Stonebwoy Says He Doesn’t Want End Up Behind Bars Like Vybz Kartel
Popular Ghanaian Dancehall artist Stonebwoy says he does not want his feud with Shatta Wale to end with either of them behind bars, like Dancehall star Vybz Kartel who has been in prison since September 2011 for murder.
The Afropop star, 33, shared the sentiments while speaking with broadcast journalist Sharon L. Carpenter on Instagram Live, where he appeared alongside Reggae artist Etana to discuss their recent collaboration Proppa.
“It’s not my prayers that one of us end up like Kartel cause we still need our freedom in the end,” he said. “I don’t know the situation with Kartel, honestly speaking, but what I do know is that he is not out in the world. He is in a confinement. That’s not what I wish for either of us and you know we have to continue to preach peace.”
In explaining the nature of his rivalry with Shatta Wale, Stonebwoy likened it to the infamous feud between Vybz Kartel and Mavado, which peaked in 2006 with Dancehall fans declaring loyalty to Gully (Mavado’s Cassava Piece community) or Gaza (Kartel’s Portmore community).
“There was a big fight, there has always been a rivalry. I think me and Shatta’s rivalry is the biggest rivalry after …. Kartel and Mavado in Jamaica,” he said.
Though tensions still exist between Kartel and Mavado’s camps, they met with the Jamaican government in 2009 to resolve the tense situation between their opposing clans, as violence between fans was increasing on the streets.
It’s very similar to the situation between Stonebwoy and Wale, who also have had to calm their fans and tone down the nature of their beef.
Things came to a head at the 2019 Vodafone Ghana Music Awards when the two got into a physical confrontation on stage after Stonebwoy was announced the winner of Reggae/Dancehall Artiste of the Year for the fifth time. The two artists were banned indefinitely from the Awards and placed before the courts.
The Tomorrow singer also voiced his displeasure at how the incident was handled by the organizers of the VGMA. “The VGMA people decide to take it to the law and get us all jailed. We went to cells a couple times.”
According to Stonebwoy, the fight was one of many that they’ve had but the first one to be on-camera. He even recalled one incident where they fought on a plane, but revealed that they are in a better place now that their beef is now more of a sibling rivalry.
“We have to continue to preach peace. Making progress in peace is even more difficult than selling the war,” he said. “That’s why everybody’s jumping on the beef wagon because that’s like interesting already.”
“When there’s no beef, no fight that’s where you can see real hard work to get to the top.”
They both apologized for their behavior at the Award show and the ban was lifted this year, though he has said he does not think he will attend.
Meanwhile, Etana briefly mentioned her upcoming track, All My Love featuring Kartel which will be the second single to be released from her new album Pamoja (Swahili for ‘together’).
She admitted that she did not get to work personally with Kartel and that the song was made “all through his people because he is where he is.”