British Professor explains why 'My Level' is not a highlife song

The VGMAs board may just have a dent on its credibility for adjudging Shatta Wale’s “My Level” as the highlife song of the year, as Prof. John Collins, a renowned British musicologist and highlife historian, has explained why the song can’t be considered in that category.

Professor Collins first visited Ghana in 1952 with his father, who was a lecturer at the University of Ghana. He returned to Ghana in 1969 and being a guitarist exploring his interest in music, he became a music journalist and a scholar as well.

In an interview with Joy News, the British musicologist who once worked with the likes of Fela Kuti, E.T Mensah, Agya Koo Nimo among others, has argued that “My Level” doesn’t pass to be classified as high life.

Speaking to Isreal Laryea, he said “Highlife is a hundred and twenty years old, so Kpanlogo actually borrowed that rhythm from highlife … yes, he is using a Highlife rhythm but certainly, this is typical dancehall music he’s Africanized it … I will call it afro dancehall”.

Hear more from him in the video below and tell us what you think.