When we say George Darko, Lumba Brothers and Lee Dodou (to name a few), you say Burger highlife. A sweet blend of guitar style highlife, funk music with a striking undertone of disco. Our next journey in Highlife takes place from the late 1970s to early 1990s.
Burger Highlife (pronounced “bor-ga”) from one perspective came from the city Hamburg, which had the largest Ghanaian community in Germany at the time. It was also a way of referring to a Ghanaian who had adopted a new way of speaking or dressing after spending some time abroad.
Rex Gyamfi
Sadly there isn’t much information out there on Rex Gyamfi that we can find, but we hope to update this soon in the meantime, we definitely know that he deserves to be appreciated as a contributor to the Burger Highlife. If you do have any information on this legend do contact us via email or comment below.
What we do know is that Gyamfi released a couple of vinyl records such as ‘Sweet Lady’ in 1984, ‘Osibi Music’ in 1988 and ‘Hi-Life For You’ released in 1985.
Charles Amoah
Charles Amoah is undoubtedly amongst some of the greatest when it comes to burger highlife, iconically known for his singing and dancing abilities and his classic ponytail.
Our understanding of Amoah’s musical journey fed into Alex Konadu’s journey as he was introduced to the Highlife music scene by Alex Konadu. Playing with groups like Konadu’s the Parrots, Happy Boys and Precious Jewels before his transition to Germany in the late 70s.
This was around the time he released some of his debut albums such as ‘Sweet Vibration’ in 1984, ‘Fre Me’ (Call Me), ‘Me Ne Wo Begoro’ (Pearly Games) in 1985 and ‘Eye Odo Asem’ in 1987. ‘Eye Ode Asem’ or ‘Odo Asem’ means its a love story really put him on the map. Musically you can easily hear elements of disco and funk in his musical arrangements with the Highlife undertones.
Lee Dodou
Lee Dodou is another pioneer of Burger Highlife, an skilled vocalist singer, Dodou was well associated with bands such as Bisa Goma, Police Band and Gyedu Blay Ambolley's Zantoda. It was until the late 1970s that he left Ghana for green pastures at the time like many Ghanaians.
He ended up in Berlin, joined a few groups but he really came to light with the ‘Bus Stop Band’ led by George Darko. It was with the Bus Stop Band that he sang the famous ‘Ako Te Brofo’ recording in earliest format and on Geroge Darko’s Friends LP.
The Bus Stop Band broke up and Dodou went on to join Kantata band formed in 1984. Dodou was called in a lead vocalist and also played Acoustic Guitar for the group, making massive hits such as ‘Odo Mpa’, Saworoma, ‘It High Time’ and ‘Akwankwa’. The group was made up Sylvester Kwame (Bass/Vocals), Fouad Amoo (Percussions/Drums/Vocals), Eddie Sey (Keyboards), Ogene Kologbo (Lead Guitar) and Emmanuel Roberts (Tenor, Sax)
Nana Acheampong
Ernest Owoahene Nana Acheampong popularly known as Nana Acheampong was born in Abuakwa in the Ashanti Region. Acheampong’s Burger Highlife career began in Germany in a band called Talking Drum, he later progressed and formed his own band which participated in several European Tours.
Acheampong was also a former member of the ‘Lumba Brothers’ alongside Daddy Lumba. The music group made massive hits together but Acheampong equally made massive hits as a solo artist with hits like ‘Obibini Mu’, ‘Kata W’ani Te’ and ‘Nanka Ebeye Den’.
Nana Acheampong is mostly recognised for paying tribute to Ghanaian women which got him the name ‘Lover Boy’ or ‘Champion Lover Boy’.