Sherlock Holmes never puts a foot wrong in any decision or step he takes and so does Shatta Wale. The difference however is that Shatta Wale defines reality whereas Sherlock Holmes is a fictitious character. I am tempted to believe that everything Shatta Wale has done and achieved so far in his stellar music career is as a result of a grandiose plan best known to Shatta Wale himself. I am tempted to believe that all of Shatta Wale’s actions and inactions are as a result of a well thought out scheme which has the end result in sight. That is to say that; Shatta Wale is so great a thinker to an extent that nothing occurs at his hindsight and is part of the elite few who have the innate ability to steer their way out of controversy in order to come out tops.
He burst out onto the music scene some 14 years ago with the stage name “BANDANA”. Bandana’s song “Moko Hoo” became an instant hit. Then the unthinkable happened. Bandana disappeared into thin air. No one seemed to know where he was and what he was up to. The name Bandana faded into obscurity.
In 2013, just like the Biblical analogy of how The Messiah Jesus Christ would appear to save his people, a re-branded Bandana unexpectedly emerged. This time, he was to be called SHATTA WALE. His first song “DANCE HALL KING” became an instant hit. In the song, he set out to assert his authority over the dance hall genre. That worked to perfection as the name Shatta Wale couldn’t be mentioned without addition of albeit the self-asserted accolade, Dance Hall King. This time, unlike the Bandana escapade, he didn’t dazzle to deceive. Hit songs came after hit songs after hit songs after hit songs after hit songs. Ghana has never experienced an artiste like Shatta Wale because the norm is that it takes quite some time after a hit song for an artiste to come out with another hit song. Shatta Wale dared to walk down the paths of history and he did so with a boomerang, leaving his footprints behind and currently, no music show or concert is complete unless Shatta Wale is on the bill and when Shatta Wale hits the stage, the euphoria amongst the fans speak for itself.
The enigmatic factor about Shatta Wale is the manner in which he has risen to global prominence. Fame and riches are the end product of every musician’s toil. However, Shatta Wale achieved them with a totally different and unheard of strategy. Love him or despise him, he simply knew what he wanted and he used an unorthodox way to get it. Shatta Wale has beefed his way up the ladder to the top of Ghana’s music and fast forward to 2018, he is arguably the most sought after artiste in the nation currently. On the bright side, Shatta Wale has carved a Rawlings-esque image for himself in the music industry as one who stands for the truth and says things as they appear. He doesn’t mince words and underscored the essence of self-worth and self-esteem when he refused to turn up to collect The GMA Artiste Of The Year 2014 Award after the event organisers refused to match his 70 000 cedis demand. Unheard of but efficient, this shrewd act further reignited his status as the “no nonsense” artiste and that is a personality most people love though they might not openly attest to it. Shatta Wale ought to be heralded as one who started a revolution in the Ghana music industry. All his actions have been geared towards making sure that artistes reap the full benefits of their hard work in the studios and only the eyes of few people have been illuminated to that regard.
His strategy of success is a very difficult one to implement because it requires a lot of thought and foresight. His rewards? According to Wikipedia, Shatta Wale has been nominated 67 times for various awards both locally and internationally. In January 2014, Wale joined hundreds of Ghanaians to welcome the Queen’s Baton Relay which was on tour of Commonwealth countries, ahead of the games in 2014. In May 2014, the Guardian reported Wale’s song “Wine Ya Waist” as one of the five “must listen” songs. In the same 2014, his song “You Can’t Touch Me” was widely used for the Dancers Against Racism Campaign worldwide. In 2014, he won the African Artiste Of The Year at the Nigerian Entertainment Awards amongst several other awards. In 2015, he won the Artiste Of The Year Award at the African Youth Choice Awards amongst many other awards. In 2016, he won the Musician Of The Year Award at the African Youth Awards amongst several other awards. The list goes on and on. There has also being endorsement deals with Guiness Ghana Breweries as a brand ambassador, the brand ambassador for Rush Energy Drink, Kasapreko Company Ltd as the brand ambassador for Storm Energy Drink as well as an endorsement deal with Baker Beef Roll, maybe because of his love for musical beefs.
He has also endeared himself to his loyal followers by giving back to society. In 2014, Wale donated to the inmates of the children’s block at the Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital. He donated to the victims of the flood and fire that occurred in Accra on the 3rd of June, 2015. On 8th February, Shatta donated items including 3 LED TV’s, wheelchairs, beverages and detergents to the Police Hospital. He made a cash donation to save a young girl in the same Police Hospital. Shatta along with his Shatta Movement Management Team donated educational materials to schools in an educational campaign called “Shatta Back To School Campaign”. He also donated books to support Nana Aba Anamoah’s Raising Readers Ghana Foundation. Then on January 1, 2017, Shatta Wale did the unprecedented. He did something no musician has ever done. He gifted a fan by the name Sekley Moses a brand new Toyota Camry Sedan Saloon car. He also gave out items like iPhones and laptops to his fans. Think of any musician in Ghana with the largest fan base, think Shatta Wale. To his fans Shatta isn’t only a musician but a Godfather. No wonder he receives the welcome synonymous to that of a president anywhere he goes in Ghana and beyond.
Shatta Wale is a warrior who chose to walk on red heated coals in order to achieve fame. He didn’t get burnt by the coals. He however came out unscathed and refined.
He has released all kinds of songs. From Dance Hall King to Baby to Kakai to Mahama Paper to Obordobidi to Kpuu Kpaa to Taking Over to Ayoo to Hossana to Dem Confuse to Bulletproof to Skin Pain to Kill Em With Prayers to Freedom to Mood to Pray For Me, Shatta Wale’s style of going about his music is shrouded in mystery. He is unpredictable and for the kind of person he has evolved to become, the best is yet to come. CHAAAAAMPIOOON!!!!
Baiden Gideon/Eonlineghana.com.