REGGIE - THE RAP LEGEND
"A legend is an individual who has played a role in the propagation of an Ideal..." That was how Osibisa legend Mac Tonto introduced Reggie “Rockston" Osei at the launch of Reggie's odyssey into legendary status in 2003.
Reggie Rockstone widely regarded as the father of Hiplife and recently more recently the originator of GH Rap in Ghana.
Born sometime in the 1960's "Rockstone" grew up in a stylish family in the UK. His father, Rikki, was a fashio designer and his mother, Anne, a nurse. They both had a flair for aesthetics, a zest for life and often hosted great parties, playing tunes from James Brown, Mini Ripperton, The Isley Brothers, Brass Construction, Osibisa , Micheal Jackson and all the Motown greats!
This home environment gave Reggie his musical grounding although he never intended to become a musician. Rather, Reggie loved dancing. He would often be the center of attraction at many of his parents' soirees, and even at his friends' parties.
Two times Ghana Junior Champion in Taekwondo in the 1970s, the movement in that martial art gave Reggie a discipline and regiment that offered him good reflexes. This thus helped him much in doing complex moves in disco and robot dancing as well as break-dancing. He was extremely good at it. You should see him do the head-spin or backslide. Even Micheal Jackson would eat his heart out!
Leaving Achimota with O'levels where he went from Soul Clinic. Reggie began a jourrney of self-discovery and developed a deep sense of empowerment and wanted to do much to uplift African people through music, dance and the arts. He therefore set himself an objective to liberate the minds of African youth and empower Mother Africa.
After sojourns in the United States and UK, Reggie's convictions became stronger, and together with some friends went underground to study urban contemporary music, developing Hip Hop linguistic skills in two languages. Becoming increasingly anti establishment, Reggie performed live at venues and events throughout the UK, rapping political afrocentric rhyme.
It was in the 90s that he became a recording artiste, touring the UK with Party a-la Maison, releasing two singles and a collaborative album including a Variety UK Pop-Chart No. 5 hit called "PLZ". Many other hits were to follow, and his latest project, a soon-to-be-released album, features international rap artist Snoop Dog.
Returning to Ghana sometime in 1994, Reggie experimented with Hip Hop and High Life musical classs producing instant hits delivered in Twi, and in the process created a new musical genre that came to be known as "Hyplife" as he spells it.
"Hyplife" became very popular and is today the single genre which employs about 70% of the youth involved in music in Ghana. Recently, there has been a development of what one might call pure hiphop as an underground movement called GH Rap.
Most GH Rap advocates and artiste still regard the Legend, Reggie "Rockstone" as the father of the movement.