Renowned Ghanaian rapper Sarkodie, known for his influential role in shaping African music, has offered fans an intimate look into his musical influences by sharing a personal Apple Music playlist on X (formerly Twitter). The post, made on May 31, 2025, is a celebration of Ghana’s rich music heritage, as it includes selection of highlife and hiplife classics.
The playlist, spread across three screenshots, features legendary Ghanaian artists such as Paapa Yankson, Ofori Amponsah, and Daddy Lumba. Tracks like Show Your Love by Paapa Yankson, Odo Ndwom by Ofori Amponsah, and Daddy Lumba by the icon himself are among the prominent entries.
Also featured is Mmobrowa by the late Kofi B, a fan favorite that one X user described as a “timeless masterpiece”. Sarkodie’s list bridges generations by also including contemporary acts like Kuami Eugene, seamlessly blending the classic with the modern.
The post quickly gained traction online, drawing reactions from fans and fellow musicians. Pappy Kojo, a Takoradi based Ghanaian artist responded with his own playlist. Fans poured into the comments with glowing reviews, with @Chelsea4everA hailing it as “the greatest playlist I ever seen,” and @NEBASARK noting, “Sark’s taste is top-tier.”
This isn’t the first time Sarkodie has paid tribute to highlife. Since his 2009 debut album Makye, which marked his official entry into Ghana’s mainstream music scene, he has often infused his work with elements of highlife, a genre that traces its origins to Ghana’s colonial era and blossomed in the 1950s through the 1970s. A 2024 article by OkayAfrica noted highlife’s lasting impact on the country’s soundscape, with icons like Daddy Lumba and Ofori Amponsah continuing to influence modern Ghanaian stars.
In 2019, Apple Music released a Hiplife Essentials playlist spotlighting acts like Sarkodie, Obrafour, and Edem. This followed a documentary by Ghanaian visual artist Prince Gyasi, which explored the global resonance of hiplife, a genre that fused highlife with hip-hop and R&B to reflect the voice of a new generation.
Sarkodie’s selections proves that highlife indeed never dies and we must hold unto it dearly.
Editor: Ama Gyesiwaa Quansah
