Amakye Dede
Celebrated Ghanaian highlife musician, songwriter and producer, Abrantie Amakye Dede, has declared that Ghana is gradually losing its highlife music to Nigeria.
According him, highlife which was known to be a Ghanaian music genre has shifted to Nigerians,adding that the Nigerians are ahead in terms of producing and promoting highlife music while Ghana is only interested in promoting foreign music.
In an interview on Kessben TV, Abrantie Amakye Dede indicated that Ghanaians do not take pride in the fact that Ghana is the originator of highlife music.
“Well you know if I want to say it as it is I can boldly tell you that now highlife has shifted to the side of Nigerians,” he said.
He pointed out that highlife music represents the second flag of the country with regard to our identity, and Ghana is known as the originator of highlife around the world.
“The truth should be said as it is because Ghana was known to be doing Highlife music and that’s what most of us have been doing for ages,” he pointed out.
He mentioned that highlife must be cherished and promoted at all cost, adding that the insurgence of other genres of music poses a great risk to the existence of highlife music.
The highlife musician, who suggested that it’s high time Ghanaians took highlife music serious,advised Ghanaians to step up their game because the highlife genre is dying in Ghana.
The ‘Iron Boy’ hitmaker added that promoting Ghanaian highlife music will go a long way to put the music industry and Ghana on the world map.
Credited with hit songs such as ‘AkwadaaWesoa’, ‘AkokoBebon’,‘OyonkoPe Me Seyee’, ‘OdoDabaabi’, ‘Sika Ne Barima’, ‘Su Fre Wo Nyame’, ‘Odo Nti Na Me Su’, ‘Odo Bi De3 Saa’, among others, Amakye Dede however, called on Ghanaian music stakeholders to preserve, develop and promote highlife music globally in order to promote the country’s cultural heritage.