Shatta Wale voices concerns over Ghana music decline amidst rising Nigerian dominance

Ghanaian dancehall artist, Charles Nii Armah Mensah Jr., widely known as Shatta Wale, has expressed concern over the perceived decline in his country's music industry.

The self-proclaimed 'King of African dancehall' lamented the apparent contrast between the progress of Nigerian music and the dwindling state of the Ghanaian music scene.

Shatta Wale, using his X platform since Sunday, December 17, noted that Nigerian music is on an upward trajectory, implying that Ghanaian musicians are struggling to keep pace with their counterparts across the border. In a candid reflection, he acknowledged a substantial gap between the growth of the two music industries, emphasizing the need for a reinvigorated approach within Ghana to reclaim its competitive edge.

In his tweet, he wrote, "I just woke up to tell you, you can’t fight foreign music. Their 10% music will over-shadow the whole Ghana Country with so much jealousy when it’s not them on the frontline. You see how poverty deh worry your artiste with nonesense suggestion .. It’s poverty my guy."

This commentary comes on the heels of a significant development within the Ghanaian music landscape. On December 14, 2023, a coalition of Ghanaian musicians and industry executives, featuring notable figures such as Samini and Smallgod, converged to appeal to the Ghanaian government.

Their collective plea aimed to secure a commitment to prioritize the promotion of domestic music on national airwaves. This appeal was formally presented during the latest press briefing organized by the Ministry of Information.

The resultant dialogue within the industry has been robust, with various creators voicing their opinions on the matter. However, Shatta Wale, formerly an advocate for prioritizing Ghanaian music, has taken a divergent stance on the recent appeal.

In a tweet, he expressed skepticism about the feasibility of the new campaign, characterizing the plea made during the press briefing as nonsensical. Implicit in his remarks is an insinuation that the appeal may be influenced by what he perceives as a poverty mindset among fellow artists.

The controversial artist's comments have sparked speculation within the industry, with many interpreting his stance as a direct critique of those who facilitated the appeal, including Samini, Black Sherif, and other industry figures. Shatta Wale's unexpected reversal has drawn attention and commentary from scores of netizens, who were surprised by the derogatory nature of his remarks.

As the discourse surrounding the state of the Ghanaian music industry continues, stakeholders eagerly await further developments and responses from key figures, seeking a unified and strategic approach to address the challenges faced by the local music scene.