Dance hall artiste Stonebwoy has made a statement that is likely to spark another controversy with his arch-rival Shatta Wale.
He told Citi TV’s Nana Adwoa Sarkodie in an exclusive interview after his recently held concert at Ashaiman that Shatta Wale’s ‘Reign’ album launch which was held two weeks ago was not a sold out event as has been widely described.
According to him, even though tickets were sold, he considers the show as a ‘free’ event because most people did not pay to enter.
“I am not in competition with anybody but even if I was, you can see the difference. Because that [Shatta’s] show at the Fantasy Dome was free. People came from buses and got it for free. To me that was not a sold out event. This is also a free event but you see the numbers that we commanded. This is my hood; almost 50, 000 people,” he said.
He however added that he was not in competition with anybody and that if he did, he wouldn’t have gotten to his present height.
This comes two weeks after Shatta Wale held a launch for his ‘Reign’ album at the Fantasy Dome in Accra.
It was estimated that Shatta Wale pulled about 20, 000 people to the premises – the first time in the history of Ghana’s music industry an artiste has pulled such numbers to his album launch.
Stonebwoy who had gone to the concert with his ‘god-father’ Samini to surprise Shatta Wale with a performance was not allowed to perform.
Shatta Wale had explained that he was not aware of their intention to perform because they did not tell them earlier.
On Saturday, Stonebwoy held his concert dubbed ‘Ashaiman to Da Word’ at the Sakasaka Park in Ashaiman.
This concert was initiated five years ago by Stonebwoy to offer free entertainment to residence of Ashaiman, where he was raised.
According to him, this is a gesture to show appreciation to the support he has had from ‘home.’
The show which got the Sakasaka Park filled to the gunnels, saw performances from artistes like Edem, Strongman, Epixode, Kofi Kinaata, Kwaw Kese, Article Wan, Lilwin.
Others were Guru, Obibini of Zylofon Music, Donzy, Kelvyn Boy, Okomfour Kwadee, Sarkodie, D-Cryme and Samini.
Stonebwoy is one of the few dance hall artistes who in recent times has gained towering international recognition through collaborations, tours and awards.
His Epistles of Mama album released last year peaked to No. 13 on the Billboard World Album Chart.
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By: Kwame Dadzie/citinewsroom.com/Ghana