The music industry has long puzzled over who originated hiplife, but legendary sound engineer Appiah Dankwah, known as Appietus, clarified the matter on Channel One.
During a discussion on “Ghana’s Musical Identity,” Appietus identified Reginald Yaw Asante Osei, popularly known as Reggie Rockstone, as the originator of hiplife music in Ghana.
Appietus explained that hiplife, a music genre that emerged in Ghana in the early ’90s, combines hip-hop with Ghanaian highlife, incorporating local languages and cultural themes.
He emphasized that this genre has become a true African musical identity for a new generation of Ghanaians.
Reggie Rockstone’s exposure to both Western and African cultures significantly influenced his musical style. After returning from the UK in 1994, Rockstone innovatively fused hip-hop with highlife’s rhythms and melodies.
He began rapping in Akan, Ghana’s most widely spoken language, making the genre more accessible and relatable to local audiences.
His debut album, “Makaa Maka” (I Said It Because I Said It), released in 1997, was groundbreaking and established hip-hop as a significant force in the Ghanaian music scene.
Rockstone produced hit songs like “Mensesa,” “Plan Ben?” “A Little Bit of This and That,” and “Sweetie Sweetie,” among others.
His work has paved the way for many artists and transformed Ghanaian music, earning him the title of the Godfather of Hiplife in Ghana.
