REGGI Rockstone coined the main genre, hip-life, Sonny Achiba is still experimenting with his own creation, hip-dia; and today, Samuel K. Twum-Barima a.k.a Yoggi Doggi insists that he was the brain behind the dancehall version of hip-life; which he calls rag-life.
“General Marcus and Root I, two of the most influential in this field in those days were doing this style, which was basically the Twi version of ragga “but I had to re-style and brand it ‘rag-life’, having noticed its potentials and especially its massive influence on hi-life”, he recalls.
Yoggi had to speak now, after several years of silence because he thinks that the mainstream ‘Hip-lifers’ are taking ‘raga’ or rag-life artistes as ‘sidekicks’. “Considering that we would help them make a hit by featuring on their albums, meanwhile all the credit goes to them.
Sometimes they wouldn’t even call us for stage performances-, which in itself is very illegal. It’s therefore about time we also came out with our personal full-length albums, “he says. By ‘we’, Yoggi means the likes of Batman, Sonni Balli, Mr Borax etc.
So, how did Yoggi first put this style to test? In 1998, he contributed vital verses on Akyeame’s “Mesan Aba” in 1999, the track that won the first Hip-life Song of The Year honours at the Ghana Music Awards in 2001.
Before then, Yoggi was a member of the then popular under 18 eight-boy group known as the Life Line Family, which unearthed hiplife stars such as T-Blaze. Yoggi later helped to make hits for such top artistes as Nana Quame (Odo Shock-2000, Atiaa Donko-2003), Nsiah Piesiah (Police Abaa- 2000), Obrafour (Okwantuni-2000), Kofi B (Twa Me Keke- 2002), to mentioned but a few collaborations he’s made.
In between these ‘featuring’, Yoggi released his solo debut album, “Abena” in 1999/2000 and has since been in the production hands of Ken Daniel’s Rhymes Records for the past three years.
Just last week, the 22-year-old talent unleashed his eight-track sophomore album called “Temasi” (Understand Me), “Temasi” kicks off with the album’s most popular and radio-friendly cut, “Wo Kooye Achie” (You’ve Been Away For Far Too Long), definitely talking about love, love and love.
This track, very hip-life and everything Zapp Mallet (technical engineering-wise) features young talented rapper Pinnochio. “Wo Ne Me Lady” (You’re My Lady) features vocalist, Nanaba T. On the laid-back lover’s rock-styled title track, “Temasi”, he’s asking profusely for forgiveness from a lady.
This side of the album couldn’t have ended minus a real party track. “Buwumu” (Do The Boogie). Side B starts with mid tempo hip-life cuts “Agoro No Fom” and “Kyeremi Niaa Wope” (Tell Me What You Want) which again features Pinnochio. The side closes with dancehall-tinged love track “Ene Nyumiri yi” (Tonight) and the instrumental version of “Agoro No Fom”.
