November ’09. Night with the Stars – Joy FM’s glossy Hiplife parade. There are scores of Hiplife super stars. The chary organisers have sprinkled only one ‘rock’ Gospel star and one jaded Highlife star on the bill.
It began bubbling with a bevy of two buxom ladies bopping on their feet; then four; then eight. Soon, the whole hall was animated, sweetly seduced by Abrantie Amakye Dede and his moulding olden, golden Highlife.
Later events were quick to establish Abrantie on the bill. Now he’s popular enough – again – to own his own glittering gala and wear scarlet-red suits. In little over a year, Highlife music is suddenly slick again.
(Picture credit - musicwithease.com)
Amakye resurrected. Life and its wonders.
ReplyDeleteHighlife has always been slick for some of us.
ReplyDeleteWhat is happening now is, a new generation has discovered the beauty of highlife and like a kid with water-colour paints uses every surface as a canvas, they are flaunting it. I like this because now there is no lack of good highlife shows to attend, plus it gets the highlife stars out of their closets.
Kwame:
ReplyDeleteI think you are right. Maybe it is Amakye Dede who has come back and not the entire genre.
Tetekai:
Well, that too. After all, 2 popular radio stations organised competing Highlife events this Christmas.
I hope this wave leads to the reactivation of some of the good highlife bands like Marriots International Band. I saw Pat Thomas perform at the Ghana@50 celebration at the Ghana Embassy in DC. He is still good. Maybe Nana Ampadu should strap on his guitar again... Long live highlife.
ReplyDeleteMusic and art tend to ebb and flow, so it's the hardworking artistes who stay "alive" for decades.
ReplyDelete