Tilly Akua Nipaa is an entertainment critic Tilly
Entertainment critic Tilly Akua Nipaa has said that Ghana’s Hiplife music genre could disappear if Reggie Rockstone, who is regarded as the originator of the genre, is no longer around.
Speaking during a discussion on GhanaWeb’s X Space on July 4, 2025, Tilly made this point while weighing in on the ongoing debate about the origins and ownership of music genres in Ghana, particularly the recent claim to crown Stonebwoy as the face of Afro-dancehall.
Tilly argued that giving full credit or attaching a whole music genre to one individual is not a good practice. She said it has affected Hiplife, and the same mistake could happen with Afro-dancehall if Ghanaians are not careful.
She used Hiplife as an example, saying the genre has been tied too closely to Reggie Rockstone. According to her, this has created a risky situation where the genre’s survival depends on one person.
Tilly believes Ghana should rather focus on building genres with the involvement of multiple artistes, just like what has happened with Afrobeats.
“To say we should make Stonebwoy the poster boy of Afro dancehall, that is how come Ghana, nothing of ours, no music identity has been able to stay longer because we always put it to a face, we put it to somebody we like. I’m telling you today for a fact, if Reggie Rockstone is no more, Hiplife would be no more because we have found a way to put a face to Hiplife.
“Afrobeats is Afrobeats, and it’s been accepted globally because it’s made by different people who make hit after hit every year and push the genre,” Tilly stated.
— GhanaWeb (@TheGhanaWeb) July 4, 2025
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