Ghanaian rapper Okyeame Kwame has shared his thoughts on the origins of hiplife, explaining why he believes credit for the creation of the genre should not be given to only one person.
According to the veteran musician, hiplife developed through the combination of Ghanaian highlife and hip-hop, with several musicians contributing to its growth. He stated that, ”I think it would be completely wrong to credit hiplife to Oseikrom. I would rather credit it to two key people: Zapp Mallet for creating the sound and Reggie Rockstone for making the lifestyle and the sound popular,”
“I remember when Reggie would wear his camo jeans with his Timberlands and socks and white singlet with his dreadlocks, screaming ‘tsoooboi’. It was a beautiful experience, “he recalled
He said he would rather credit two people when discussing the origins of hiplife, pointing to the roles played by musicians who experimented with combining rap and Ghanaian musical styles. He noted that the development of the genre was a gradual process involving different artistes and musical influences.
The rapper, who became prominent through the group Akyeame alongside Okyeame Quophi, has himself played an important role in the development of Ghanaian rap and hiplife. His comments have therefore added to the ongoing conversation about the people who helped establish and shape one of Ghana’s most influential music genres.
