Jun 19/06
Ghanaian Hip Life
Today we have a guest post by Benn loxo listener, Wen, on Ghanaian “Hip Life” music:
Ghanaian Hip Life is a hybrid of Afro-American hip-hop and West African highlife. It is characterised by rapping over a 4/4 beat, however it differs from most traditional hip-hop with its melodic lead vocals. The rap is mostly in the local languages Twi, Fanti, Ga and Ewe, but also in the lingua franca of the Muslim minority, Hausa. The official language in Ghana is English, though due to migrant relations with the neighbouring countries French is also used. In these songs we hear a more pidginised form of English which contains old expressions from colonial times that are still used today.
The music is mostly made-up of samples of old Highlife tunes. Hiplife is created with computers and synthesizers in the studios. Live performances are accompanied by playback and are performed as lip-synchs. Live performance plays an important role and most of the hiplife performers are very good dancers.
Hip Life is a medium for the youth to express their issues, but themes affecting general society such as HIV/AIDS and malaria are also discussed.
The four members of the group V.I.P. (Vision in Progess) come from Nima, a primarily Muslim migrant community in Accra. In their songs they criticise issues within their native community, such as in “Ni Ne Naki”, the strict marriage form of auren daure, where the Muslim wife must stay within the household. This is usually not common practice in Ghana where Islam is not as as strict as in, for example, northern Nigeria.
V.I.P. rap in Hausa but also in Twi, the Akan-dialect of southern Ghana, Ewe, English and French. The press regards them as Ghana’s own Wu-Tang Clan.
Their most popular track, “Rana Sallah” (day of prayer), off their first album, “Biibiiba O” (Something will come), describes the Id el-Fitr, the festival after the Ramadan. The beat was sampled of Busta Rhymes’ “Dangerous”. Their second album “Ye de Aba” contains samples of Bob Marley’s “Redemption Song”. On their third album, “Ahomka Wom”, V.I.P. collaborates with other Hip Life artists such as Frank Mensah Pozo, Tic Tac, 2-Tee and Lil’ Kryz.
Thanks, Wen, for the music and background. -Matt
VIP - Ahomka Wo Mu
VIP - Ni Ne Naki
VIP - Adoley
June 20th, 2006 at 2:24 am
Thanks for telling people about Hip-Life! From mid-July all the biggest names in Hip-life will finally be available for download on iTunes. In the meantime we’ve put up some more previews on our myspace site - http://www.myspace.com/zongojunction
Go Black Stars!
ZJ
June 21st, 2006 at 5:20 pm
[...] Benn loxo du taccu » Blog Archive » Ghanaian Hip Life it’s like hip-house but african. (tags: music) [...]
June 27th, 2006 at 8:50 pm
[...] …. But seriously though they need to do something about their defense. Am I the only one who thinks Brazil hasn’t played well enough this year? Ronaldo looks so uninspired it’s painful to watch him play. I didn’t like Brazil this year…but hey more on that in the big fat world cup post (soon soon lol) In honor of Ghana, here is some hip-life: Konkontibaa . And there’s more hip-life at Ben Loxo du Taccu [...]
July 18th, 2006 at 9:21 pm
Hip life iz da most gullyest ting i listen to itz nice to listen to nice ghaninan music in london
July 31st, 2006 at 12:46 pm
VIP’s album is now available at iTunes:
http://phobos.apple.com/WebObjects/MZStore.woa/wa/viewAlbum?id=170278002&s=143441
Check http://www.zongojunction.com for more releases
August 17th, 2006 at 4:16 pm
dear hiplife artist people could you please download it on my email for me
i need some ghanaian music i am in the united states i need hiplife on my email like ootoolege,slim busterr and more hiplife if you do this god will bless you
thank you.
September 10th, 2006 at 4:39 pm
[...] West Africa has long been known for its talented and well-promoted hip-hop, reggae and RnB acts like PBS, VIP, Daara J, MC Solaar, Pee Froiss, Tiken Jah and many others. On the other side of the continent things have moved a bit slower in terms of musicians breaking into the international market. Labels and production companies like Ogopa Deejays are helping to finally raise awareness about East Africa’s urban music scenes. [...]
November 23rd, 2006 at 10:02 pm
hi
December 20th, 2006 at 2:32 pm
VIP IS REALLY DOING GOOD IN GHANA,I WAS IN GHANA AND I HEARD ALL THEIR STUFFS.THEY SHOULD KEEP IT UP
April 16th, 2007 at 11:37 am
vip are big boyz there should keep it God bless.
May 7th, 2007 at 2:18 pm
jo whats up my brothers?
August 16th, 2007 at 7:09 pm
im hausa i really wanna download their songsz “Rana Sallah” nd “Biibiiba O” nd “Kuzo Muyi Wassa” nd “Ni Ne Naki” i cnt find it how do i get it plszzzzzz reply this is a matter of life nd death lmfao
October 2nd, 2007 at 8:37 pm
I got this website u can download hiplife music….Gospel and lots from Ghana…only Ghana…all hosted by DJ xshizzle.. visit http://WWW.BIGXGH.CO.NR
October 22nd, 2007 at 11:29 pm
hello
how are you doing bigs guys there
i really like your nice songs and am soo much intouch with wht ever you bring out as an
album
u are truele my mentors
am ironicbeing from Tema/Ghana
hope you are place among the big men in the music industr and i mean world wide
November 7th, 2007 at 10:55 pm
ok
February 8th, 2008 at 6:42 pm
Hey!! Saludos desde España!! goob Music!!