Music legend Gyedu-Blay Ambolley seem to have
ended the long-standing argument about who
the originator of rap music in Ghana really is
after describing himself to NEWS-ONE as the
"tree of hiplife".
"When it comes to hiplife, I'm like the tree and
the rest of them are the branches," Ambolley
stated when the paper caught up with him about
the fast rising music genre in Ghana.
Entertainment Pundits over the years referred to
Reggie Rockstone as the grandpapa of hiplife
until the he openly declared Ambolley as the
real 'Grandpapa' of the genre at the just-ended
Glo Slide and Bounce concert.
"I think it was just appropriate that Reggie came
out to acknowledge me as the grandpapa of rap
music in Ghana. It is called humility. He was the
one who opened the eyes for Obrafour and the
rest to have that idea that they could actually
rap in Twi. That was more like an eye-opener for
the rest to follow. I have known Reggie since he
was kid because his father was my friend. He
was fascinated with me at that time so we built
a rapport," the saxophonist and rapper said.
Ambolley is currently working towards the
launch of his new album he calls 'Different
Shade of Ambolley'. According to him, the album
which is due to be launched on December 19, at
Alliance française, features some young champs
like the Wanlov the Kubolor and M3nsa on two
separate tracks.
"My new album is more about socialism.
Currently everyone seems to be singing about
girlfriends and nobody is really looking at what
is going on to sing about it. The album talks
about corruption, why pastors don't go to the
hospitals and heal the sick for free and all.
Basically the album is just to enlighten the
public," he added.
Gyedu-Blay Ambolley, known as the 'Simigwa Do
Man', hails from the port city of Sekondi-
Takoradi, in the Western Region. The
irrepressible singer, songwriter, producer and
"musical-life-force" exploded on the music scene
some 27 years ago with jazzy highlife sounds
called 'Simigwa-Do'.
