Multiple award-winning Ghanaian reggae-dancehall act, Charles Nii Armah Mensah known in the showbiz space as Shatta Wale has criticized the Ghanaian youth for having a lazy mindset and always blaming politicians instead of taking advantage of the opportunities available to them.
According to him, the youth always blame politicians for their problems, but they are unwilling to work hard or venture into sectors like construction where there is a lot of money.
“Sometimes, when we blame the politicians, I laugh. Politicians are doing everything they can to work as politicians. It’s just that when you’re lazy in your mind and you don’t know how to take advantage of opportunities yourself, you will always be talking about politicians,” he said.
“Politicians are like cartels with how they run things. It’s not that they’re disrespecting the people; they promise, and you vote for them. But when they go to the white man and take money from them, the white man thinks that they will use it to provide jobs for the youth. They don’t know that the politician will take that money and give it to cheap labor, those from the rural areas,” he further added.
Shatta Wale also expressed that the youth have a wrong mindset, desiring to wear suits and drive expensive cars instead of investing in their skills and businesses.
“They know that those who went to tertiary institutions will not apply. Our politicians have realized that the youth want flashy things and to wear suits. They don’t want to go into construction. But there’s a lot of money in construction,” he said.
The self-styled Dancehall King advised the youth to be more proactive and creative and to stop complaining about the government.
He emphasized that the youth should learn from him, as he has made a name for himself in the music industry through hard work and dedication.
Shatta Wale also urged his loyal fanbase to remain disciplined and positive, adding that they should always fight for what is rightly theirs at all times.
Criticizing Stonebwoy’s Mentality Regarding Collaborations
Shatta Wale criticized Stonebwoy’s mentality regarding collaborations, comparing him to several other Ghanaian artists who lack the know-how to open up to businesses.
According to Shatta Wale, several business tycoons, including Kofi Abban and Gabby Otchere Darko, have expressed interest in contracting a collaborative relationship between him and Stonebwoy.
He gave an example where he had to convince Stonewboy to buy into Gabby Otchere Darko’s plan of hosting an engagement between the two rivals as a launch of his new media business, Asaase Radio.
Shatta Wale also stated that his decision to purchase a house in East Legon prompted the Zylofon record label to finance Stonebwoy’s mansion in the prime area during their time as label mates.
Shatta Wale cited that he is living the life of a businessman and not living a celebrity life like his other colleagues.
Also, the singer declared that whether he stops doing music or not, he will still make money.
The 39-year-old singer has established himself as one of Ghana’s leading dancehall acts over the past decades.
Starting his career in the early 2000s as Bandana, he made a comeback after a long break with his unique fusion of dancehall, azonto, and hiplife genres as Shatta Wale, stating that the name Shatta Wale is a promotion name for him.
Hits like “My Level”, “Melissa”, and “Gringo” earned him widespread popularity across Ghana and throughout Africa.
Shatta Wale has since expanded his brand into other businesses including transport, entertainment promotion, and product endorsements.
