Best Of All Time (Hiplife) Lyricists: Obrafour Takes No. 1 Spot, Tinny Lands At Four?

I was just lying in bed listening to a popular hiplife artiste?s (name withheld) song on radio and was I like ?damn? this artiste is good. I decided to compile my own list after I spoke to some stakeholders in the hiplife industry. I knew arguing about hiplife artistes with the best lyrics would spring up a debate or confusion but I was ready to go on with it.

Beats or instrumentals and lyrics are the essential elements of hiplife music but I decided to tackle lyrics or flow of the Ghanaian hiplife artistes. My criterion was artistes that could move the nation with their words alone, entertain, good storytellers, teach fans about good things, bringing out new styles ? terms, dance moves and slangs.

Grandpapa of hiplife, Reggie Rockstone defines a good hiplifer with good lyrics as ?someone who has to be a storyteller, add humour to his lyrics before think of other subjects?.

With all this said, am not claiming that the list is 100 % perfect. I talked this over with some artistes who are yet to release their albums and the talk became so heated up that it boosted me to write this article.

1. OBRAFOUR

At his height, he was one of the most consistent rappers, and most of all more prophetic and poetic. Artistes had to bow down and pay heed to the short man with dread locks anytime he held the mic.

Obrafour?s verbal prowess and delivery had all people talking about him when he emerged from Hammer?s camp riding on his hip-hop beats.

He was able to gun down the ?best original song? award (lyrics) at the 2003 Ghana Music Awards with ?Ntetee Pa? plus other awards and has not looked back. Many people favour Obrafour when it comes to hiplife rappers who have good lyrics.

Discography: ?Pae Mu Ka?, ?Asem Sebe?, ?Time Out For Adhesion (TOFA)?, ?Ntetee Pa?, ?Execution Diary? and ?Heavy?.

Little bit of Lyrics of ?Pae Mu Ka?:

"Open the door, Come in. Mope Acapulco bay anaa mengba oshin. Tetefoo se kinprin, jeans yefre no domprin. Tonabo aboski, ebi ye gabardine. Electricity mma ye no, na yen nyinaa ara usu kerosene. Wei nye ntokwasem, fa wo dokono, m?apockete me sardine. Se mehia mogyaduro a, menom Madam Catherine. I swear, all bi money matter. Walahi, Super Hannah Allah?.

Hammer Speaks for Obrafour:

?Obrafour has always got perfect timing, perfect rap, perfect style, perfect rhyming. He does not go off beat. He has the best lyrics followed by Okomfoo Kwaadee?.


2. REGGIE ROCKSTONE

Reggie Rockstone claims he has retired from hiplife music but has been seen performing and it was recently announced that he was switching from hiplife to hip-hop, his true roots but he still made it on my list.

Even though he is the pacesetter of hiplife, he is one of the few hiplife artistes who have reigned in the late 90s and is still being respected.

He still maintains his hip-hop credibility fused with highlife. He?s been adored by everyone worldwide. Reggie is still one of the most viable rap acts living. When you factor in all his hits, his longevity and how much style he's brought to the hiplife game, there's no denying that he fits into the number two position.

The pioneer of rap music in Ghana has his specialty in Asante Twi. He is also well versed in English too. He has been internationally acclaimed and has performed in many places in West Africa, UK, France, USA and Switzerland.

Discography: ?Makaa Maka?, ?Me Na Me Kae?, ?Me Ka? and ?Last Show?.

Little bit of Lyrics of ?Keep Your Eyes On the Road?:

?Then clap your hands like there was a million mosquitoes in here. Jump like you was some crazy Akrantee. Party people, show me how you're feeling back there.

Do you wanna party, boogie, then get out your chair. The big behind baby came to shake her rear. Call me whatever you want, but don't call me sir. Black musketeer, I swear. I do declare this year, definitely my year, so cheer. 'Cos that's all the boy really wanna hear but beware. No fear, I see the jealousy everywhere. I work for myself, so you can't tell me nothing.

Now who's laughing. I told ya the plan kid, you thought I was bluffing. Never say die 'til the bones are rotten. I dropped one album, now everybody's rapping it!?.

Panji Speaks on Reggie Rockstone:

?Reggie hasn?t written in a long time but his songs are exceptional. When he writes about a subject, he does it very well. I really love his ?Visa? song and the lyrics?.


