Dan Amakye Dede, affectionately called ‘Iron Boy’, is one of Ghana’s premier highlife artists. Abrantie Amakye Dede began his career in 1973 when he joined the Kumapim Royals as a composer and vocalist. Led by the legendary highlife singer, Akwasi Ampofo Agyei, they had hits like ‘Abebi Bewua Eso’, ‘Wanware Me A’, ‘Odo Mani Agyina’ and ‘Ohohoo Batani’. He later moved to Nigeria where he had his hit ‘Jealousy go shame’.
He then formed his own band, the Apollo High Kings, in 1980 and dominated the highlife scene throughout the 80’s, 90’s. In his later career, he experimented with different genres; Soca, Calypso, lovers rock and pop music but continues to perform as one of the truest highlife musicians alive. He owns a very popular bar in Accra called Abrantie Spot, where he helps celebrate live-band music.
He has almost 20 albums to his credit and continues to record. It is amazing how he has been able to consistently appeal to generations of Ghanaians with his purely highlife brand of music. When you listen to any of his album, your feel the richness of his instrument and you get the feeling as though you were listening to him perform live. Among his many hits are ‘Bebrebe Y’i’ , ‘Iron Boy’, ‘Odo Kasa’, ‘Mani Agyina’, ‘Mma Wo Were Mfi’, ‘Me Monfa Nto Me So’,’Handkerchief’, ‘Seniwa’, ‘Mensuro’, ‘Mabre’, ‘Broken Promises’, ‘Nsuo Amuna’, ‘Sokoo na mmaa pe’, ‘Kose kose’, ‘Dabi dabi’, ‘Mefre wo’, ‘Okyena sese’i, ‘Odo nfonii’, ‘Nka akyi’, ‘To be a man na war’