“I was influenced by friends to smoke,” – Kofi Nti reveals

Highlife musician Kofi Nti has opened up about a dark phase in his music journey, revealing how smoking and drinking nearly ruined his career.

In an interview with Nana Romeo on October 7, 2025, the Rakia hitmaker admitted that while he was never a chain smoker, the habit had a damaging impact on his lifestyle and growth as an artiste.

“Something like smoking — even though I wasn’t a chain smoker, it’s something you can easily get addicted to, and it can destroy your career and life,” he said.

Kofi Nti explained that the addiction often distracted him from important opportunities, recalling moments after shows when he would choose to smoke instead of networking with key industry figures.

He eventually made the decision to quit smoking and drinking entirely after realizing how destructive the lifestyle was to his progress.

“I considered all these things before I stopped smoking and drinking. I was influenced by friends, so I decided to stay away from them because I might be tempted to start again if I keep associating with them,” he added.