Rebuttal to Grammy Article: 10 artistes essential to Ghanaian Hiplife

While the recent Grammy article by Nana Kojo Mula on August 20, 2024, on Ghanaian Hiplife was insightful, it regrettably omitted crucial details that misled readers about the origins of the Hiplife genre.

Contrary to the article's claim, "hiplife" was not coined by Reggie Rockstone but by Zapp Mallet, the pioneering producer who suggested the term to Reggie while producing the first hiplife track. Initially hesitant, Reggie eventually embraced the name. But the falsehood that Reggie Rockstone coined the term has been perpetuated.

As the saying goes, a lie told often enough becomes the truth. It may take an effort to prove this, but the fact that Zapp Mallet co-founded hip-hop is common knowledge and fact, and he deserves to be acknowledged for his achievement.

Firstly, the writer misspelled the name Zapp Mallet. Errors with such details are unpardonable. He wrote "Zap Mallet," which is wrong and different from the name of the great Ghanaian producer and sound engineer. I guess the "Grammy" awards will not take it lightly when an M in their name is omitted. Let's say this is an oversight, but it should be corrected.

More prominently, if Reggie Rockstone is credited as the originator, godfather, and inventor of hip-hop, then Zapp Mallet, who crafted the foundational sound, should rightly be recognized as a co-founder. The article has not acknowledged or downplayed this, and I am flabbergasted.

It is worth knowing that Reggie Rockstone's "Tsooboi," which was his first recognized hip-hop song, was produced by Zapp Mallet. The hip-hop sound was forged by Zapp Mallet. The "Makaa Makaa" album by Reggie Rockstone, which the writer mentioned and seemingly gave credit to Rab Bakari for, was produced by Zapp Mallet. The hit song "Keep Your Eyes on the Road" was produced by Zapp, and he sang the chorus as well.

Likewise, all the hits he credited and acknowledged Lord Kenya for in the article were produced by Zapp Mallet.

Essentially, a lot of major inventions, such as the automobile, have been credited to multiple inventors. Music genres, like rock 'n' roll and jazz, are acknowledged to have evolved from the contributions of several key figures. This beats the argument that "Hiplife" as a genre should have just one inventor, creator, or innovator. It won't be out of place to acknowledge Zapp Mallet as a co-founder of Hiplife. It isn't going to be the first time in history. And it won't be the first time to correct a mishap after many years in history.

Zapp Mallet’s impact on hip-hop cannot be overstated. He produced Akyeame’s groundbreaking hit "Mesan Aba," which propelled hip-hop to mainstream popularity, as well as numerous albums and hits by Lord Kenya. His vast contributions to the genre are so telling that I can boldly say the writer did not value Zapp Mallet. Perhaps he does not know all there is to the hip-hop story.

Moreover, referring to Samini and Shatta Wale as pioneers of hip-hop is a falsehood, as these great recording artists, who are among some of the best recording artists Ghana has as of now, only came into the scene close to the mid-2000s. Why is the article altering the facts?

When I read the article objectively, I noticed the writer found ways to bring in artists that were irrelevant to the subject and unfortunately left out very important ones.

Where are Buk Bak and Kwaw Kese in the conversation? Should their great contributions to the genre be belittled this way? Thats unfair.

Given the Grammy platform's global influence, it is crucial that these half-truths are corrected to ensure the accurate history of hip-hop is preserved. Also, it shouldn't be skewed to promote or give mileage to other artists unnecessarily. The right thing must be done.

Hip-hop is more than just a genre to a lot of us. It is a lifelong experience and an intrinsic part of our lives, and we enjoy the hip-hop story so much that we can't bear to see it told inaccurately.

As the saying goes, if it must be done, it must be done well. And I repeat, a lie told often enough becomes the truth, and considering the credibility of the Grammy Awards, the right thing should be done.

The article must be corrected with all due respect.