| "Aben Wo Ha" | |
|---|---|
| Single by Daddy Lumba | |
| from the album Aben Wo Ha | |
| Language | Akan (Twi) |
| Released | 1998 |
| Recorded | 1998 |
| Studio | Rheinklang Studios in Dusseldorf |
| Genre | Highlife |
| Label | Lumba Productions |
| Songwriter(s) | Daddy Lumba |
| Producer(s) | Bodo Staiger |
"Aben Wo Ha" is a single released by Ghanaian musician Daddy Lumba from his 1998 studio album of the same name.
Controversy
In 1999 there were numerous calls by critics and conservative music fans to ban "Aben Wo Ha" on radio, however, the National Commission on Culture which exercises authority over the music industry in Ghana, decided against banning it.
Popularity
It was alleged that presenter Tommy Annan Forson made the song popular when he refused to play it on radio due to its sexually suggestive lyrics. His decision made people curious about the song.
The song was a commercial success. "Aben Wo Ha" won numerous of awards in 1999 and 2000, including winning the "Song of the Year" award at the maiden Ghana Music Awards held in 2000.
"Aben Wo Ha" still enjoys some level of popularity, even internationally, despite more than two decades since its release. The song became the unofficial welcome song for Ghanaian midfielder Thomas Partey when he signed for Arsenal FC in October 2020, with a video of a fan dancing to the song posted on the official Arsenal Instagram page. In 2015, the video for "Aben Wo Ha" went viral after American rapper Ludacris posted a snippet on his social media accounts.
Former Barcelona and AC Milan midfielder Kevin-Prince Boateng again made the song go viral when he posted a video of himself jamming to "Aben Wo Ha" in his car.
References
- "Aben Wo Ha - No Ban". Ghanaweb.com. 10 March 1999.
- "Aben wo Ha' - No Ban". Modern Ghana. Retrieved 2021-03-04.
- "Daddy Lumba - Aben Wo Ha". Pulse Ghana. 2015-04-30. Retrieved 2021-03-04.
- "Check Out Five Most Controversial Ghanaian Songs of All Time". GhGossip. 2017-05-20. Retrieved 2021-03-04.
- "Road to 2017 VGMA: Artiste of the Year winners since 2000 - MyJoyOnline.com". www.myjoyonline.com. Retrieved 2021-03-04.
- Dennis, Dwomoh (2020-10-06). "Ghanaian Man Who Jubilated Over Thomas Partey's New Contract Gets Himself On Arsenal's IG Page | Video". Thedistin. Retrieved 2021-03-04.
- "Video : See what Ludacris did to Daddy Lumba's Aben Woha music video". LiveXtra Ghana. 2015-12-02. Retrieved 2021-03-04.
- "@ludacris on Instagram: "😂😂😂😂 #nowthatsludicrous"". Instagram. Retrieved 2021-03-04.
- "Kevin Prince Boateng spotted jamming to Daddy Lumba's 'Aben Wo Ha' song". www.ghanaweb.com. 2021-03-01. Retrieved 2021-03-04.
- Appiah, Samuel (2021-03-01). "Kevin Prince Boateng jams Daddy Lumba's 'Aben Wo Ha' song". Adomonline.com. Retrieved 2021-03-04.