Rapper Bogo Blay has taken a new musical direction with Achi Guda, a Hausa-inspired song that he says is all about good vibes, playful lyrics and enjoying the moment.
Released last month, the song is driven more by its infectious beat and groove than a deep storyline, with simple lyrics adding to its playful appeal.
For Bogo Blay, however, Achi Guda carries a meaning that goes beyond the music.
The phrase, which means “one bite”, was one of the phrases the artiste heard during his childhood in the Goaso Zongo. He recalled that it was the nickname of a meat seller in the community, and the phrase stuck with him.
“I heard the phrase from a meat seller in Goaso Zongo where I grew up. He was called Achi Guda, and that’s where I got the name from,” he told Graphic Showbiz.
The song also features the playful line, “Wonga na son banana, Achi Guda,” which Bogo Blay explained refers to someone who likes bananas and really wants to take a bite.
While the song was created primarily for entertainment, its Hausa flavour appears to be striking a chord with listeners in Hausa communities.
“The Hausa communities seem to gravitate towards this one, and I think it’s because it is my first full Hausa song,” he said.
Encouraged by the response, Bogo Blay is already considering another Hausa-inspired release, this time with a Ghanaian Hausa artiste.
“I think we probably will drop another one which will definitely feature a Ghanaian Hausa artiste. But so far, this one is growing steadily well with the fans, and I appreciate that a lot,” he said.
Bogo Blay rose to prominence when he won the Vodafone Icons competition in 2018 and subsequently attracted attention with his introductory track, Jango.
His song Medicine, which addressed drug abuse, also gained traction on TikTok and was later adopted by the Food and Drugs Authority (FDA) for its anti-drug campaign.
In 2023, Bogo Blay was part of the winning team behind DJ Carcious’ Esther, featuring Medikal, which won DJ/Artist Collaboration of the Year at the Ghana DJ Awards.
