Reggie Rockstone

Born in the U.K. on April 11, 1964, Reginald Osei aka Reggie Rockstone attached himself to the Hip Hop movement in the early 80's as a dancer. Travelling on a tri-continental basis (i.e. Accra, New York, London), he broadened his Hip Hop scope.{{Cite web |last=Rodgers |first=Ferdie |date=2020-11-11 |title=Reggie Rockstone biography: wife, parents, hometown, education, songs |url=https://yen.com.gh/175269-reggie-rockstone-biography-wife-parents-hometown-education-songs.html |access-date=2022-04-30 |website=Yen.com.gh - Ghana news. |language=en}} As a performer and trained actor, he began rapping in 1991.

His first 'fifteen minutes of fame' came as a dancer in Accra in the early 80's. His second chance at fame came in 1992-93 as a member of one of the top rap groups from London, England. He belonged to PLZ (Parables, Linguistics and Zlang) with Fredi Funkstone, Jay (both from West Africa) & DJ Pogo of the U.K. Number one hits from PLZ included "If it Aint PLZ" and an EP entitled "Build a Wall Around Your Dreams" released on an independent label called "Go For the Juggler."

1994 became the watershed or turning point in his entertainment career. The rap scene in London was not rewarding enough. He returned to Accra to encounter a whole generation of people grooving to African-American rhythms, all heavily influenced by the same elements of Hip Hop that he knew.{{Cite web|title=Reggie Rockstone represents Ghana at the Idols W/A finals|url=https://www.myjoyonline.com/entertainment/reggie-rockstone-represents-ghana-at-the-idols-wa-finals/|date=2007-05-23|website=MyJoyOnline.com|language=en-US|access-date=2020-05-26}}

He used the hip hop beats with authentic phat production and laced it with true African dialect; The Akan language of Twi. It became the tool to make such butter classics as "Sweetie, Sweetie", "Tsoo Boi", "Nightlife in Accra" and "Agoo" from his debut album in 1997 entitled "Makaa! Maka!".{{cite web | url=https://www.theafricandream.net/hiplife-316-gospel-according-to-reggie-2/ | title=Hiplife 3:16, The gospel according to Reggie Rockstone | date=31 October 2012 | publisher=TheAfricanDream.net | accessdate=4 December 2019}} Launched on an independent label called KASSA RECORDS that he partly owns, Rockstone has reached Ghanaians and non-Ghanaians across four continents

Reggie Rockstone is credited as the pioneer of hiplife or "Kasahare music" in Ghana and like some masters of the art of hip hop, he has proclaimed his retirement and out of retirement several times. His specialty is Asante Twi. He is internationally acclaimed, with several performances throughout West Africa, the UK, France, USA and Switzerland.

In 2013 he was selected to be a judge of the maiden edition of the Glo X Factor Africa along with Onyeka Onwenu and M.I.{{cite web |url=http://www.loudsoundgh.com/2013/04/confirmed-reggie-rockstone-is-glo-x-factor-judge/ |title=Confirmed: Reggie Rockstone is Glo X Factor judge! | Loud Sound Ghana |website=www.loudsoundgh.com |access-date=13 January 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140629053940/http://www.loudsoundgh.com/2013/04/confirmed-reggie-rockstone-is-glo-x-factor-judge/ |archive-date=29 June 2014 |url-status=dead}} He was also a judge for the fifth edition of the Malta Guinness Street Dance competition in 2012.{{Cite web|url=https://www.newsghana.com.gh/heroes-win-malta-guinness-street-dance-season-5/|title=Heroes win Malta Guinness Street Dance Season 5}}

In 2009, Rockstone was one of 17 Public figures, who were outdoored by Globacom to endorse their brand, which was part of their preparations to roll out in Ghana. There was an allegation that he had been dropped as an ambassador but he denied the reports.{{Cite web |date=2015-07-20 |title=Reggie Rockstone denies reports he was dropped as Glo Ambassador - MyJoyOnline.com |url=https://www.myjoyonline.com/reggie-rockstone-denies-reports-he-was-dropped-as-glo-ambassador/ |access-date=2022-04-30 |website=www.myjoyonline.com |language=en-US}}

He introduced Rockstone Condoms, which is his own brand of contraceptive to the Ghanaian market in August 2013. With this move, he was pitching into the zero infection or prevalence initiative against HIV/AIDS's goals.{{Cite web|url=https://www.ghanacelebrities.com/2013/08/25/reggie-rockstone-launches-rockstone-condoms/|title=Reggie Rockstone Launches Rockstone Condoms|date=August 25, 2013|website=www.ghanacelebrities.com}}

Rockstone recorded four albums for the Kassa Records label and one for MixerPot:

• Makaa Maka (I Said It Because I Said It), 1997
• Me Na Me Kae (I Was The One Who Said It), 1999
• Me Ka (I Will Say), 2000
• Last show, 2004
• Reggiestration, 2010

He owns a food distribution business that packages the Ghanaian dish waakye for delivery to hotels. The food is packaged in glass jars.{{Cite web|title=Jar-Waakye: Why Rockstone packaged popular dish in glass jars (AUDIO)|url=https://www.graphic.com.gh/lifestyle/life/jar-waakye-why-reggie-rockstone-packaged-popular-dish-in-glass-jars-audio.html|access-date=2020-09-30|website=Graphic Online|language=en-gb}}

{{Reflist}}

• [http://museke.com/node/243 Reggie Rockstone info, lyrics, audio, etc]
• [http://museke.com/node/2201 Interview with Reggie Rockstone about his life, and music]

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Category:Ghanaian musicians

Category:Living people

Category:Place of birth missing (living people)

Category:Ghanaian rappers

Category:Alumni of Achimota School

Category:1964 births