Veteran Ghanaian highlife musician Gyedu-Blay Ambolley recently weighed in on the ongoing feud between two of Ghana’s biggest contemporary acts, Shatta Wale and Stonebwoy. In an interview on Asaase Radio, Ambolley was asked about how beefs and rivalries played out during his era of highlife music compared to today’s generation of artists.
The highlife legend acknowledged that while beefs existed back in his day, the nature of them was different from what is seen today, particularly referring to the very public war of words between Shatta Wale’s “Shatta Movement” camp and Stonebwoy’s fans.
Ambolley took specific issue with Shatta Wale’s jabs directed at Stonebwoy over an incident where the latter was allegedly shot in the leg a few years ago. “When I read or see what Shatta Wale is doing by trying to talk about the leg of Stonebwoy, I think he needs to grow up,” the 74-year-old bluntly stated.
The comments from the respected highlife veteran seem to add an elder statesman’s voice calling for more maturity and less pettiness in the feud between two of Ghana’s biggest contemporary dancehall/reggae stars. Beefs between artists are nothing new in the music scene, but many view the personal attacks as going too far.
Only time will tell if Ambolley’s words resonate and lead to a de-escalation of tensions between the two camps. But the highlife legend’s perspective serves as a reminder that at their core, musical rivalries should be more about positive competition through artistry rather than insults and disrespect.
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