21 SOCIALLY CONSCIOUS HIPLIFE SONGS
Since the emergence of hiplife as a genre a decade and half ago, many artistes have produced socially conscious tracks that have influenced society positively. Below are twenty-one (21) songs that stand out of the rest, from Reggie Rockstone to Lil’ Shaker
1. KEEP YOUR EYES ON THE ROAD/ Reggie Rockstone
Apart from the song bridging the gap between real highlife and urban hip hop, the message in the song is poignant. Keeping Your Eyes on the road is the best thing to do in life.
2. AIDS IS REAL/ All Stars
A song composed to help draw attention to the menace of HIV/AIDS, the need to stop stigmatization and discrimination in its earlier years. It featured all those who mattered in music at that time.
3. DRIVER/ Lord Kenya
The callous deaths on our road inspired Lord Kenya to join the campaign to end road accidents. Drivers, Passengers, Police officers didn’t escape blame on this song.
4. NTETIAPA/ Obrafour
Indiscipline in the Ghanaian society warranted a Vice Presidential campaign to influence a change. And who turned up to support a noble course than the Rap Sofo himself.
5. KUBLOR/Human Being
‘I be Human Being oo/Just like you’, so goes the chorus of this song. It talks about showing affection and respect to all humans regardless of creed, colour, and gender. No wonder the UN Anti-Human Trafficking Unit adopted it as theme song.
6. VOTE FOR ME/ NFL
The song draws attention to the bombastic promises politicians make to electorate and calls on electorate to be wary of such promises. An epic, relevant advice for electorates.
7. SUFFER/M.anifest
After talking struggles, M.Dot tackles other issues including health, food and terrorism: ‘If your name is Mohammed or Mustapha/ Flying may be harder/My sympathies brother’. Classic M.anifest.
8. IF YOU DON’T LOVE ME (LET ME GO)/ Reggie Rockstone
On this song, Reggie tackles the cancerous issue of domestic violence; a brave effort by Reggie at confronting and placing the issue squarely and firmly in the public sphere for discussion.
9. SCHOOl/ Lil’Shaker
A humour filled song featuring former Skillions label mates proffering reasons for picking their schools. But the advice at the end of the song sums it all up: ‘Chaley make you Stay in school!’
10. LIFE/ Trigmatic
Arguably, Trigmatic rode on this song to fame. ‘’Life” addresses the issue of life-challenges people face, highlighting need to never despair since ‘Nobody Knows Tomorrow’
11. ME YERE NE ME NPINA /Okomfo Kwadee
Kwadee decides to address a dicey situation-a wife versus the side-chick nexus. After scrutinizing the strengths and weakness of both women, he decides no matter how bad a wife is she’ll forever be a wifey.
12. NOTHING WITHOUT YOU/ Scientific Ft Jayso
‘As I live My life/there’s trouble everyday/Can’t find my way/This is why I pray/God,I’m nothing without you’, hook to Scientific’s song after that tragic accident. And that is really a positive statement.
13. SIKA/Okyeame Kwame
The Rap Doctor broods over the influences of money on individuals. And ends with a cautious note: Control money. Don’t let it control you.
14. ASEESA/Kontihene
On Aseesa (Changes), Kontihene speaks about the transient nature of life and possessions and how not to give up for life is a trip.
15. LIFE (Walahi)/ R2bees
Undoubtedly, the biggest song of their career thus far, Wahali is a hustler’s anthem. The song touches on need to keep a winning mentality always.
16. DEAR AFRICA/ BLITZ ft Les Nubians
Here the Ghanaian MC teams with Grammy winning duo Les Nubians to sing an ode to the Motherland. Blitz raps about Africa’s exploitation and how Africa has become ‘synonymous to charity’. Africa must regain here lost pride.
17. EDWUMA/M3nsa
On this track, M3nsa talks about the need to embrace whatever ‘hustle’ one is engaged in and give out his/her maximum ‘whether you be lawyer, doctor or you dey push truck for Kaneshie’
18. SOCIALLY YOU/Mutombo DaPoet
Mutombo DaPoet drums home the need to be ‘real’ in life and points out the sham in social media: “Followers are not real friends/Retweets are not quotes/After a couple of trends they’ll forget what you wrote…’’
19 .DROMO/ Tinny
Dromo, aside passing as one of the best songs in Tinny’s musical catalogue, it also qualifies as a classic track thanks to the powerful themes the Alatse addressed on that piece. Gems!
20. AKWASI BRONI/ Buk Bak
It’s not he beats. Neither is it the video but the message in the song-an introspective song about colonialism and its effects. And the need for African to break the jinx we are under.
21. MENSE SA DA/ Reggie Rockstone ft. M3nsa
Mense Sa Da (I won’t Change) passes as one of the best collabos ever done. On this M3nsa produced track, the two address the issue of ‘the change’ when success comes. For them any change that may arise will be informed by the behaviour of their friends.
‘Socially You’ is conscious but i don’t know about it being a hiplife song. I think Mutombo will insist it is a spoken word single or floetry even.
‘Socially You’ is conscious but i don’t know about it being a hiplife song. I think Mutombo will insist it is a spoken word single or floetry even. Great list by the way. Good job.
Reblogged this on Speak Ghana.
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