Kasahare: Demystifying Rap Lyricism and Artistry in Ghana’s Hiplife Music

Abstract

This article explores imaginative rap lyricism through Kasahare – a backbone of hiplife, a Ghanaian culture and entertainment staple since the 1990s – to understand its etymology, composition, and popularization, and examines excerpts of verses from three songs we consider archetypes of Kasahare released in the last 20 years, to evaluate its artistic and linguistic values. We complement our analysis with first-hand accounts and relevant contextual information gathered through personal interviews, and argue that Kasahare and its role in the preservation and promotion of Ghanaian sociocultural identities and local linguistic resources are imperative and need further study.