In a span of five years, Ghana has lost some of its greatest Highlife legends.
Not only did these legends entertain music lovers, but they also shaped the Highlife genre with their creative storytelling and distinctive musical style.
This article will explore seven Highlife legends who passed on from 2020 to 2025:
Legendary Highlife musician, Nana Tuffour, who was also known as 9-9-2-4, was a Ghanaian Highlife singer and songwriter.
The late musician was born on February 14, 1954, and died on June 15, 2020, after battling a short illness.
Nana Tuffour, known for popular hit songs such as “Abeiku” among others, passed on after releasing his “Abasa Komu” the same year.
The musician died at the age of 66.
Kofi B:
On February 2, 2020, Ghana’s music industry was left stunned after news broke about the demise of one of its legends, Kofi B.
Kofi B, whose real name was Kofi Boakye Yiadom, was born in 1980.
The musician became active and rose to fame in the early 2000s after releasing numerous songs such as “Mmobrowa”, “Bantama Kofi Boakye”, Koforidua Flowers”, among others.
According to reports, Kofi B passed away at exactly 3:00 A.M. after being rushed to a hospital in Cape Coast in the Central region.
Nana Kwame Ampadu:
One cannot mention the names of individuals who shaped Ghana’s music industry without mentioning a folklore genius, Nana Kwame Ampadu.
Nana Ampadu, who was popularly known as “Adwomtofo Nyinaa hempɔn”, was a musician and composer.
He was born on March 31, 1945, and passed away on September 28, 2021.
Ampadu was the lead singer, chief songwriter, and founder of the “African Brothers Band”.
He is regarded as a pioneer of Highlife and afrobeat music and one of the most illustrious Ghanaian musicians of the 20th century.
A B Crenstil:
Alfred Benjamin Crenstil, popularly known as A B Crenstil, is another legendary Highlife musician who contributed greatly to Ghana’s music space.
The musician, known for several hit songs such as “Devil”, “Atia”, “Juliana”, “I Go Pay You Tomorrow”, “Papa Shamo”, “Ayen”, among other songs, died at the Bank Hospital, Accra, on Wednesday, July 13, 2022.
He died at the age of 79. AB Crenstil won numerous music awards, including the Fontomfrom Evergreen Award for his contribution to the music landscape.
Akwaboah Senior:
Veteran Highlife musician Kwadwo Akwaboah, popularly known as Akwaboah Senior, passed on in May 2023.
The sudden demise of the musician was disclosed to Ghanaians through a social media post made by his son, Akwaboah Jnr, on May 16, 2023.
Akwaboah Snr was also a master keyboardist who played for tons of local and international bands. He had a hit song with his son, titled “Awerekyekyere,” before his demise.
Prior to his demise, he was reported to have been battling glaucoma, which made him lose both eyesight, and even in such circumstances, he still played musical instruments in a couple of videos spotted on social media.
Dada KD:
On May 16, 2025, the entertainment space was shocked by the demise of Ghanaian Highlife legend, Dada KD.
The musician passed on in the late hours of Friday, May 16, 2025, after battling a brief illness.
Dada KD, before his death, contributed immensely to the music industry. He owned classic masterpieces such as “Fatia Fata Nkrumah” and “Somu Gye,” among others, which became household tunes.
Charles Kwadwo Fosu, popularly known as Daddy Lumba, was confirmed dead on Saturday, July 26, 2025, after a short illness.
Daddy Lumba‘s musical journey began at the age of 16 when he led the choir at Juaben Senior High School.
The late musician has since made significant contributions to the Ghanaian music industry, nurturing the talents of Ofori Amponsah and others.
The late Lumba was well-known for numerous hit songs before his demise.
He also released about 34 albums with iconic songs like “Biribi Gyegye Wo,” “Ahenfo Kyinye,” “Makra Mo,” among others.
JHM/SEA
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