View source for Zapp Mallet

{{Short description|Ghanaian sound engineer}}
{{Infobox musical artist
| name            = Zapp Mallet
| image           = ZappMallet.jpg
| caption         =
| birth_name      = Emmanuel Mallet
| alias           =
| birth_date      =
| birth_place     = [[Accra]], [[Ghana]], [[West Africa]]
| origin          = [[Ghana]]
| genre           = [[Highlife]], [[Hiplife]], [[Gospel music|Gospel]], [[Reggae]]
| occupation      = [[record producer]]
| years_active    = 1979
| label           =
| associated_acts = {{flatlist|
*[[Kojo Antwi]]
*[[Reggie Rockstone]]
*[[Tagoe Sisters]]
*[[Lord Kenya]]
*[[Ofori Amponsah]]
*[[Daasebre Gyamena]]
*[[Obour]]
*[[Becca]]
*[[Irene Logan]]
*[[Praye]]
*[[Sarkodie (rapper)|Sarkodie]]
*[[Donaeo]]
*[[Idris Elba]]
*[[Sizzla]]}}
*[[Obofour Raphael]]
*[[Okomfour Kwaadee]]
| website         =
}}
'''Emmanuel Mallet''' popularly known as '''Zapp Mallet''' is a veteran Ghanaian [[recording engineer]] and a [[record producer]]. He is recognized as one of the pioneers of the [[hiplife]] genre that started in the early 1990s in [[Ghana]]. He is also recognized as the only recording engineer to have won the [[Vodafone Ghana Music Awards|Ghana Music Awards]] on three consecutive occasions; 1999, 2000, 2001.
==Early life and education==
Zapp was born in [[Accra]], [[Ghana]]. He had his secondary education at the [[Accra Academy]] from 1975 to 1982. He continued to the [[Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology]], [[Kumasi]] where he studied publishing skills for his bachelor's degree. Some of Zapp's earliest experiences in music were during his secondary school days when he played drums for the Accra Academy school band. At university level, he was able to add playing of the guitar and bass guitar to his art. He subsequently featured for various Christian groups with his art in [[Accra]] and [[Kumasi]].<ref name="EMMANUEL MALLET">http://www.pinnaclegh.com,[https://www.modernghana.com/entertainment/9985/zapp-mallet-in-focus.html "Zapp Mallet in Focus"], Modern Ghana, 9 September 2009.</ref><ref name="MALLET">Star Buzz,[http://www.starbuzzgh.com/high-life-music-will-be-totally-dead-zapp-mallet/ "High-life Music Will Be Totally Dead – Zapp Mallet"], Star Buzz, 29 March 2018.</ref><ref name="EZM">Emmanuel Ghansah,[https://www.ghanamusic.com/news/top-stories/2019/03/27/legendary-producer-zapp-mallet-out-with-a-new-album-aayalolo/amp/ "Legendary producer Zapp Mallet out with a new album; Aayalolo"], ghana news, 27 March 2019.</ref><ref name="ZAPP">{{cite news |last=Owusu |first=Hilda |date=2010-09-02 |title=Zap! Like a Mallet |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=9lhVR-vhCrgC&q=Zapp+Mallet&pg=PA8 |work=Daily Graphic |access-date=2019-07-04}}</ref>
==Career==
Zapp begun recording in various studios before establishing his own studio and company; Title Track Productions Limited. He first started recording at the ARC Studios in [[Tema]], he moved to the C.H.M Studio in [[Accra]] and later moved to Kampsite. Prior to owning his own studio he recorded at T.L.C. Studio.
Over the years, Zapp has worked with various high-profile Ghanaian and international music artistes of various genres. Some of these artistes include; [[Kojo Antwi]], [[Ofori Amponsah]], [[Daasebre Gyamena]], Nana Fynn, [[Becca]], [[Irene Logan]], Mary Agyepong, Nana Quame and Wutah all of the [[highlife]] circus. In the [[hiplife]] circus Zapp has worked with [[Reggie Rockstone]], [[Lord Kenya]], [[Obour|Obour,  Obrafour]]  and Akyeame. In the gospel genre he worked with; [[Tagoe Sisters]], Suzzy and Matt and Helena Rhabbles.<ref name="EMMANUEL MALLET"/><ref name="MALLET"/><ref name="EZM"/><ref name="ZAPP"/>
In 2008, Zapp served on the Opening and Closing Ceremony Sub-Committee of the [[2008 Africa Cup of Nations|Confederation of African Nation football tournament (afcon)]] that was hosted by [[Ghana]]. He served as the music director and guitarist for the burger concert highlife tour that was organized by the Goethe-Institut in 2008 as part of Ghana's 51st independence day celebration.<ref>Daily Guide,[https://www.modernghana.com/entertainment/6389/burger-highlife-musicians-in-concert.html "Burger Highlife musicians in concert"], Modern Ghana, 19 February 2008.</ref> He has served as a resident judge and guest judge on various music shows, some of which include; Stars of the future, Mentor, Nestcafe African Revelation and the MTN Hitmaker show. He is a member of the [[Vodafone Ghana Music Awards|Ghana Music Awards]] planning committee and a facilitator on WAPI; an Art showcase and interruptive platform organized by the British Council.
Zapp's interest is in the fusion of different genres of music such as Rock, Jazz, Orchestra and Pop blended with African rhythms to create new sounds.
