By the mid 1950's, in West Africa, a distinct genre of popular music began to emerge from the Anglophone regions centered around Ghana and Nigeria. Heavily influenced by Calypso and Son from the New World, its infectious melding of rhythms and lilting melodies soon ruled the West African musical landscape. As the climate of political independence and optimism spread into the next decade, this post-colonial era spawned the evolution of a new, urban working class. This music was created for a new generation of social dancers who were ready to enjoy the "High-Life".

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