Asabia Cropper Recalls Chance Meeting with Miriam Makeba in Côte d’Ivoire
By Esther Korantemaa Offei
Ghana’s “Queen of Highlife,” Asabia Cropper, has recalled a rare and unforgettable encounter with legendary African musician Miriam Makeba during a tour in Côte d’Ivoire.
Speaking on ZED FM’s Highlife Jam, Cropper narrated how she and her band unexpectedly caught Makeba’s attention while rehearsing at a hotel ahead of a performance.
“I was tuning my horn and my brother was helping me. I was in my kinky, and she was standing close by where we were practising.She looked at us and said, ‘Oh wow, that’s it.’ She didn’t know us, but she immediately felt the music,” Cropper said.
According to Cropper, the moment led to an impromptu musical connection, culminating in a joint performance for a discreet organisation. She described the experience as both humbling and inspiring.
After Makeba’s performance of Malaika, Cropper said she approached the iconic singer with admiration. “I walked towards her and thought, ‘Oh my goodness, I love her so much.’ She was smiling warmly. It was unforgettable,” she added.
Cropper also revealed that she was primarily a saxophonist at the time but later chose not to be boxed into that identity. “I didn’t want to be known only as a saxophonist. I wanted to be known simply as a highlife musician,” she explained.
Reflecting on her own career and the title “Queen of Highlife,” Cropper noted that she never actively sought such recognition. “I’m not a title person. I just wanted to play my music. Being called a queen was never a big deal to me,” she said.
Her story offered listeners a glimpse into a historic meeting of two powerful African musical voices.
