Reggie Rockstone Draws Clear Distinction Between Stonebwoy And Hiplife

Reggie Rockstone, the pioneer of Hiplife, has drawn a clear distinction between Stonebwoy's Afro-Dancehall and the essence of Hiplife. Speaking on ClassFM's Class Morning Show on Friday, August 30, 2024, he emphasized that Stonebwoy's creation, Afro-Dancehall, diverges from the roots of Hiplife.

"That has nothing to do with Hiplife," Reggie stated. "That's another fusion that he created. That's not my road, I don't know that [theme]. I know about the style. I've heard the style. I know what he did with that. But it doesn't speak to the story of Hiplife. We're talking about what he created - Afro-Dancehall."

He continued, "If we want to be truthful, most music styles borrow from everywhere. A little bit here, a little bit there. Calypso... Even Highlife itself. We would have never had Highlife without the diasporic influence. They all borrow."

Reggie Rockstone further explained the flexibility of rap and Dancehall, highlighting how they can be adapted to various forms. "You see, rap in itself and Dancehall — what the Jamaicans deem chatting, you know, the whole style is non-conforming. You can translate Hiphop in so many forms. You can do Gospel rap... Rap is so flexible. You can [use it] to address issues... Nothing surprises me, thus," he said.

Reflecting on the influence of Jamaican-style music in Ghana, Reggie added, "So Yoggi Doggi and them, they might have been doing the Jamaican-style, Patois-driven vibration over a Highlife-type beat or Ghanaian-friendly beat. This was what Samini was very popular for. So when he'd do Linda - Linda is a perfect example - he was still doing his Jamaica theme [or] vibe on there but the music really relates to Ghanaians. So, yes, it can fall into the Hiplife category, easily."