Kwame Aboagye's Blog: Okyeame Quophi is Back in Business

After staying away from his musical career for God knows how long, Okyeame Quophi, now known as Quophi Okyeame has dropped three new singles this month to announce his return to the music industry.

And guess what? He isn’t rapping like he is known for but singing evergreen highlife like never before. The singles are ‘Keep On Moving’, ‘Odo Nsuo’ and ‘Gye Fa’ which have begun enjoying appreciable airplay.

Showbiz caught up with him last Friday and he let us into what he has been up to, “I have been working hard at Rainbow Radio 87.5FM as the Programmes Manager and late afternoon show host Away Bus from 4pm-7pm.

I have also been running my Emklan Media Company, still directing music videos, TV commercials, recording voice over and making music for other people and myself,” he said in his usual bubbly self.

Quophi is also the presenter of Soundsplash on TV Africa, “I do all these in addition to being a father of three and a husband. So you see, I have been very busy,” he added.

So why did he decide to come back to music after all this while? Quophi said his fans were always on his case to come back, “I have always said that music is a spirit that never leaves. Dreams and aspirations get in the way sometimes but the love of it never dies. I got a wake-up call from Samuel Atta Mensah of Citi FM and that gave me more reason to put my composition, production and singing skills back into commercial practice.”

And when he decided to go back to music, Quophi settled for his first love, highlife, “I’m going back to my first love, highlife. I have intentions of exploring other African genres.”

He hinted that he started off by listening to and imitating the likes of C.K.Mann, Amandzeba, Felix Owusu, Nana Ampadu, Gyedu Blay Ambolley and others. According to him, Akyeame started as a singing duo but later gave in to the rap craze; Mesan Aba, Menko Meda, Obaapa and Kolo all attest to that.”

Does Quophi have a problem with the kind of music being churned out lately? “No, I think what is happening is really great. It’s really great doing today’s music but it’s a matter of feeling. What I feel and think is mostly represented in what I am expressing.

“I am actually managing a lot of artistes including Egya Kay, Ntim, Sante, Honny (Mentor) and others who are into this modern or popular music if you like. I want to do something which will stand the test of time.”

Asked why he changed his name from Okyeame Quophi to Quophi Okyeame, he said the idea of name change has lingered in his mind for a while especially concerning where his music career was heading. “Everyone knows Okyeame Quophi the rapper of Akyeame fame, now it’s time to feel the inverted Quophi.”

He expressed his deepest gratitude to God, his family, the entire Emklan Production and management team, Kweku Duah (Kindee), Prince Nana Poku, Ackah Blay, Dan Grahl, Zapp Mallet, Appietus, Mr Osei (trumpeter), Akuffo(percussion), Naa Shika, Lamissi and DJ Candy Man.

“I also want to say a big ‘thank you’ to my never broken fans and the world for containing me”, he added.