3. OKOMFOO KWAADEE

Okomfoo Kwaadee could be best described as a storyteller in the hiplife game. He came with the name Okomfo but a character he chose in his song ?Kwaadee? was bestowed on him.

Having climbed high the ladder of ?kasahare? with his powerful traditional lyrics, everyone has embraced his style of narrative stories in his songs at the same time advising the public.

His latest ?Nsem Pi? album has already placed him ahead of some of the front-liners of hiplife music.

Discography: ?Kwaadee?, ?Metoaso?, ?Okomfo Se Koo?, and ?Nsem Pi?.

Little bit of Lyrics of ?Ahwedee Abena?:?Yaayaa, obaa Yaa, gyae saa. Akwadaa ketewa a, woregu m?awaree yi. Wo dee daabia wo nie, daabia, yenpie. Woasobre n?ano, woregye. Meka se mentua, meboa, metua mmo ho. Tonoo, twa a, oretwa ne ho. N?atadee da ne ho, ne spray agye ne ho

Woagyinagyina mu, shining shoe, wafa ne ho. Orebefa me akopira me, akodaa bone.
Ose yebeko niteclub, yebeko Foxtrap. Asa a abasoo, eho na yesa noo. Behwe awosoo ne mmosoo papa bi. Ohuri si ha, na wawoso, osi ha, na wapete. Akwadaa no dee, ne hoo hare o. Oye obaa bi a, otumi ne ho. Obaa bi a, obu ne mu?.

Prime Eye Speaks for Okomfo Kwaadee:

?Kwaadee is a storyteller and that is what is expected of every hiplife artiste or rapper. He stands out tall when compared to others. He is a very good story teller in his lyrics?.


4. TINNY
It comes as no surprise how far Tinny has gone by maintaining the way he rapped on his debut album, ?Makola Kwakwe? and the featurings he made after that.

He is a proud Ga boy and represents his tribe with grace. He has indeed transcended all racial barriers.

Tinny has blossomed into one of the most refreshing hiplife artistes with his heavy Ga thinking lyrics.

Discography: ?Makola Kwakwe? and ?Aletse?.

His lines on K. K. Fosu?s ?Suudwe? remix:

?Edzo bodoo, payanku, payanku. Edzo bodoo, kokroku, kokroku.Tinny (2x). Payanku (2x). Aletse (2x), kokroku. Ke gbe ke dede, woofo, woofo. Egbe ke dede, wongba la woofo. Yoole, noko feemo be nuhuu. Eye noto noto noto noto. Desele fuu (2x). Ricky naa badu na butwobi. Minan niake sikele haa, okonu moo. Hyikaa mii noomo le, esele kolaa. Mihyii konti se ni mammoko. Minka bue kotoo kee mboto. Ka bete mii, Bob Marley ke hyeew. Neewo Dzormo hamo nena koo nehe true?.

Nii Mantse Speaks for Tinny:

?Aletse has got nice lyrics and punch lines; he has control over his lyrics. Tinny has great wordplay and knows how to manipulate a beat. There are very few artistes who have the kind of artistic maturity Tinny has. Plus, he made it cool to rap Ga and he sounds street like?.


5. CASTRO

Castro has been on the scene for 5 years but has not stayed for long as some rappers on this list, but you can't deny the lyrical flow that this young dude has since Jay Q discovered him.

For the new generation of hiplife, he is reigning and could be heralded high if his third album is lyrically good.

Fame aside, Castro has exhibited dexterity on the mic that even grown ups applaud him for. If you have paid attention to the lyrics of ?Bone Shaker? or the award winning song ?Toffee?, you will know why he fits into the list.

Discography: ?Damages? and ?Toffee?.

Little bit of Lyrics of ?Toffee?:

?Mepe me ereye no o. Ma ereye no oye me fe o. Didedide, didedide. Ma eregyae no, ko do ye. One, two, three, four. And da walking da movement. Go And da movement da walking ? Go. Ma ereye no, oye me de o ? Go. Ntsi manka a, na ma fa wo la ? Go. Enne nansa egya me ho no. Na mankotsen, hwe m?entsum anda ? Go

Mebre papa, he, wo paa. Mebre ye, mebre ye, hwe ade ? Go. Sister, maatse a, enne nansa no, mankotsen meyee ye no olaste me paa ? Go. Se me ara metse a, hwe mentse ? Go. Me ne wo nam a, hwe wongye ? Go. Se esre wo a, na eresee adze ? Go?.

