Dancehall music originated in Jamaica and is loved by many other Africans, including Ghanaians. The most popular genre in Ghana is Afrobeat, but there are a few dancehall artists in Ghana who have been in the limelight for some time now.
In Ghana, Shatta Wale, born Charles Nii Armarh Mensah is one of the most popular musicians in the country.
The 36-year-old is always at the center of controversy. Previously known as Bandana, he has been in the industry for quite some time. Shatta Wale is worth a whopping $6.2 million.
He calls himself the African Dancehall King for obvious reasons; however, African Child who doubles as a renowned Reggae artiste and journalist, has disputed the Shatta Wale assertion.
According to African Child well-known for ‘Kumoo Song’ in the studios of Kessben TV’s “Around Town” show hosted by Quoo Fante, Shatta Wale and Stonebwoy come nowhere near him when it comes to Dancehall music.
In light of this, African Child stated that he deserves to be awarded Reggae/Dancehall Artist of the Year, provided fairness takes its course in the upcoming VGMA.
Watch the interview below:
Reggae and Dancehall
A few people tend to confuse Dancehall music with Reggae and you can somewhat be forgiven for doing so.
This is because both originate from Jamaica, reggae and dancehall artists sometimes make music together and both have some similarities in sound. With the excuses out the way, let’s look at some of the key differences in both music genres.
Reggae is related to Rastafarianism, a religion developed in Jamaica during the 1930s. The main characteristics of reggae can be summarised as percussive rhythmic guitar, close vocal harmonies, and a heavy baseline, which is considered the signature of the genre.
Reggae is considered a slow and mellow music style. It is not party-style music; instead, it is more uptempo. One can even say that it is a kind of rock music with smooth and mellow vibes. The most popular reggae artist is Bob Marley. Others include Peter Josh, Jimmy Cliff, UB40 and Burning Spear.
Dancehall music, on the other hand, is much louder and faster. It is what you play at parties to get you dancing. The lyrics of this genre are not that well thought out, and the sound leans towards electronic music. It does not rely on smoothness; rather, it is all about having fun and, at times, sensual dancing.