Ghanaian dancehall musician, Stonebwoy, is one of the best Dancehall musicians in Africa making waves and positively influencing the global music market.
We can all testify that Stonebwoy has built a solid brand around the niche over the past years and sold Ghana to the world through his talent and crafts.
There have been some controversies online regarding Stonebowy and how Grammy failed to recognize him as one of the greatest musicians in the history of Ghanaian dancehall music.
This all started after an article by the Recording Academy highlighted how Ghanaian music has evolved, particularly dancehall and hiplife. In the same article, Ghanaian names like Root Eye, Samini, and Shatta Wale were mentioned and acknowledged as key figures who helped shape the dancehall scene in Ghana.
The article noted, “While Gyedu-Blay Ambolley is often regarded as one of Ghana’s earliest rappers, particularly for his 1973 track ‘Simigwa-Do,’ the term ‘hiplife’ itself was only coined in the late 1990s by genre trailblazer Reggie Rockstone.”
Nonetheless, American hip-hop had already reached Accra by the early 1990s, encouraging gifted locals to produce their own music.
Early on in the scene, Talking Drum produced the underground hit song “Aden” in 1993, and it became quite popular. According to the article, hiplife is more than simply a genre; it’s a movement and a way for creatives to take risks with their sound.
Pioneers in the early 2000s, such as Root Eye, Samini, and Shatta Wale (then known as Bandana), were crucial in fusing dancehall and highlife to appeal to regional audiences.
Stonebwoy noticed his absence from the list. He took to X (formerly Twitter) to express his disappointment, stating, “Interesting how the writer missed THE NAME @stonebwoy RecordingAcad. It’s important to do your research before publishing articles that aim to represent the true state of Ghanaian music.” His post quickly went viral, gathering over 800 comments in just two hours.
While some fans supported him, urging for a correction, others criticized his reaction. Stonebwoy’s frustration stems from feeling overlooked in a significant report by Grammy organizers, despite his contributions to Ghanaian music.
