Germany Pays Tribute to Daddy Lumba for Shaping Borga Highlife Sound
- The German Embassy in Accra has paid tribute to highlife icon Daddy Lumba, honouring his global cultural impact
- Germany played a crucial role in shaping the late musician's career and inspiring the so-called borga highlife genre
- Daddy Lumba's time in Cologne and Düsseldorf helped forge cross-cultural musical ties that are still celebrated today
The German Embassy in Accra has paid a heartfelt tribute to the late Ghanaian highlife legend, Charles Kwadwo Fosu, popularly known as Daddy Lumba.
In a statement issued on Facebook, the embassy mourned his passing and honoured his profound impact on music and culture globally.
Source: Facebook
According to the embassy, Germany played a pivotal role in shaping Daddy Lumba's illustrious career, particularly in the development of the 'borga highlife' genre.
During his time in the country, Daddy Lumba transitioned from gospel to highlife music and collaborated with fellow musician Nana Acheampong to form the iconic Lumba Brothers.
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This partnership, according to the German Embassy's statement, significantly contributed to the rise of borga highlife, a unique blend of Ghanaian rhythms and Western influences.
The embassy further highlighted that Daddy Lumba's experiences in Germany, particularly in Cologne, Düsseldorf, and Monheim am Rhein, allowed him to work with renowned German producers to enrich his musical style.
"Germany played a formative role in his illustrious career. It was during his time there that Daddy Lumba transitioned from gospel to highlife, met fellow musician Nana Acheampong in 1989, and together formed the iconic Lumba Brothers. Their collaboration significantly contributed to the rise of 'Borga Highlife' - a genre blending Ghanaian rhythms with Western influences, emerging from the vibrant Ghanaian diaspora in Germany."
"Daddy Lumba lived in Cologne and recorded music in Düsseldorf and Monheim am Rhein, working with renowned German producers. In his song 'Homeless,' he even wove in German phrases –-a rare and symbolic gesture reflecting his lived experience between two cultures. We honour his artistic excellence and celebrate the enduring cultural connections he helped build," the statement read.
The Facebook post from the German Embassy about Daddy Lumba is below:
Ghanaians mourn Daddy Lumba on embassy post
Ghanaians on social media thronged the comments section of the Facebook post by the German Embassy about Daddy Lumba.
YEN.com.gh compiled below:
@Geefree OG Wiafe said:
"Rip DL Nice article, however, Bodo Staiger deserves some highlight in this article, a true German 🇩🇪 genius sound engineer, he played a major part, may he rest in peace as well."
@Nana K.N. Owusu also said:
‘"Borga’ (Bourger) highlife is a Ghanaian product made in Germany. We are grateful. Sadly, we also lost King George (Darko) not too long ago. Borga highlife has nourished many Ghanaian souls."
@Frederick Opoku commented:
"Thank you, Germany, for this wonderful tribute. In fact one of your sons, Bodo Steiger, contributed a lot in his music career in terms of his music production. Ghana has lost a great Legend in the music industry."
Source: UGC
King Promise's emotional tribute to Daddy Lumba
Meanwhile, YEN.com.gh reported that an Afrobeats star joined many Ghanaians who have paid tribute to the late Daddy Lumba.
King Promise wrote an emotional tribute to the legendary Ankwanoma hit-maker and shared details about their joint album.
Many reflected on Daddy Lumba's legacy, while others shared thoughts on what could have come of the album had it been released.
Proofreading by Bruce Douglas, copy editor at YEN.com.gh.
Source: YEN.com.gh
