For a long period of time, music has been a timeless source of entertainment for humans. Some listen to music for its therapeutic benefits, others savour it as a faithful companion during mundane tasks.
While many fixate on the artiste behind the music, lyrical profundity, and the widespread allure of the song, they tend to overlook the architects (Producers) who creatively crafted the blueprint of the song from scratch, combining instrumentations and rhythmic patterns to form a well-layered foundation for the songs we bop our heads to.
In this article, we have the top 5 Ghanaian producers (in no particular order) who are behind some of the biggest hits that have influenced the sound of Ghanaian music.
Hammer of the Last II
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Known for his signature production style, which often incorporates a banging bass tempo and sometimes resounding, triumphant horns, Hammer born Edward Nana Poku Osei, is recognised as one of Ghana’s veteran producers and a pioneer of hip-hop-esque sound in Ghana during the early days of the genre in the country.
The producer who doubles as a sound engineer has produced for many Ghanaian artistes including J. Dee, Obrafuor, Tinny, Kwaw Kese, Bolie, Okra Tom Dawidi, Sarkodie and Edem.
Hammer went as far as establishing a representative rapper from most regions in the country. Tinny(Greater Accra) Obrafuor and Sarkodie(Ashanti) Kwaw Kese(Swedru) Edem(Volta Region).
Appietus
Back then, when you heard the producer tag “Appietus in the mix” echoing ahead of the song, you just knew the song was already a hit. Fun fact: the tagline was corrupted from “Appiah Toolz” to “Appietus”.
Appiah Dankwah, popularly known as Appietus, started learning the basics of sound engineering in 1995. His style of production mostly adapts to trending genres and emerging sounds. He has produced music for many artists who were popular in the early 2000s, including Adane Best, 4×4, Ofori Amponsah, Daddy Lumba, Praye, George Darko, and Lord Kenya.
Appietus also introduced the defunct music collectives 55 and Asaase Aban, for whom he produced several songs.
KillBeatz
Killbeatz, also known as Killa Alumi, or Mr. Addison, is a renowned music producer from Tema. He gained fame for producing infectious beats and is credited with creating hit songs for the music duo R2Bees. Killbeatz’s interest in music production began when he discovered his love for musical instruments in church.
He later honed his skills under the guidance of another Tema-based producer, Kaywa. Versatile in crafting instrumentals for various genres, Killbeatz has collaborated with international artists, including Ed Sheeran on his “Division” album, which earned him a Grammy certificate.
He also worked with Fuse ODG on several songs during the “Azonto” era in 2010.
Jayso
The rapper extraordinaire who is also a music producer, is known for his exceptional hip-hop beats. Jayso had a significant impact on young rappers after introducing the “Skillions” to Ghana’s rap scene.
The Skillions, founded by Jayso, captivated the Ghanaian youth with their unique blend of Pidgin and English rap songs. Many Ghanaian rappers, including Lil Shaker, E.L., Stargo, Joey B, Scientific, Gemini, and others, were affiliates of the Skillions.
Notably, E.L. has credited Jayso with teaching him music production. Jayso also produced Sarkodie’s “Pizza and Burger”, “Lay Away”, “Bossy”, and “Borga Borga.” He primarily handled production on Sarkodie’s “Highest” rap album which was released in 2017.
Nshorna Muzik
Nshorna Muzik played a significant role in shaping the sound of Azonto music during its budding stages. He is credited as one of the pioneers of the Azonto genre and has produced some of the most iconic songs in the category.
Some of his notable works include Sarkodie’s “U Go Kill Me” a song that became an anthem and helped popularize the Azonto sound, Joey B’s “Cigarette”, D-Black’s “Vera” And 4×4’s “Mokoni.” Songs he produced contain his popular signature adlibs “Amadaa” and “Baawo”, and “Nshorna Muzik.”
His contributions to the Azonto genre have been instrumental in shaping the sound of Ghanaian music.”
