Ghanaian renowned record producer, Zapp Mallet
Emmanuel Kwame Mallet has been a genius since childhood. Aside from making good grades in school, he was an autodidact who taught himself how to play the guitar, bass, and keyboard.
He always loved music and had a natural inclination for it. Perhaps the only thing that surpassed this unwavering love was the mother's love, and vice versa, being her only child. His self-discipline, passion, and hard work were to a large extent the 100-hour rule in play and this gave him mastery over these instruments in no time.
The light he bore was so bright and at Accra Academy Senior High School, his talent became common knowledge. Without sidelining his academic work, he will perform to the admiration of the students and more.
Soon Emmanuel reached a stage where he needed a name to complement his music and the name Emmanuel was perhaps not going to strike that chord.
He settled for the name "Zapp Mallet", where Zapp represents an American funk band that emerged from Dayton, Ohio, United States, in 1977. This is a band he loved so much that he fused their name to his surname "Mallet".
He gained admission to Kwame Nkrumah University of Science & Technology to study Book Industry. He continued doing music and started making a name for himself. Aside from graduating with a Second Class Upper, he had also attained enough skills, self-belief, and confidence to make the bold decision to do music professionally.
Truly, the over 6 feet tall, giant-looking young man, indeed had the potential to be a giant in many fields. However, he chose music even though his mother didn't see it as the best choice at that moment. Regardless, he believed he was going to be a giant in music one day. In good times, he had become an integral part of thriving bands like Abundant Life in the 70s and also the gospel music group Joyful Way (now Joyful Way Incorporated).
He had the gift of making something great out of little, especially at a time when studio equipment and technology were expensive and inaccessible. He had a Midas touch. Zapp Mallet was quickly becoming widely known and the turning point came with the proliferation of radios in Ghana. Joy FM hired his services for jingles and behind the scenes, he had worked on some great albums including that of Rex Omar.
Upon the return of Reggie Rockstone to Ghana and the bustling hip-hop genre, the first Hip Life song was made by Reggie Rockstone produced and engineered by Zapp Mallet. This changed the Ghanaian music landscape and influenced the West African Music scene. Eventually becoming a source of employment for many.
This genre has gone a long way to influence what is celebrated today as Afrobeats by the world. Prior to Hiplife, Zapp Mallet had as far back as 1989 made hits for multiple award-winning Ghanaian gospel singers, Tagoe Sisters, Hannah Marfo, and Obotantim by Francis Agyei. It was on this occasion that he met and recorded multiple award-winning gospel singer, Diana Hamilton who was a teenager then.
Zapp Mallet has single-handedly pioneered and influenced at least 3 major genres in Ghanaian music. Notably Highlife, Hiplife, and gospel. Highlife and Hiplife have clearly crystallized into what is called Afrobeats today.
The tall list of songs he has engineered and produced includes
Agoo – Reggie Rockstone, Tsooboi – Reggie Rockstone, Nightlife in Accra – Reggie Rockstone
Visa – Reggie Rockstone
Keep Ya Eyes on the Road – Rockstone
If You Don’t Want Me – Reggie Rockstone
Mensesa – Reggie Rockstone
Big Dreams – Wutah
Sanbra – Root Eye
Abrewa Nana ft Samini – Esisi Meso
Wo Din – Praye
Medo – Lord Kenya
Yɛ W’adwen Yie – Lord Kenya
Driver Susukɔ – Lord Kenya
Sika Baa – Lord Kenya
Nwom No – Lord Kenya,
Fameko – Lord Kenya
Chap with the Rap – Kenya,
Sika Mpo Mfa Neho – Lord Kenya
Slip Music All-Stars – Afehyia Pa
TH4 Kwages – Taxi Driver,
TH4 Kwages – Sɛ Maa Metea
Nananom – Panin Na Obi Nnyɛɛ Bi Da
Nananom – Asɛm Sɛbɛ
Nsatea nyinaa nnyɛ pɛ – Nananom
Sass Squad – Obaa Serwaa,Daasebre Gyamena – Ntoro, Akon – Ghetto (remake),Police Abaa – Nsia Piesie, Mesan Aba – Akyeame
Brebre – Akyeame
Bra Yɛntena – Akyeame
Asa Abaso – Akyeame
Atia Donko – Nana Quame
Burning Desire – Wutah,
Ngozi – Micheal Dwamena
Wobre Na Wenya – Adane Best
Fa W’akoma Me – Rex Omar
Daniel in the Lion’s Den – Felix Bell
Akokora Tipa – Yoggi
Doggi,Obrafour – Okukuseku
Akyeame ft Root Eye – Brɛbrɛ Obaahema
Agya Bomofoɔ ft. Charlie Pee & Shy – Medahɔ M’awo
Me Dɔ Mu Eduru – Tommy Wiredu
Yaa Maame – Joe Frazier
When Peace Like a River – Black Heritage
Chooboi – Naana and Dan
Asew Konofuor – Nana Quame
Kofi B – Mmɔbrɔwa
Kotosa – Rex Omar
Wasei M’adwen – Sass Squad
Macha Macha – Helena Rhabbles,
Okamafo Nyame – Helena Rhabbles,
Yedi Nkunim – Tagoe Sisters
Mebo Wo Din Daa – Daughters of Glorious Jesus
Mmrane – Suzzy & Matt, Tsooboi – Suzzy & Matt
Yehowa – Suzzy & Matt
Eno Abena – Nana Quame ft. Obrafour and more
His contributions to the Ghanaian culture through music with genres like Hiplife, Gospel music, and West African music generally are indelible and unrivaled.
Although he prefers to remain behind the scenes, he has not been appreciated enough. He deserves his flowers. He deserves to be honored over and over again.
He has contributed massively to the Music and Entertainment industry and empowered the youth. Thanks to his ingenuity, many lives have been empowered through music and its peripherals.
This has brought Jobs and expanded the government's tax net. I am not by any means downplaying the role of others in the evolution of Ghanaian and West African music by the above.
To be blunt, Art and Culture/Entertainment are some of the major factors enabling the peace we have enjoyed as a country for a protracted period. It has also enabled the level of happiness Ghanaians enjoy.
This is why the Peki native, Emmanuel Kwame Mallet aka Zapp Mallet deserves all the praise for his great sacrifice and effort. After Ephraim Amu's contributions to Ghana, came Zapp Mallet from the same Peki township.
Selflessly he continues to work behind the scenes with some of the big stars on the continent and overseas. He equally avails himself for the up-and-coming, using every instance to impart and nurture the future of the West African sound and music.
Just as his phone number 0244232251 has remained the same, so has his humility and love for talent. Fame hasn't given him an ego. He remains approachable and available for work and he is one of the few people who has managed fame very well even though he is one of the greatest producers and engineers in the world.
Long Live Mother Ghana. Long live Zapp Mallet.