Ghanaian rapper, M.anifest, has opened up about how his grandfather helped to shape the beat of “Invisible,” a standout track on his 2016 album Nowhere Cool.
The revelation surfaced after a fan took to X on August 13, 2025, to lavish praise on the song.
“M.anifest’s Invisible is one of the greatest songs to come out of Ghana. Everything in the song is on point from messaging, beat, and everything!” the post read.
Seeing the tribute, M.anifest responded by revealing how the track’s rhythm was born. During the making of Nowhere Cool, he would regularly share early drafts with his grandfather, seeking feedback from him.
“I used to play drafts of songs to my grandpa whiles I was working on Nowhere Cool. One time he remarked how it would be interesting if I broke from the standard 4/4 beat pattern a lot of our popular music employs and lean into the polyrhythmic patterns of our traditional music,” M.anifest explained.
Taking the advice to heart, he headed straight to the studio.
“Went to the stu after and we built the skeleton for Invisible based on this observation. The wisdom of the elders is undefeated,” the revered rapper added.
See the post below.
I used to play drafts of songs to my grandpa whiles I was working on nowhere cool. One time he remarked how it would be interesting if I broke from the standard 4/4 beat pattern a lot of our popular music employs and lean into the polyrhythmic patterns of our traditional music.… https://t.co/FRNY07LYmh
— M.anifest (@manifestive) August 13, 2025
It was during one of these listening sessions that his grandfather offered an insight that would redefine the song’s direction.
