Although some leading musicians such as Bisa Kdei, Kofi Kinaata, Shatta Wale and others are churning out well-composed hit tracks and keeping Ghanaian music scene bubbly, celebrated Highlife artiste Ofori Amponsah says a lot of the songs being released are lacking in quality and generally poor.
Until his uneventful switch to gospel music a few years ago, Ofori Amponsah was noted for some of the finest Highlife compositions which won multiple awards.
With a combined 17 VGMA honours, he remains a giant on the music scene and very well placed to pass judgement on the quality of songs being released on the market in recent times.
“I know the likes of Bisa Kdei, Kofi Kinaata among a few others are doing so well but the content of our songs and the beats are nothing to write home about these days,” lamented the Highlife star whose hit song ‘Otoolege’ won the Most Popular Song of the Year and Album of the Year at the 2005 VGMA.
Ofori Amponsah attributes the short lifespan of some musical works to the poor lyrics and lack of quality beats in their production.
He told Showbiz that Ghanaians still danced to songs produced by greats such as Amakye Dede, Daasebre Gyamenah, Daddy Lumba, Oheneba Kissi and Kofi Nti which was ample testimony of quality music which is lacking today because many young musicians are in a hurry to make quick hits and get money into their pockets without paying attention to content.
Nicknamed Mr All4Real, Ofori Amponsah explained stiffer competition in his heydey compelled musicians to release songs rich in lyrics and also well produced.
“The music scene was so competitive that Ghanaians had a variety of songs to listen to making our music scene especially Highlife music stand on its feet.”
Ofori Amponsah, who is out with a new single ‘17’ which features another highlife great Kwabena Kwabena, claims he would be very busy this year.
He is confident ‘17’ is going to be one of the biggest songs in Ghana, just as his other collaborations with some of the country’s big name artistes, including Kofi Kinaata, Samini, Akwaboah, will take the music scene by storm and give Ghanaians quality music they have been lacking.
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