Renowned music producer, Jeff Tennyson Quaye, popularly known as Jay Q, has shared his insights on the transformative power of ‘jama hiplife’ in the Ghanaian music industry.
In an interview with Kwame Dadzie on Joy FM’s Showbiz A-Z, Jay Q recounted the struggles of hiplife musicians, including Buk Bak, VIP, and others, before the release of Buk Bak’s groundbreaking ‘Sika Kokoo’ album.
“We were lost as hiplifers… Highlife artists were thriving while we were unsure if rap or hiplife would survive,” Jay Q said, highlighting the turning point that came with Buk Bak’s ‘I am going to come’ album, particularly the song ‘Kluu Blofo’.
Jay Q’s innovative production style, which incorporated local rhythms and strings, resonated with the masses, despite initial skepticism from some artists. “When Bright sang ‘sebe oo sebe’, it resonated with the idea I had in mind,” he recalled.
The success of ‘Kluu Blofo’ marked a significant financial milestone for Buk Bak, enabling them to purchase their first cars, and boosting Jay Q’s own production earnings. However, Jay Q faced criticism for diverging from traditional hiplife styles.
With a distinctive “bottle breaker” signature, Jay Q has produced for a range of artists, including Buk Bak, VIP, 4×4, Castro, Mzbel, Daddy Lumba, Nana Acheampong, Obrafour, Obour, and Nkasei.
