Gyedu-Blay Ambolley is a Ghanaian highlife musician, songwriter, producer, and composer. The first musician from Ghana and the world to formally incorporate rap forms into local highlife rhythms, Ambolley created the musical genre Simigwa.[5]
Gyedu-Blay Ambolley was rather unknown outside of West Africa until Soundway Records included his seminal Simigwa-Do,[6] which Ambolley released in 1973, on their first anthology, Ghana Soundz.[7] Ambolley's sound has led many to label him the godfather of hiplife, the fusion of hip hop and highlife[2] idioms. Ambolley stood aside AL Threats at the Playboy Jazz Festival in Los Angeles. His song "Simigua-do" is considered the first Ghanaian version of previously introduced American rap in the world released in 1973. Ambolley, Sammy Lartey and Ebo Taylor are the few musicians who envisioned a future for high-life music in the late 60s and early 70s and helped transform the genre fusing high-life, funk and jazz[8][9] music.
Achievements
In June 2015 Ambolley received a citation in the US from the City Council of Philadelphia,[10] read by Councilwoman Honorable Jannie Blackwell and Hon. Stanley J. Staughter in recognition of the musician's contributions to Ghanaian music in the US.
Malcolm X Music Festival Award — Los Angeles, CA (2002)[11]
Lifetime Achievement Award — The Jazz at Drew from Charles R. Drew University of Medicine and Science, Los Angeles, CA (2003)[12]
Congressional, Gubernatorial Certificate of Special Recognition — Congresswoman Juanita Millinder McDonald (2003)[13]
Best World Beat Recombinant Artist 2003 & Best World Beat Recombinant Artist 2003 L.A. Weekly nominated Ambolley for Best World Beat Recombinant Artist in 2003[14] and 2004[15]
References
↑ Saskia Bosch, Belinda van de Graaf, Sandra Kooke, Peter van der Lint, Stan Rijven, Seije Slager Rappen? Dat deed Ambolley al in 1973. (in Dutch) August 31, 2010
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