering the fact that a section of people are trying to make positive a word whose original meaning is negative; that’s dope, isn’t it?
What’s fascinating is how the new meaning has been widely accepted in the entertainment circles even to the extent that one will without mincing words or thinking twice say “Thank you” when he is told “You are/your music is dope” or you are/your music sick!.
My historian tells me, this sort of accepted language is even beyond the shores of Ghana and that some of the international hip-hop artistes that are revered by some in Ghana use them quite often in their music and verbal communications.
But if it’s that accepted why hasn’t the new Oxford dictionary changed their meaning in the 2013 edition?
While I am waiting for an answer to that question, I’ll try using the words dope and sick in the various contexts. Am certain my health workers would know what i mean when i say someone is sick or dope; obviously needing medical attention.
To the entertainers hold them in high esteem those who are referred to as dope or sick; they offer music pills to the ‘healthy’.
Source: Joenas Nyabor/OMG!Ghnaa