Shatta Wale
Ghana’s biggest music chart platform, Chart Ghana, has unveiled Dancehall artiste Shatta Wale’s top five viewing countries, which view his music on YouTube streaming app for the last 28 days.
The countries include Ghana — 2.7m, USA — 569k, Nigeria — 326k, UK — 302k and Togo — 289k.
Shatta Wale (born Charles Nii Armah Mensah Jr), has revolutionised the Ghanaian music industry, particularly in the reggae-dancehall genre. Formerly known as “Bandana” in the early 2000s, he successfully rebranded in 2013, launching his career into a new era with the hit single “Dancehall King”.
While artistes like Samini established foundational dancehall in Ghana, Shatta Wale revitalised and accelerated the genre’s popularity, blending it with Highlife and Afrobeat to create a unique sound that resonates with the streets.
He is credited with changing the “charge rate” for artistes in Ghana. By demanding fair compensation, he moved the industry away from a culture where artistes pleaded to perform to one where they are paid high fees.
His biggest international achievement was being featured on Beyoncé’s “Already” for her The Lion King: The Gift album, making him the first Ghanaian artiste to work with such a high-profile global artiste.
He has collaborated with artistes like Vybz Kartel, Skillibeng, Davido, and Burna Boy. He is known for selling out the Indigo at the O2 in London and performing at Vybz Kartel’s Freedom Street concert in Jamaica.
BY Prince Fiifi Yorke