Jay Q speaks for Castro:

"Castro?s style is a danceable one. When it comes to hiplife his choruses rocks and his rap is hot. There is always some fire behind it. He is the new Lord Kenya who comes out strong. He always goes with the sing along way, which gets you there. He can take any subject and rock it with a beat. His ?Toffee? has identified hiplife in a way?.


6. OBOUR

He?s definitely had influence on a lot of Ghanaians be it an artiste or a fan. The way he has been accepted into the game is amazing. He always springs up surprises onto the music industry.

To be accepted into the Ghanaian music industry, one thing an artiste needs is good lyrics and Obour has that and that has earned him a good spot on the music industry.

He?s almost covered the whole nation with his songs and stage performance. No wonder he emerged as the first hiplife artiste to receive many awards during Ghana Music Awards 2005.

Discography: ?Atentenben?, ?Akademu?, ?Dondo? and ?Atumpan [Project Obour.com (Menwu Biom)]?.

Lyrics for Konkontibaa:

?Fa no se mangodua bi si wo nfikyire. Na daabi a, nkwadaa nkwadaa ko pru di. Amango yi ye mono, amango yi yede. Wobeye den bra panyin, na woanya bi adi. Agye se, woate ne bunu, na wode ako sie. Yekyere sie, ansaa na, yakotu mmire
Mankani ahan, na edane kontommire. Nsutaa nketenkete, apotom bibrie

Me, yemmo Black Stars no bio. Cedis no nso, aye dada, menni bio. Medi dollars, mebo Starlets. Afei, so mensa, odo yentu mpasa. Eboo biara yeden, eboo yenni mu ketewa. Obaasima bi ara nni ho a, ne nfi asusua. Enne mmere mu, obi nkyere akodaa Nyame. Fa no ko fie, ma no aduane. Bosome baako akyi, wadane maame
Konkontiba adane aponkyereni?.

Sir George Speaks for Obour:

?Whiles some artistes are talking about themselves or other material things, Obour rather talks of things in the society. You always find something in what he says. His lyrics advices and cautions at the same time. His lyrics are good and crazy, which makes him a teacher. His current song, ?Okoaba? on road safety is good. Aside entertaining, he educates too?.


7. OKYEAME QUAME

Fashionable Okyeame Quame was able to get out of his cocoon after the split of the Akyeame group. Akyeame was the smoothest group when hiplife was given birth to. But let's all get it real, the chosen one, ?Bohye Ba? lived up to all his verses on Akyeame?s album and his solo album. Dubbed Ghana?s hiplife poet, he could bend words at a rapid pace on his songs or songs of anyone he featured on.

The man with the flyest flow seems to be transferring his skills to his junior brothers known as Da Bradez in the same hiplife game.

Discography: 'Bohye Ba' and 'Efi Fiee'.

His lines on one of Akyeame?s songs, ?Mesan Aba?:

"Meye wo nkom ode abre a, wo were aho. Menfa me ho ntete, daa mesra wo. Mede odo ntoma pa na ebe fira wo. Ahobrasee mpaboa na ebehyia wo. Tumtum see o, m?aye krado. Meso agu w?ano, ma woatia mu, ?Waow?. Hyii, obaa papa ni. Kwame Sansani. Me suban bone. Wogyaa me, m?eye osugyani. Mekae da a, mehyia wo. Na m?ano repopo. Mrs. Okyeame, w?ase dee, mentoto".

Okyeame Quophi Speaks for Okyeame Quame:

?Basically, Okyeame Quame came from Akyeame. I wrote most of the lyrics which makes his lyrics ok. Most of his lyrics are good. His ?Bohye Ba? album was not that bad since I played a role in it. Simply he is good?.


8. BATMAN

Batman attained a high level of status even before the release of his first album, ?Dankwasere in the late 90s by featuring on most hit songs. His maiden album was one of the most anticipated albums, which revitalized our one-way Ghanaian music industry.

Been crowned by his fans as the best free stylist ever and still is, he has always shown dynamism on stage.

His laid-back flow has proven to be timeless, and his personality fits into all the genres of Ghanaian music.

How else can you explain his transformation from one of the humblest rappers into a celebrity now?

