Rapper Gemini Orleans pays respect to Gyedu Blay Ambolley

The origin of Ghanaian hip hop dates as far back as 1973 when Gyedu Blay Ambolley released his first record titled The ‘SIMIGWADO’ ...a "semi-rap Fante language style in Hi Life" to a small audience which showed him performing highlife variations with fast spoken poetry and lyricism.

Ambolley, known not only in Ghana but worldwide as the "father of rap" doesn't enjoy this hard earned recognition deservedly according to 2131records/BBnZ artiste Gemini claiming that Ambolley should be referred to as the "Kasahari Idol" in his new single he calls "AMBOLLEY".

Gemini said his new single is to pay respect and acknowledge the influence Gyedu Blay Ambolley has had on him throughout his career and how his SIMIGWADO-like rhyme schemes influenced his writing of the lyrics of this particular song.

Gemini said in an interview that "Ghanaian music is highly influenced by American hip hop, reggae, dance hall and our very own traditional highlife music and this blend was started by Gyedu Blay Ambolley".

Describing him as a living legend and musical icon. He went on to say, “...the legacies of the HipLife Grand Papa Reggie Rockstone, Ghana's rap Osofour (priest) Obrafour among other great, dead or alive, can be attributed to the career of the very first Ghanaian rapper Gyedu Blay Ambolley.”

In one of the verses he refers to Reggie Rockstone as the 'champion' explaining that Mr. Ambolley's rap is the sole reference point and source of the Hiplife genre.