The
Recording
Academy
recently
published
an
article
highlighting
the
evolution
of
Ghanaian
music,
particularly
dancehall
and
hiplife.
In
the
piece,
Ghanaian
artists
like
Root
Eye,
Samini,
and
Shatta
Wale
were
acknowledged
as
key
figures
who
helped
shape
the
dancehall
scene
in
Ghana.
The
article
noted,
“While
Gyedu-Blay
Ambolley
is
often
regarded
as
one
of
Ghana’s
earliest
rappers,
particularly
for
his
1973
track
‘Simigwa-Do,’
the
term
‘hiplife’
itself
was
only
coined
in
the
late
1990s
by
genre
trailblazer
Reggie
Rockstone.”
However,
by
the
early
’90s,
American
hip-hop
had
already
made
its
way
to
Accra,
inspiring
local
talent
to
create
their
own
music.
Talking
Drum,
an
early
duo
in
the
scene,
released
the
underground
hit
“Aden”
in
1993,
which
gained
significant
attention.
The
article
emphasized,
“Hiplife,
beyond
just
being
a
genre,
is
a
movement
and
culture—a
way
for
artists
to
experiment
with
sound
boldly.
Pioneering
figures
like
Root
Eye,
Samini,
and
Shatta
Wale
(known
then
as
Bandana)
were
instrumental
in
blending
dancehall
with
highlife
in
the
early
2000s
to
resonate
with
local
audiences.”
Stonebwoy
noticed
his
absence
from
the
list.
He
took
to
X
(formerly
Twitter)
to
express
his
disappointment,
stating,
“Interesting
how
the
writer
missed
THE
NAME
@stonebwoy
RecordingAcad.
It’s
important
to
do
your
research
before
publishing
articles
that
aim
to
represent
the
true
state
of
Ghanaian
music.”
His
post
quickly
went
viral,
gathering
over
800
comments
in
just
two
hours.
While
some
fans
supported
him,
urging
for
a
correction,
others
criticized
his
reaction.
Stonebwoy’s
frustration
stems
from
feeling
overlooked
in
a
significant
report
by
Grammy
organizers,
despite
his
contributions
to
Ghanaian
music.