The Ghanaian music scene has recently witnessed a surge of discussions surrounding the musical identity of one of its iconic figures, Julius Kojo Antwi, popularly known as Kojo Antwi.
Veteran musician Gyedu-Blay Ambolley has added his voice to the debate, asserting that Kojo Antwi cannot be recognized solely as a Highlife musician due to the reggae influences present in much of his music.
Gyedu-Blay Ambolley’s comments were made during an interview on Kingdom FM, where he addressed the ongoing debate over the categorization of Kojo Antwi’s musical style.
Ambolley highlighted that although Kojo Antwi’s songs have resonated with audiences over the years, the prevalent reggae elements in his music make it challenging to strictly classify him as a Highlife artist.
While acknowledging Kojo Antwi’s immense popularity and the enduring appeal of his music, Ambolley pointed out the distinctive qualities that have led to the ongoing genre debate.
He emphasized that the predominant reggae tunes in many of Kojo Antwi’s songs deviate from the traditional characteristics associated with Highlife music.
“We can’t call Kojo Antwi a Highlife musician because you hear more of reggae than highlife but people love it”, he told Fiifi Pratt on the show Afro Joint
Gyedu-Blay Ambolley’s perspective adds a new layer of complexity to the ongoing discourse, shedding light on the intricate fusion of musical genres that often characterize artists’ works.
