I wanted to be a rapper; I never planned to be an actress — Yvonne Nelson

Ghanaian actress and film producer Yvonne Nelson has revealed that her initial passion was not acting but rapping.

Speaking on The Career Trail programme, the CEO of YN Productions shared how she unexpectedly transitioned into acting.

“I wanted to be a rapper. Back in school, I used to rap a lot. We had a group like the Fugees, and I was the Lauryn Hill of the group. I loved Lauryn Hill,” Nelson said.

She explained that her entrance into the entertainment industry was purely by chance after meeting famed producer Abdul Salam, who invited her to a set.

“Life happens. Destiny happens. I found myself in the entertainment industry because it was meant to be. I didn’t even audition for a role. Abdul Salam saw me at Afrikiko, spoke to me, took my number, and invited me to the set. That’s how everything started for me,” she recalled.

However, she recounted the challenges she faced in her early days, particularly a session when she was struggling with her lines.

Kofi Adjorlolo, with whom she was acting, got irritated with her performance and wanted her changed.

“There was one time I was filming with Kofi Adjorlolo and he got angry that I was forgetting my lines; I wasn’t acting well. He stepped out. He was so furious and went like, ‘change her, she can’t act. She is wasting our time,’” she said.

According to her, she “had to learn on the job. I had to believe in myself. I realised that acting is something that I should take seriously.”