Stonebwoy sues Baba Sadiq

 

Afro-dancehall star Stonebwoy, real name Livingstone Etse Satekla, has taken aspiring politician and entertainment critic Baba Sadiq (Sadiq Abdulai Abu) to court over comments made on his X page (formerly Twitter).

In a High Court writ filed on May 31, 2024, Stonebwoy, the reigning Ghanaian Artist of the Year, demands that Baba Sadiq delete the offending tweets and issue an unqualified apology for his comments.

Stonebwoy is also asking the court to award him damages of GHS 3 million for the harm which the tweets have caused to his reputation on the basis that Baba Sadiq acted maliciously and with intent to defame Stonebwoy by publishing statements that he knew to be false.

The lawsuit does not surprise those familiar with the tweets. Social media observers had voiced concerns about Stonebwoy's initial choice to ignore Sadiq's troubling remarks.

Sadiq's comments insinuated that Stonebwoy is a violent abuser of women, prompting widespread unease and ultimately leading to the legal action. Stonebwoy’s decision to take the matter to court reflects the serious nature of these accusations and the impact they have on his reputation.

The comments went viral and ignited heated discussions among fans and the general public because Stonebwoy has a long-standing record of championing women’s rights and has spearheaded several philanthropic activities aimed at supporting women.

The writ confirms that the Ghanaian icon is committed to protecting his hard-won reputation, as he has resorted to the legal system to vindicate his rights.

 

KiDi and Drew beef over TGMA award

 

The recent Telecel Ghana Music Awards (TGMA) sparked a public dispute between artists KiDi and Mr. Drew over the “Collaboration of the Year” award.

KiDi, alongside Stonebwoy, won the award for their song “Liquor,” beating out Mr. Drew’s “Case,” which featured Mophty, as well as other collaborations from Oseikrom Sikani, Amerado, King Paluta, FRA, and Akwaboah.

Mr. Drew expressed his frustration in an interview with 3music, arguing that his song was the most impactful in the category.

 He pointed out that “Case” featured an unknown artist and still managed to achieve significant success, suggesting that this should have secured him the award.

“No song was bigger or more impactful than ‘Case.’ To feature an artist that nobody knew and for the song to become that big and change both artists’ lives is the impact we are looking for. Isn’t that what collaboration means? It didn’t make sense to me,” Mr. Drew stated.

Despite his disappointment, he mentioned he has no ill feelings toward KiDi for winning the award.

KiDi responded to Mr. Drew’s comments with a sarcastic reaction video posted on X, seemingly mocking Mr. Drew's remarks. This post has since generated numerous reactions on the platform, adding to the ongoing debate among fans and the public.

The 25th Telecel Ghana Music Awards, held on June 1, 2024, was a notable event, with Stonebwoy clinching six trophies, including the coveted Artiste of the Year award.

 The awards ceremony highlighted the achievements of various artists in the Ghanaian music industry, but the controversy between KiDi and Mr. Drew has particularly captured public attention.

Mahama pledges to boost creative arts sector if elected president

  

John Mahama, the National Democratic Congress (NDC) Flagbearer, vowed to enhance the creative arts sector if elected president.

Amidst a meeting with industry members on June 7, he vowed to address existing challenges and revive initiatives stalled under the current administration.

Mahama urged the government to prioritize investments in the creative sector, emphasizing his commitment to implementing solutions.

He underscored initiatives initiated during his presidency that have been hindered. If elected, Mahama aims to improve conditions for the creative arts industry, offering reassurance and advocating for increased support from the government.

 “…we are going to find those solutions together. In the past we have tried to assist. We assisted to provide cars to some of you because some of you really were using trotro and other things to go around and so to protect your dignity, we asked the Ministry of Tourism to procure some cars fand distribute to you and it was just the first phase and we were going to do it in phases.

“Unfortunately, we left office and that programme has not been continued and I also hear that some of the cars were seized from you and I think it’s unfortunate,” Mahama told members of the creative arts sector in a meeting.

He continued: “Nkrumah believed in creative arts and he put money in the creative arts and I believe that government must put money into the creative arts.”

 

Charterhouse to launch Ghana Music Hall of Fame Museum

 Charterhouse, the entity behind the Ghana Music Awards, declared the launch of a music hall of fame honoring Ghanaian musicians.

This revelation came from CEO Theresa Ayoade during her address at the 25th Telecel Ghana Music Awards.

Mrs. Ayoade revealed that the museum will be unveiled at the National Museum in the coming weeks, established to honor the contributions of Ghanaian musicians. She emphasized that this museum represents the “legacy of Charterhouse” and their ongoing commitment to the Ghanaian music industry.

Theresa Ayoade expressed profound gratitude to the partners, stakeholders, and collaborators of the Ghana Music Awards for their unwavering support over the years.

She highlighted the importance of this collective effort in making such initiatives possible and underscored the significance of the museum as a tribute to the rich musical heritage of Ghana.

The establishment of the music hall of fame aims to celebrate and preserve the achievements of Ghanaian musicians, offering a dedicated space to showcase their contributions and inspire future generations.

“To our sponsors, this journey would not have been possible without the corporate Ghana and tonight we say a heartfelt thank you from the bottom of our hearts for all your support and a big thank you to all the sponsors who have been part of our journey.

“Our biggest thanks go to you, our fans who have been our biggest champion in this journey. Music is indeed one of Ghana’s biggest passion and your love for it has spurred the growth and talkability for it way beyond the night’s activity.

“Indeed your passion spurs us on to do better each year and by so doing you have made this the biggest annual event in Ghana by far,” she said on Saturday June 1.

