US-based Ghanaian musician KooKusi has gained international recognition after his This Ability EP was accepted into the CARE – Culture for Mental Health Project, a European Union co-funded initiative that promotes artistic works focused on mental health, well-being, and social inclusion.
The CARE catalogue was established to identify and showcase outstanding creative works that engage with themes of health and social transformation, while also facilitating the circulation of artists and their projects across cultural platforms and events throughout Europe.
The selection of This Ability EP followed a competitive review process, placing the Ghanaian artist among a select group of creatives whose work uses art and culture to highlight pressing mental health and social issues.
Born Nana Kofi Kusi-Boadum, KooKusi is a multidisciplinary audiovisual artist, pharmacist, and final-year PhD candidate in Neuroscience and Pharmacology at UNT Health in Texas, United States. His work spans music, film, journalism, photography, and poetry, which he blends to communicate complex social and mental health narratives.
The award-winning project centres on the story of Emmanuel Eckow Amoako, a renowned Ghanaian basketball figure born with anisomelia, a limb-length discrepancy that earned him the nickname “Clock.”
Through a fusion of hip-hop, choral music, poetry, documentary storytelling, photography, live performance, and digital media, This Ability explores the psychological and social experiences of living with a disability, while challenging stigma and misconceptions surrounding disability in society.
Developed under KooKusi’s creative platform, 5footbreed, the project also draws attention to the often-overlooked mental health impacts of disability-related stigma, particularly the role of self-esteem in shaping personal well-being.
According to the artist, the EP was designed with three main objectives: to highlight the mental health effects of disability stigma, empower individuals experiencing low self-esteem, and celebrate the resilience of those overcoming social and psychological barriers linked to physical disabilities.
The project aligns with the goals of the CARE – Culture for Mental Health initiative, which explores how artistic expression can contribute to improved mental health outcomes and stronger social inclusion.
KooKusi’s interest in mental health storytelling began during his Doctor of Pharmacy training, where he developed an interest in translating complex mental health concepts into accessible formats through visual storytelling, photography, film, and music.
After relocating to Texas in 2021 for his doctoral studies, he began deliberately integrating psychosocial and mental health themes into his creative work. This led to the release of 5foot3, a conceptual music and poetry EP that examined inferiority complex and its connections to issues such as nomophobia, narcissism, and performative identity.
The success of that project inspired the creation of the 5footbreed movement, an interdisciplinary artistic initiative that explores identity, self-worth, and mental health through creative expression.
Beyond its artistic impact, This Ability has also gained academic recognition, having been incorporated into a Music and Disability Studies seminar taught by Professor Alexandria Carrico at the University of South Carolina, further expanding its educational and social relevance.
The recognition by the CARE – Culture for Mental Health Project marks another milestone for the Ghanaian creative, as he continues to merge science, storytelling, and art to advance global conversations on mental health and social inclusion.