On the 28th of September, 2010, Ghanaian hip-life auteur Reggie Ossei who is also universally known by the moniker Reggie Rockstone engaged students of Ashesi in a seminar which formed part of their “Africa in the International Setting” course. Reggie Rockstone provided compelling insights on the linkages between the creative arts, culture and African transformation in a globalized world. Tracing hip-life’s emergence from hip-hop, he argued that this new Ghanaian art form reflected the creative impulses of the Africa’s young people. He stated that hip-life had tremendous economic and informational potential if properly harnessed and developed.
The interaction was animated from the start to the finish as students asked penetrating questions and offered comments touching on the global appeal of hip-life as well as its aesthetic and philosophical underpinnings. Prior to the seminar students had watched the documentary, “Living the HipLife” which attempts to document the evolution of this uniquely Ghanaian art form, the creative impulses that power it, as well as its political, economic and cultural impact. The documentary was directed by Jesse Weaver Shipley an American filmmaker, artist, and scholar who is an Assistant Professor of Anthropology at Haverford College. Reggie Rockstone has recently released a new album “Reggiestration” and is regularly on the speaking circuit around the world as the much sought after lead spokesman of hip-life.