When the hiplife roll-call is given, Reggie Rockstone and Obrafour would have pride of place but there’s no denying it that Nii Addo Quaynor better identified as Tinny cannot be ignored.

Tinny will stake a claim in Ghana’s music annals with his 2003 smash hit Makola Kwakwe rendered in the Ga vein.

The 39-year-old, born to Ricky Tetteh Quaynor and Naa Badu Quaynor would cut his performing teeth at the 1994 Fun World. The National Theatre would then become his second home, perfecting his music and stage craft.

The Osu Salem JSS and Okuapeman Secondary School product has his father to thank for providing the resource in him finding a foot in the commercial music space.

Ricky is reported to have booked sessions for Tinny with Hammer of the Last 2 enabling him become part of the Last 2 family as a ‘foot soldier’.

The Osu and La raised Tinny had begun his music life as Black Nature before reverting to his birth name, Tinny.

Although hiplife saw Twi as its language currency, Tinny would break in using the Ga language. He was so good Abraham Ohene Djan of OM Studios agreed to produce him on Hammer’s recommendation and with the financial inflow of super dad, Ricky Tetteh Quaynor, Makola Kwakwe (Makola being name of Accra’s large trading area or maket and kwakwe being name for mouse) was birthed.

Popular tunes like Aletse (2005), Kaa Bu Ame (2007) and Attention (2008) would follow enhancing his reputation as the real deal. Features on the Obrafour’s Oye Ohene remix and I Believe I Can Fly (Heko Ejorko) did him good as did his five studio albums which underlined that he was no fluke.

Tinny with family
The 2004 Ghana Music Awards New Artiste who through the years employed wise sayings, idioms and proverbs for his rap was also discerning enough to shout the praises of his father with the phrase: Ricky, Naa Badu, Nakutso Bi in his songs.

Given that gratitude is a must, the former Glo Ghana ambassador has also been celebrated by musicians currently plying the trade.

Asem in No More Kpayor would factor in Tinny with the line little skinny dudes wanna act tough, chale Tinny besi3 abu mor alo rough……..

Sarkodie in his admonition track, Take It Back would also reference Tinny. In giving hiplife legends their due, Obidi mentions Obrafour, Tic and Nakay of Nkasei fame and then spits one of Tinny’s aliases Bonto Aletse for Aletse Kankpe-the witty one.

And now reggae-dancehall practitioner, Shatta Wale as paid his homage. In Hmm Chale ft. Ara B, Tinny’s fellow Ga man wale submits wogbekona ye café (we not done in the café), Tinny kewo Makola Kwakwe (Tinny told us Makola Kwakwe) in reference to Nii Addo Quaynor’s 2003 monstrous hit Makola Kwakwe which etched the bard man in the hearts and minds of Ghanaians.

by michael eli