Asamoah-Baidoo ‘bites’ Stonebwoy over ‘loose talk’

Journalist and showbiz pundit Arnold Asamoah-Baidoo has described as ‘laughable’ a declaration by Stonebwoy that it will take 40 years to find Shatta Wale, Sarkodie and himself in the Ghanaian music industry.

While performing at this year’s 4Syte Music Video Awards, Stonebwoy gave Shatta Wale and Sarkodie props and boldly remarked that “it will take another 40 years to find me, Sarkodie and Shatta in this industry. We are national assets, if you like don’t protect, if you like protect.”

But in his latest epistle titled ‘Dear Stonebwoy, it won’t take 40 years to find another you’, Mr Asamoah-Baidoo, without mincing words said, “the statement emanates from a place of ignorance, a place that also lacks appreciation and respect.”

“It would be a travesty for anybody to state that, Stonebwoy, Sarkodie and Shatta Wale are not the best of what we have now – but to be audacious enough to claim that Ghana would have to wait for another 40 years is – blasphemy!”

The vociferous critic further recounted how the music industry has seen great talents chalk several enviable successes before the era of Stonebwoy, insisting that the dancehall artiste made a reckless statement.

“Stonebwoy forgets quickly that we have virtually seen their likes before and it didn’t take us 40 years. I will be disrespectful in not mentioning the era of the Lumbas, Amakye Dedes and Kojo Antwis. I dare not forget the exploits of Ebo Taylor. Perhaps, I should stick to examples Stonebwoy would readily recount.

“Obrafour, Lord Kenya, Samini, Kwaw Kese and others, at one point in their respective careers had nationwide appeal. Lord Kenya was the ‘baddest’ ever seen; he came, he saw and he conquered. Before the resurgence of Shatta Wale, somebody was ‘King of the Streets’ and that is Kwaw Kese,” he argued.

“Samini was the honcho of endorsement deals in Ghana at one point in his illustrious career and he featured and annexed all the relevant international awards in his prime.

“Guess what? It didn’t take us 40 years to find another Samini in Stonebwoy, who took it a notch higher; we didn’t wait for 40 years to find another Obrafour in Sarkodie, who took it a notch higher and obviously, we did not have to dawdle for four decades to experience another Kwaw Kese with controversies and quirkiness – we have had a higher dosage in Shatta Wale,” Asamoah-Baidoo concluded.