The endgame may be money, or relevance, or fame, or usually all three.
Shatta Wale and Stonebwoy. Two of Ghana’s biggest dancehall acts, have been at each other’s throats for a while, battling over who has the hottest stage performance or the most sensible songs.
Sometimes, fans have gone out of the way to even question who has the more beautiful wife.
Whether or not these are all well thought out schemes to keep fans interested, they do not seem very bothered, just so long as it takes their minds off the alternative reality of a dry economy.
The duo’s fan base appear to have spread to the British High Commission to Ghana, whose boss Iain Walker said in an interview with Joy News that “their little arguments does make me laugh. It’s entertaining.”
He is certain that, whichever way they go about their relevance seeking quest, “the fact that we are talking about Stonebwoy and Shatta Wale. That’s job done.”
Artistes have employed cunning strategies to remain relevant in the entertainment industry. And while fans’ emotions sway with the heat, more pay checks are issued to the artistes. This is an old trick from the book, but it gets us every time.
Of Ghana’s culture, he thinks that “the culture is so rich, the talent of the people are so rich,” merely confirming what has been said over and over again of the country’s beautiful and colourful culture.
He advised that the trades and arts industry be used to invite investors into the country to boost the entertainment industry.