In 2019, he revealed his intentions to contest for presidency of the [[Musicians Union of Ghana]] (MUSIGA). He was later on disqualified because he had not held an executive position in the association.<ref>Asiwome Tei-Mati,[https://kasapafmonline.com/2019/04/musiga-elections-zapp-mallet-disqualified-from-contesting/ "Mallet disqualified from Contesting"], Kasapa fm online, 15 April 2019.</ref>
Zapp has been a source of inspiration to many sound engineers in Ghana, notable amongst them is the legendary [[Hammer of The Last Two]] who was inspired to begin his career in sound engineering after meeting Zapp Mallet and seeing the equipments in his studio during the period when Zapp was recording [[Reggie Rockstone]]'s album.<ref>Kasapafmonline.com,[https://mobile.ghanaweb.com/GhanaHomePage/entertainment/Zapp-Mallet-s-studio-inspired-me-to-be-a-music-engineer-Da-Hammer-728386 "Zapp Mallet’s studio inspired me to be a music engineer – Da Hammer"], Ghanaweb, 6 March 2019.</ref>
==Hiplife controversy==
Hiplife generally is a Ghanaian music genre that fuses some elements of [[hip hop music|hip hop]] with [[highlife]].<ref>Oris Aigbokhaevbolo,[https://www.musicinafrica.net/magazine/hiplife-ghana "Hiplife in Ghana"], Modern Ghana, 8 June 2015.</ref> The hiplife genre was founded in Ghana in the early 1990s. Zapp together with Michael Cooke coined the name hiplife when they were contemplating on what name could be given to the genre, they ended up with the name hiplife by blending the "hip" in hiphop with the "life" in highlife. The first artiste to record a song with the highlife genre is known to be [[Reggie Rockstone]]. His album; ''Makaa maka'' was the first hiplife album to be recorded. Zapp worked on some of Reggie's earliest recordings; ''agoo'', ''Tsoo Boi'' and ''Night life in Accra''. Zapp argues that Reggie couldn't be the only one to be credited with the founding of the hiplife music genre since there were others involved in making the music which include; the beat maker, the sound engineer, producers and others.<ref>{{cite web|title=Zapp Mallet "Reggie Is Not The Originator..." |url=https://anapuafm.com/zapp-mallet-reggie-is-not-the-originator/ |publisher=Anapua fm |access-date=4 July 2019}}</ref>
Reggie on the other hand argues on the contrary that he was the sole founder of the genre. He added that Zapp didn't know much about rap music and he helped him understand the basics of rap music. Therefore, it wasn't possible for a person who knew little about a genre to claim to be a co-founder of the genre.<ref>Livefm staff,[http://livefmghana.com/2015/09/07/i-taught-zapp-mallet-how-to-play-hiphop-beats-reggie-rockstone/ "I taught Zapp Mallet how to play Hiphop beats – Reggie Rockstone"], Live fm ghana, 7 September 2015.</ref>
[[Rex Omar]] the legendary Ghanaian [[highlife]] artiste joined the conversation saying Reggie was the first to do music in the hiplife genre however he first heard the name "hiplife" from Zapp.<ref>Edward Blagogee,[http://www.blagogee.com/i-first-heard-hip-life-from-zapp-mallet-rex-omar/ "I first heard Hip-Life from Zapp Mallet- Rex Omar"], Live fm ghana, 9 December 2015.</ref>
Reggie later apologised to Zapp for his utterances on television and radio regarding the conversation of who founded the hiplife genre. Reggie explained that his utterances were as a result of heightened tensions and the involvement of emotions. He believed Zapp's argument was an attempt to discredit him for creating a brand many young Ghanaian artistes benefit from.<ref>Kasapafmonline.com,[https://www.newsghana.com.gh/reggie-rockstone-offers-apologizes-to-producer-zapp-mallet/ "Reggie Rockstone offers apologizes to producer Zapp Mallet"], ghana news, 16 September 2015.</ref>
==Awards and honours==
Zapp's works have been recognized and awarded on various platforms. In 1994 he was adjudged; best Instrumentalist by the Entertainment Critics and Arts society of Ghana. He was adjudged Recording Engineer of the Year in the 2002 [[Vodafone Ghana Music Awards|Ghana Music Awards]]. In the 2011 Ghana Music Awards he won the award for Producer of the Year.<ref>asembi.com,[https://mobile.ghanaweb.com/GhanaHomePage/entertainment/Meet-all-the-winners-of-Ghana-Music-Awards-since-it-started-in-1999-734684 "Meet all the winners of Ghana Music Awards since it started in 1999"], Ghanaweb, 1 April 2019.</ref>
==Personal life==
Zapp married his wife Martha Mallet on 14 February 1993, together they have two daughters.<ref>Kobina Nyame,[https://asempanews.com/zapp-mallet-celebrates-26-years-of-marriage-on-vals-day/ "Zapp Mallet Celebrates 26 Years Of Marriage On Vals Day"], Modern Ghana, 14 February 2019.</ref>
==See also==
*[[Hiplife]]
==References==
{{Reflist}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Mallet, Zapp}}
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:Year of birth missing (living people)]]
[[Category:Date of birth missing (living people)]]
[[Category:Ghanaian record producers]]
[[Category:Alumni of the Accra Academy]]
[[Category:Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology alumni]]