The history of highlife is interwoven with that of West Africa and continues to play a major role in influencing the work of rising stars in the Ghanaian music scene. A fusion of styles, highlife came into its own in the mid-20th century and became a symbol of the new political drive toward independence. An outgrowth of local Palm Wine Music, it incorporated Caribbean and European influences to create an infectious new genre with important messages to convey. Hear what some of Ghana’s hottest young talents have to say about the role that highlife has played in shaping them as artists.
SOURCE: OKAYAFRICA