Emmanuel Zapp Mallet, also known as “Zapp” or “Papa” is a Ghanaian recording engineer and music producer. Born in Accra, Ghana, he had his secondary education at Accra Academy from 1975 to 1982 and continued to the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology where he read for a degree in Publishing Skills.
EARLY LIFE AND CAREER
Mallet started playing drums for the school band while in secondary school and moved on to play guitar and bass for numerous Christian bands in Accra and in Kumasi while at university. Over the years he established himself as one of Ghana’s best-known guitarist.
Mallet started recording at the ARC Studios in Tema before moving to the C.H.M Studio in Accra. Later, he recorded at Kampsite and then at T.L.C. Studio. Currently, Zapp is the head executive of Title Track Productions, his own company and studio.
ACHIEVEMENTS
Over the years Zapp has been recognized and awarded on several platforms. He is the only engineer to have won the Ghana Music Award three consecutive years; 1999, 2000, 2001, as well as winning Producer of the Year in 2011. In 1994 the Entertainment Critics and Arts Society of Ghana adjudged him the best Instrumentalist.
Zapp is recognized as one of the pioneers of the Hiplife genre which started in 1994. Zapp, served on the 2008 Opening and Closing Ceremony Sub-Committee of the Confederation of African Football tournament hosted by Ghana. He was the Music Director and Guitarist of the Burger-highlife Concert tour. He is a Resident Judge one of Ghana’s music reality shows- Stars of the Future. He has also been a Guest Judge on Mentor, the most watched music reality show in Ghana. He represented Ghana as a Judge at the final of the Nescafé African Revelation contest staged in Accra. Zapp is a member of the planning and selection committee of the Ghana Music Awards. He is an Editorial Board Member of Pinnacle Magazine. He has been a facilitator on the British Council organized Art showcase and interruptive platform WAPI.
COLLABORATIONS
Mallet has worked with various high profiled Ghanaian and international artists such as:
- Kojo Antwi
- Reggie Rockstone
- Lord Kenya
- Ofori Amponsah
- Daasebre Gyamenah
- Obour
- Suzzy & Matt
- Becca
- Irene Logan
- Nana Quame
- Nana & Dan
- Helena Rhabbles Praye
- Akyeame
- Nana Fynn
- Wutah
CRITICAL RECEPTION
Zapp Mallet has been well- known through his critics passed on the current state of the music industry in Ghana.
In the early 2015’s Zapp Mallet In an interview with Flex news paper, Zapp made it known that he was the one who introduced the name hiplife and not Reggie Rockstone though he was the first to release a hip-life album Maka Maka. This became a debate in the Ghana music industry generating a few support from veteran artistes.