Ghanaian Hi-hlife Legend, Amakye Dede known by the stage name “Iron boy” has revealed he crowned Kuami Eugene as the Prince of Hi-life under duress in an interview on Asaase radio.
The “Dabi Dabi Ebeye yie” hitmaker made the serious revelation about circumstances that led to him crowning the Lynx Entertainment signee, Kuami Eugene in an interview with Kwaku the lionmaster on Asaase Radio’s Breakfast show, Wednesday, 14 June.
He disclosed that he crowned Kuami Eugene under duress and not according to his will. He even tried to ditch the crown but he was coerced to crown him by the organizers of the VGMA ’20.
“Though I did that, but it wasn’t my will to do it. But they forced me to crown him. Even at all the crown they gave me, I gave it to someone to put it aside but later they forced me to give him the crown” he said
This has raised serious questions in the entertainment industry with netizens reacting to the incident.
This corroborates Akwaboah’s comments in 2020 with Kwaku Manu who described the crowning as a coercion and a sham orchestrated by Charterhouse, the organizers of the event.
”Kuami Eugene is my son. I played a major role in his journey as an artiste. I was a voice coach on the MTN Hitmaker show training him and the likes of Kidi and Kurl Songz. So to crown him as the Highlife King is not correct.”
“Besides, the likes of Daddy Lumba, Kojo Antwi, and Kofi B were still active at that time. I think Uncle Amakye Dede was forced to do it because he would definitely not bring a crown from home to do that on stage. Probably, the organisers had a part to play in all that”, Akwaboah stated.
On May 19, 2019, the “highlife maestro” Amakye Dede Crowned Kuami Eugene as the Prince of Highlife on the monumental VGMA stage at the Grand Arena after they did an electrifying performance together.
After the performance, he called Kuami Eugene and blessed him to raise highlife music as he sees him as the successor of the highlife legends.
“Kuami Eugene, i thought hi-life had died but he has proved that hi-life is still living I did a wonderful performance with him in London. He is the only guy I know once we are not there, he is there so any help support him “
After he was handed the crown he said “This is something serious. You are my son, I a presenting this thing to you that you are coming to raise highlife music. “
Dan Amakye Dede, born on 5 January 1958 in Asante Akim Agogo, has spurned great hi-life pieces and is considered a legend of Ghana’s music. He has over 17 albums which include “King of Hi-life Music from Africa”, ” Paradise”, “Abrantee”, and others.