Zapp Mallet created the sound, Reggie Rockstone sold the lifestyle – Okyeame Kwame

Okyeame Kwame has singled out music producer Zapp Mallet and rapper Reggie Rockstone for their significant contributions to the emergence of hiplife in Ghana.

The musician made the remarks while speaking on Adom TV on September 21, 2026, where he challenged claims linking the creation of hiplife primarily to Oseikrom.

In his view, the history of the genre should instead acknowledge the different roles played by Zapp Mallet and Reggie Rockstone.

Okyeame Kwame explained that Zapp Mallet was instrumental in developing the musical sound, while Reggie Rockstone helped take that sound to a wider audience by making the accompanying lifestyle and culture popular.

He described the pair as the “two pillars” of hiplife.

Recalling the early era of Reggie Rockstone’s career, Okyeame Kwame painted a picture of the rapper’s signature look and stage presence.

He remembered Rockstone appearing in camouflage jeans, Timberland boots, a white singlet and dreadlocks while entertaining fans with his trademark expression, “tsoooboi.”

For Okyeame Kwame, those early performances represented an important period in the evolution of hiplife and demonstrated Rockstone’s influence beyond the music itself.