Well, that may be harsh. But is hiplife dying? Listen closely to prime time radio, the airplay is dominated by gospel, highlife and 'new school' type music. For a few weeks in the year, there were no 'hiplife' songs on the major chart shows. Not even Kwaw Kese's Odiem. Some pundits argue that Kwaw Kese is the only surviving hiplife artiste. Not the major one o, the only surviving. What happened to hiplife?

The major factor that drives airplay in Ghana these days is money. If you want to circulate your music video (whether shot by Phamous People, Ohenemedia or by your own camcorder), you have to pay for it. Judging by CD sales, you'll want to be conservative with how much rotation you pay for. It is worse for radio promotion. Deejays 'collect' 1 million cedis (more than $100) to play a song on air. There are over 50 stations in the Accra and Kumasi municipalities alone, each with a number of DJS. Do the math and see how much constant spinning a Ghanaian musician can afford.

The trick is, it is not the job of the Ghanaian musician to afford it, the onus lies on the shoulders of the producer. These producers take huge loans to push the music of their artistes out there and recently, have been making huge losses. Almost all the hiplife producers - Goodies, Precise, Frimprince, Slip Music, Agiecoat, Alordia have folded and are pursuing other business agendas. We heard many stories of wranglings between major labels and their artistes, the issue was money. If you think some of the major artistes don't feel the measure of their popularity in their pocket, imagine the losses and debts their producers have to sleep on each night.

Payola is killing music in Ghana, especially hip-life. Piracy too is to blame. Once you get around to acquiring that hit song from Praye, you have no interest in seeking his album/CD. Granted, finding Praye's CD is extremely hard but copping Ka kyere me and Jacket is not the best way to help music that you love. Most of these pirates are deejays and studio workers themselves. Most of the hiplifers make their money through concerts and shows. You will most probably be invited to perform at Joy FM Nite with the Stars if you are receiving massive airplay. Unless of course you are Kwaw Kese or Daddy Lumba.

Unlike hiplife music, gospel musicians can market their music at churches. It is very difficult to find random gospel songs to cop. You have to buy the CD for the most part. If you can find Africa money easily, your party will jump at no cost to you. The impending Ghana Music Awards is bound to see the weakest showing of hiplife at the ceremony since 2000. Hiplife was greeted with pomp and pageantry in 1994 and 14 years on, it has become hospitalized. What is Obrafour up to? Where is Kwaadee? Why do we hear about Reggie's new songs but we never hear them being played? If the hiplife producers have quit, why is Kwaw Kese still popular?

What are the drugs needed to sustain this genre? We have to do something about payola. We can brand it illegal. We could also arrive at a reasonable price for radio promotion. If artistes must pay to have their music videos on Metro TV's advertising cycle, I don't see why we should not have them (and their producers) pay for some radio promotion. This price is something MUSIGA and the Media commission must agree on. Concerning piracy, we must have our hiplifers (and other musicians) produce quality CDs. These guys record many songs and they must refine their art and produce quality. Radio stations must endeavour to play as much new music as possible so as to sell compact discs and not record singles.

Hiplife is not dying and but is ailing. It is enjoying its most popularity abroad at this time. Bollie's You may kiss the bride was hot cake in Nigeria recently. The Black Stars may celebrate goals and make Tic Tac's Kangaroo song a worldwide hit. The music industry has to put in measures to make sure hiplife does not die. It is the pulse of the youth and it must be coated with our traditions, our instruments and our rhythms to keep our music attractive. Like Tic Tac said, hiplife forever.