Obuoba J.A. Adofo & City Boys International – Medo Wiase

J.A. Adofo’s City Boys was one of Ghana’s great late-period highlife bands. This is a tape from the 80s (I think). Much of the music you hear around town—riding public transit (these over-stuffed trucks and vans called trotros), blasting from radios in shops—sounds like this. Perhaps an acquired taste. I like how J.A. Adofo (aka “The Black Chinese of Ghana”) and his band draw from non-Ghanaian influences like reggae and soul. Stretching the boundaries of highlife during 80s helped set the stage for the hiplife explosion of the mid-90s. Thank you City Boys.

This band was so impossibly prolific, I could post a different City Boys tape each week for the next six months and we’d probably still be able to dig up a few more.

Side 1
Medo Wiase
Abrebrese

Side 2
Odomo Ayikoo
Onyunu Adwo