Legendary highlife musician, Amakye Dede
•Amakye Dede discloses his struggles while making the ‘iron boy’ song
• Amakye Dede dominated the highlife scene in the 1980s and 1990s
• The ‘iron boy’ song gave me a headache, says Amakye Dede
Celebrated Ghanaian highlife musician, Amakye Dede has disclosed that it took him a whopping eight years to produce his popular ‘iron boy’ song.
Stating his reasons, Abrantie Amakye Dede said he had a hard time putting that particular song together as he couldn’t decide on a specific tune for the timeless piece.
He said during the making of the ‘Iron Boy,’ song, he took a break to work on other tracks.
“It took me about eight years to finish this song. I started with some rhythms, but it wasn’t good for me till I did it with a reggae tune. It was giving me so much headache, so when I record a little, then I put it down and forget about it and do other songs until I got it right,” he stated in an interview with Joy SMS.
‘Iron boy’ was released in 1998 and to date, it still receives massive airplay.
Amakye Dede, the composer of the timeless tune, has been touted as the king of Ghanaian highlife as he has in the past dropped several incredible tunes as far as the genre is concerned.
He began his career in 1973 when he joined the Kumapim Royals as a composer and vocalist.
This band, led by Akwasi Ampofo Agyei (AAA), had hits such as ‘Abebi Bewua Eso’, ‘Wanware Me A’, ‘Odo Mani Agyina’, and the seminal ‘Ohohoo Batani’.
Amakye Dede moved to Nigeria where he had his hit ‘Jealousy Go Shame’.
He then formed his own band, the Apollo High Kings, in 1980. He dominated the highlife scene in the 1980s and 1990s and has continued to have hit songs since then.