Discography: ?Dankwasere? and ?Samini?.

Little bit of Lyrics of Batman?s ?Gyae Shi?:

?Asem a, mereka yi, ebi nte asee. Enti momma me microphone. Merebe kyerekyere asee. Enne wiase mu, obiara wo nea oye. Enti ye wo dee ma menye medee

Onua e, di wo fie asem. Obi fre ne nyame na obi nnyina ho. Afei wiase mu yerebeye bi ako. Ye nea wo ho beto wo, na ma w?ani nna ho?.

Dr. Duncan Speaks for Batman:

?His voice alone is different. He?s definitely my man. He?s got the style. He?s got the vim and courage. His flow is good and notices that a lot of artistes copy his style now?.


9. SIDNEY, FORMERLY OF NANANOM FAME

When you think of Sidney, the first thing that comes to mind is creativity and funny lyrics. Will his three years break cause him to fall? Anyway, he says he will still play a constitent role in the hiplife movement.

Since his solo career from the break away from Nananom, his verses has always been so out-of-the-box. He possesses all the qualities to make him one of the best: unique flows, a recognizable voice, humour, and lyrics that are so strong that it makes other artistes go to sleep.

Discography: ?Agoo?, ?Akofna?, ?Mind Da Gap? and ?Obia Nye Obia?.

Little bit of Lyrics of Scenti No:

?Oh ye witches of Africa. Why are thou doeth this to Achimota. Nkran gutter kankan nyinaa headquarters. Filling station no anim ho pee, no offence. Koogoa no tuo no po, oblow fuse. Brothers sit am down yob am, no use. Daabi a, wobehu no Glenns anim mu, one ne crews. Wonam kankan TDB, otua ne dues.

Long John DK a.k.a Uncle Huggy. Emaa no hu no daabi a, ma omo feeli jiggy. Oshada nice, feeli nice, te se Uncle Ricky. Scent na ewo ne ho no, bisa Micky Line by line, hwe, obiara mma ne nsa so. Woa woamma so, na efu abro so. Koodea moma apo a, post offi patalo Nea mereka nyinaa, still ofeeli jerseys?.

Ogee Speaks for Sidney, formerly of Nananom:

?He came from the Nananom group. I still have old albums from Nananom. He knew what he stood for which was current stuff and put those in his songs. His ?Apuskeleke? song is currently a number one song in Liberia and other African countries. He in a way introduced Appietus to the hiplife game with that song. I pay respect to him a lot?.


10. LORD KENYA

Everyone stood up for Lord Kenya any time he stepped on stage. When a lot of artistes were preparing to come out, Kenya had already carved his niche by being exactly what he's been for the past 10 years: the heavyweight rapper.

Some fans may not have agreed with the ?Akasianni? album, but no one can dispute the potency of his lyrics. The Kumasi based rapper may be your best ? he still has some good albums in his net.

Discography: ?Sika (or Sika Card)?, ?Sika Ba?, ?Yesom Sika?, ?Sika Poo Fa Neho?, ?Akasianii? and ?Born Again?.

Little bit of Lyrics of Medo:

?Mese chic eye buei! Yee!! Chic yi oye buei!. Yee!! Obaa osom bo n'odi muse Ghana sika futuro. Bibini kra behwe ne tumtum. Se you mea me Getty; Ingresi ahoofe kuro Kyea oyi n'akyea. W'ahuri asonson se abrobeWei dee adehyeeKenya mena me see. Mehu mmaa mpen nson aduoson nson. Nanso wei de. AdutwamObaa sima ahoofe adware noYee da n'adi wo bedwam. Anokwa mo mma menka?.

Goodies Speaks for Lord Kenya:

?I produced most of Lord Kenya?s hit songs. He is a cool guy. He is very particular about his lyrics and doesn?t talk about profanity?.

It was not easy choosing the 10 best lyricists in Ghana.

But that doesn't mean I haven't been touched by the lyrics of some other artistes. Here are a few of some of artistes who stacked their heads out tall; Captain Planet, Kwaw Kese, Okra, Wutah Virus, Bright, Tic Tac, Kontihene, Promzy, Ex Doe, Nkasei, Mensa, Eugene of Praye. They will be published on the site later.

If you have a problem with my choice of artistes please mail me at michael@ghanamusic.com. Got an alternative? You think there is an artiste who fits into the top ten, let me know.