Remember the days when Jay Q used to be a household name in Ghana. Every new good song came from his golden fingers then, but it seems it’s all over now as more and more musicians and executive producers turn to Appietus to produce their songs and albums.
At the time, an album without a Jay Q production was considered one that can’t sell. Question is, why is the table turning suddenly and why is the fame Jay Q once enjoyed moving like a baton to Appietus?
Since the baby days of Hiplife a little over a decade ago, there has always been a ‘chief producer’ of the genre at periods in time. It used to be Zapp Mallet when it began with the likes of Reggie Rockstone, the Hiplife grandpapa. Later Jay Q and Hammer took over as president and prime minister respectively. But at a point in time Jay Q played both roles qualifying him as chief of the producers. Today, the terrain has changed and it’s all about Appietus ‘in the mix’.
Some say the fame that comes with the title of a ‘chief producer’ gets them blissed out that they sometimes take things for granted and loose focus. But are we as Ghanaians not being too one-track minded? When it’s Zapp Mallet, every executive producer goes to him for production. When it’s Jay Q, they flood his studio with money and demos to get a production done. Today it’s Appietus and the story is not different, it’s his turn to be snowed under.
We have no reason to complaint that all the songs played on radio sound the same. Reggie Rockstone has talked many times about the fact that Hiplife or Ghanaian music for that matter is loosing its element of variety. May be the Hiplife grandpapa hasn’t noticed this phenomenon of one producer for all.
Should Reggie Rockstone create a few beats that turn out to be hits, you can bet your last Ghana cedi that executive producers and musicians alike shall form one ‘logologo’ line from circle to his home at Cantoments for beats.
There are other music producers on their marks, getting set for the Appietus era to be over so they can also take over as reigning champions. Jay Q’s regime, as some will say, is over and he shall not come to power again. Look, let’s stop perceiving music as some game of politics where there are reigns and regimes. Good music is good music and has no expiry date. Good songs produced by Zapp Mallet, Jay Q, Hammer, Morris and Appietus shall forever be good songs no matter the time of day, week, month, year, decade or century.
We need more variety in our music scene to avoid monotony. We need all good music producers and not just the known ones. If it’s about reign, yes Jay Q’s is over and soon it shall be Appietus. Who’s next? Next please…
