Rapper and media personality Okyeame Quophi has disclosed that he wrote the famous 90s diss track ‘Maba’.
The song was written for and performed by rapper Ex Doe.
Okyeame Quophi was speaking to Kwame Dadzie of Multimedia Entertainment when he made the disclosure. Footage of the interview was posted on Dadzie’s Facebook, Thursday, February 23, 2023.
“I wrote for Ex Doe,” he stated.
Laughing, he quickly remarked: “This is why Reggie Rockstone will never like me.”
According to the rapper and businessman: “I wrote the entire song.”
He did a quick acappella of the ‘Maba’ song.
“My name is in the song,” he noted.
He categorically denied instigating a fight between Ex Doe and any other artistes per the song.
“Ex Doe came to me in Kumasi. He actually moved from Accra. He had a beat from Nana King [of Ashanti International Records] and was looking for what to say with it,” he narrated.
“So we brainstormed and the idea came because people were living in Accra, we were living in Kumasi. We were the kingpins of the Kumasi rap and an Accra person was claiming presidency,” he snickered. “Beefs didn’t start today.”
He cited a line from the ‘Maba’ Hiplife classic: “Whether you or someone said it, run and go hide!”
Explaining the thrust of the song, he noted: “It was to say, “My friend, you call yourself the president but you do not live at your residence.”
Okyeame Quophi, half of the award-winning Akyeame group, added that he has written songs for other artistes.
In 1996, rappers Ex Doe and Chicago released a big hit song titled ‘Daavi Mede Kuku’. A misunderstanding ensued soon after the success of the song, bordering on who deserved due credit for the song’s creation and success. It is said Chicago wrote all the verses for the song.
Three years after ‘Daavi Mede Kuku’, Ex Doe released the diss song ‘Maba’ to challenge Chicago. Portions of it were also directed at rapper Reggie Rockstone, alias Oseikrom President, who, living in Accra, claimed to be the Kumasi President of rap music.
Reggie is credited as the pioneer of Hiplife music.