We were rapping before rap came – Prof. Atukwei Okai

Prof. Atukwei Okai

Renowned poet and writer, Professor Atukwei Okai has said he started rapping way back before rap came into being.

The only rapper with a Master's Degree made this revelation during an interview with Kwabena Anokye Adisi on the Personality Profile segment on Drive Time on Joy 99.7 FM Thursday.

The prolific writer is behind several accomplished works and honors.

“Indeed, indeed we were rapping before rapping came,” he proclaimed and to prove this, he poured out some of his PhD lyrics:

“You stoned my Saturdays,
You waste my Wednesdays
And tear up my Tuesdays into two.
You sneer my Sundays, quizzed my Saturdays,
And held my Tuesday onto thongs.
You feign, you feign, you do so love me,
But the truth is now like the sun,
He who sees not, feels it on the skin
And with a deep paralyzing pain,
Erodes away the steel-wealth walls of our strong castles built in my dreams.

Oh the terrible truth now feels like the sun,
He who sees not, feels it on the skin
And with a deep paralyzing pain,
Erodes away the terrible dreams of my mind.”

This gentle giant has been tagged as, “…one of God's greatest gifts to this generation…" by Albert Ocran, CEO of Combert Impressions.

Celebrating his 70th birthday on March 15, Atukwei Okai was born in Accra, Ghana, in 1941 and was educated at the Gambaga Native Authority School, Nalerigu Middle Boys' School (both in Northern Ghana), Methodist Middle Boys' School (Accra) and the Accra High School, before going to Moscow in 1961, where he earned his M.A. (Litt.) from the Gorky Literary Institute in 1967.

He has published several works including Flowerfall (poems), The Oath Of The Fontomfrom and Other Poems; Lorgorligi Logarithms and Other Poems The Anthill In The Sea; Freedom Symphony: Selected and New Love Poems; Mandela The Spear.

Prof. Okai is a recipient of many national and international awards including The label Centenary Commemorative Gold Medal, The International Lotus prize (and Gold Medal), and The C. Marconi Gold Medal.

In June, 2007, the National Award of Member of The Order of The Volta was conferred on Prof. Atukwei Okai by the State.

Story by Ernest Dela Aglanu/Myjoyonline.com/Ghana