Also known as Hip life Grand papa Years active (1990–present) Name Reggie Rockstone Spouse Zilla Limann Movies Coz Ov Moni | Labels Kassa records Role Rapper Parents Ricky 'Ricci' Osei | |
Albums Mena Mekae, Reggiestration Similar People Okyeame Kwame, VIP, Samini, Sarkodie, Tinny Profiles |
Thecla wilkie chats up ghanaian reggie rockstone as he talks about his music life and nigeria
Reggie Rockstone (Reginald Yaw Asante Ossei, "the Godfather of Hiplife") is a rapper of Ghanaian descent. He was born in the United Kingdom but lived his early years in Ghana in Kumasi and Accra. He has been living in Ghana continuously since he pioneered the Hip-Life movement in 1994.
Contents
- Thecla wilkie chats up ghanaian reggie rockstone as he talks about his music life and nigeria
- Theres too much infighting in the music industry Reggie Rockstone
- Early Life and music career
- Recognition and music style
- Albums
- Songs
- References

He pioneered the Hiplife art form and has played an important role in the development of this uniquely African genre in Ghana's capital Accra. He raps in Akan Twi and English. In 2004, Rockstone won the Kora Award for the best African video and he performed in front of a 50,000-person crowd in Ghana, together with Shaggy. In 2006 he recorded a track with the Jamaican Dancehall singer Beenie Man called "Chukku Chakka" (in reference to Rockstone's 1999 hit "Eye Mo De Anaa", which sampled Fela Kuti).
Rockstone is the son of fashion designer Ricky "Ricci" Ossei (Saint Ossei). Reggie Rockstone attended Achimota School.
There's too much infighting in the music industry - Reggie Rockstone
Early Life and music career
Born in the U.K. on April 11th in the late 1960s, Reginald Osei aka Reggie Rockstone attached himself to the Hip Hop movement in the early 80's as a dancer. Travelling on a tri-continental basis (i.e. Accra, New York, London), he broadened his Hip Hop scope. A natural performer and trained actor, he grabbed the mike with no problem when his calling came in 1991.

His first 'fifteen minutes of fame' came as a dancer in Accra, Ghana in the early 80's. His second chance of fame came in 1992-93 as member of one of the top rap groups from London, England. He belonged to PLZ (Parables, Linguistics and Zlang) with Fredi Funkstone, Jay (both from West Africa) & DJ Pogo of the U.K. Number one hits from PLZ included "If it Aint PLZ" and an EP entitled "Build a Wall Around Your Dreams" released on an independent label called "Go For the Juggler." 1994 became the watershed or turning point in his entertainment career. The rap scene in London was not rewarding enough. He returned to Accra to encounter a whole generation of people grooving to African-American rhythms, all heavily influenced by the same elements of Hip Hop that he knew all too well.
Recognition and music style
He had an ingenious idea! Use the hip hop beats with authentic phat production and lace it with true African dialect; The Akan language of Twi. It became the tool to make such butter classics as "Sweetie, Sweetie", "Tsoo Boi", "Nightlife in Accra" and "Agoo" from his debut album in 1997 entitled "Makaa! Maka!". Launched on an independent label called KASSA RECORDS that he partly owns, Reggie Rockstone has reached Ghanaians and non-Ghanaians across four continents Reggie Rockstone is credited as the pioneer of hiplife or Kasahara music in Ghana and like some masters of the art of hip hop, he has proclaimed his retirement and out of retirement several times. His specialty in Asante Twi and is incredibly well versed in English too. He is internationally acclaimed, with several performances throughout West Africa, the UK, France, USA and Switzerland.
Albums
Rockstone recorded four albums for the Kassa Records label and one for MixerPot:
Songs
Keep Your Eyes On The Road
Give Me Some Color
Eye Mo De Anaa
Sweetie Sweetie
Plan Bẽn?
Ya Bounce Wo Visa
Where I'm From
Walk Like An African
Things Get Easier
Different You - Different Me
Death for Life
News Report
Introduction To Ghana
Ese Woara feat Samini
Glad feat Wyclef Jean - Kwaw Kese & 2Face
Female Friend feat Quabena Jay
Kik Keem
Woso Feat Kwaw Kese - Kwaku T & Trigmatic
Wer Am Phrom feat Sena
Peaches feat Sway & Kwaku T
Ah-Jay feat Quabena Jay
No Nam feat Jay-So
Mr Adwenbone
Blame It feat D-Black & Efya
Sweety - Sweety feat Delasi
On My Mind feat Fredi Funkstone
ẽyẽ Mo Dẽ Anaa?
Yẽ Ni Abere
Heebaa feat Kwaku T
Drunk Song feat E L
Let It Go feat Sena
Voodoo