This initiative marks a significant milestone in the history of the Ghana Music Awards and Charterhouse's enduring dedication to promoting and honoring Ghanaian music.

 

Stonebwoy Grabs Artiste Of The Year Again

 Multiple award-winning Reggae Dancehall artist and Chief Executive of Burniton Music Group, Livingstone Etse Satekla, known widely as Stonebwoy, won the top prize at the 25th edition of the Telecel Ghana Music Awards.

This is his second time winning the Artiste of the Year award, having first claimed it in 2015. The 'Into the Future' singer competed for the prestigious award against Sarkodie, Black Sherif, Kuami Eugene, King Promise, and Nacee for the year under review.

The event took place at the Grand Arena, Accra International Conference Center on 1^st June, 2024.

Stonebwoy’s achievements over the year have been outstanding, as he also won five other awards at the 25th TGMA. Recently, the superstar released "5th Dimension," his first studio album in three years.

Stonebwoy was the most awarded artist of the night, taking home awards for International Collaboration of the Year, Songwriter of the Year, Reggae Dancehall Artist of the Year, Record of the Year, and Album/EP of the Year.

While receiving the award, Stonebwoy expressed his gratitude to the Bhim fans and announced he would embark on a tour with the award. He shared the joyous moment on stage with his friends and family, including his wife, Dr. Louisa Setakla, and said he was lost for words.

“I just want to say thanks to the Most High God. Thank you, mama, wherever you are, for showering your blessings upon your son. I wrote a long speech, but I am lost for words,” the musician said.

Stonebwoy also appreciated the other artists in the category for putting up a good fight and thanked his fans for their constant support.

Before he walked off stage, Stonebwoy appealed to the organizers, Charterhouse, to announce the results of the 2019 Ghana Music Awards.

The announcement was halted and eventually canceled after a fight broke out between himself and Shatta Wale, leading to their suspension for a year.

At the awards, the Best Hiplife Song was awarded to 'Y'ahite Remix' by King Paluta ft. Kuami Eugene. The Best Gospel Song went to 'Aseda' by Nacee.

Kofi Karikari ft. Eternity won Best Male Vocal Performance for 'You Are Great,' and 'Hold My Hands' by Queendalyn Yurglee won Best Female Vocal Performance.

The Best Highlife Song was 'Kweku Ananse' by Amerado, while Sarkodie won Best Hip Hop Song with 'Otan.' The Best Afrobeats Song went to 'Goodsin' by Olivetheboy, and King Promise won Best Afropop Song with 'Terminator.'

Kwesi Amewuga won Unsung Artiste of the Year, Kofi Kinaata's 'Efiekuma Love' won Best Reggae/Dancehall Song, Kuami Eugene was awarded Best Highlife Artiste, Strongman won Best Rap Performance with 'Dear God,' and Record of the Year went to 'Manodzi' by Stonebwoy ft. Angelique Kidjo.

The Best Music Video went to 'Cryptocurrency' by Kuami Eugene ft. Rotimi, Most Popular Song of the Year was 'Terminator' by King Promise, Best Hiplife/Hip Hop Artiste was awarded to Black Sherif, Best New Artist went to King Paluta, Best Afrobeat/Afropop Artiste was King Promise, Nacee won Best Gospel Artiste, and Davido was named Best African Artiste.

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Gospel Musician KODA Passes Away

 Famous gospel musician Kofi Owusu Dua Anto, also known as Koda has tragically passed away at age 46.

Sources close to the musician confirmed the news that the popular gospel artiste and producer succumbed to a short illness in the early hours of Sunday, April 21 “KODA has passed onto glory in the early hours of Sunday April 21, 2024.”

Further details suggest that the award- winning, talented artiste had been battling kidney disease for an extended period.

It is anticipated that the family will soon provide details regarding the cause of his illness and funeral arrangements.

Kofi Owusu Dua Anto, widely known as KODA, was a prominent Ghanaian gospel artist, songwriter, music producer, and talented instrumentalist hailing from Takoradi in Ghana's Western Region.

Renowned for his significant contributions to Ghana's contemporary gospel music scene, KODA garnered numerous awards for his impactful music and unwavering commitment to spreading the gospel message.

Beyond his own musical endeavors, he left an indelible mark by producing music for respected artists such as the late Danny Nettey, Ps. Joe Beechem, Nii Okai, Halal Afrika, Eugene Zuta, among others.

His legacy continues to shape the direction of gospel music in Ghana.

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Funny Face Gets GHC120,00 Bail

 Popular Ghanaian comedian, Benson Nana Yaw Oduro Boateng who goes by the stage name Funny Face, has been granted bail in the amount of GH¢120,000 with two sureties by the Kasoa District Court on Tuesday, April 9, 2024.

The incident occurred on Sunday, March 24, 2024, when the comedian was involved in a gory accident on the Kasoa-Nyanyano Kakraba highway at the Kakraba Junction.

He knocked down three pedestrians, causing severe injuries, and subsequently crashed into two motorcycles, injuring the riders as well.As a result of these incidents, he was remanded into police custody on Tuesday, March 26.Funny Face faced charges of drunk driving and careless driving in relation to the accident. Initially denied bail, he remained in police custody for two weeks before eventually being granted bail.

Presently, two of the victims are receiving treatment at the Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital, while two others continue to be treated at the Mother and Child Hospital in Kasoa.

Following the recent court hearing on April 9, it was reported that four of the victims have been discharged from the hospital, while one victim who was in critical condition at the time of the accident is now recuperating.

Funny Face will be released from custody upon meeting the bail conditions, pending further legal proceedings.

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