Ghanaian rapper Tulenkey has finally explained why he covered his mouth with black tape at the 2025 Telecel Ghana Music Awards (TGMAs), sparking widespread curiosity.
At the event on May 10, 2025, Tulenkey appeared in an all-black suit with his lips sealed by black masking tape. He remained silent throughout the ceremony, using only hand gestures to accept his Best Hiplife Song award.
In an interview with 3FM, Tulenkey said the move was a powerful statement about men’s emotional battles and how society often discourages them from expressing vulnerability.
“It’s a message. It speaks of what men go through, the inner battles we fight,” he said. “As a man, when you show emotion or vulnerability, you’re seen as weak. So many choose to suffer in silence. The tape symbolized that.”
By choosing silence at such a public event, Tulenkey hoped to highlight the stigma around men’s mental health and encourage open conversations.
