Ghanaian rapper Tulenkey has shed light on the meaning behind his striking appearance at the 2025 Telecel Ghana Music Awards (TGMAs), where he showed up with a piece of black masking tape covering his mouth.
The rapper, dressed in a sleek all-black suit at the event held on May 10, opted not to speak throughout the night—even after receiving the award for Best Hiplife Song, instead using gestures to communicate.
In a recent interview with 3FM, Tulenkey explained that the silent gesture was a symbolic message highlighting the emotional and mental struggles men often endure in silence.
“It was deliberate — a message about what men go through internally,” he said. “As a man, being open about your emotions is often seen as a sign of weakness. So many choose to suffer in silence rather than speak out. The tape represented that silence and emotional restraint.”
Tulenkey’s powerful visual statement sparked conversations on mental health and vulnerability among men, with many praising him for using his platform to raise awareness.