Stonebwoy 29, (born Livingstone Etsey Satekla) is widely regarded a successor to such African reggae pioneers as Lucky Dube, Alpha Blondy, and Rocky Dawuni. ********
Why my phone wouldn’t just stop buzzing, I wondered, more asleep than awake. It was around 5 am that fateful Sunday, and being exhausted from the night before, I had no desire to look at my damn phone. But the vibration persisted, and finally, I stretched a lazy hand toward my nightstand for my Infinix, on which a dozen missed calls and messages from a single contact awaited me. It was Moses (affectionately known as Ras), CEO of The African Perspective (TAP) Magazine. He had just learned of (and instantly become hooked to) Ghanaian Reggae talisman Stonebwoy, after seeing him some thousand miles away at a Toronto gig.
“How good is this guy, chale?” he inquired eagerly when I finally returned his call. “Is he a legend in Ghana?” As I contemplated which question to answer first, he exclaimed: “this guy is bad!”, and instantly, I knew what words would follow –the real reason my phone had been quivering at this hour –“we have to have him on TAP!” –
“Ok Ras”, I sighed.
Six months later, on another Sunday, here I am, at the Bermuda Gardens, Accra. It’s 22:50 GMT, and Stonebwoy’s TAP conversation is finally about to happen…
A new-age jewel …
from the ghettos of Ashaiman
STONEBWOY JUMPS FROM THE COUNTER ON WHICH HE HAS BEEN SITTING – his feet stomping gallantly on the concrete floor below. The hoodie of his red sweater comes off in the process, exposing sparkling earrings on his ears, and short braids that bounce excitedly on his scalp. He begins flailing his hands, swiping at the air before him. Behind him, a DJ blasts “Pepper Dem”, a vibrant dancehall number off his recent album “Epistles of Mama”.
Mighty tungsten lights surround him, as do members of the crew for this video shoot, and a small crowd that has collected at that side of the bar to behold him. Thoroughly engrossed in his performance, the singer’s gaze remains fixed on the RED camera shooting him, chanting along to the lyrics of the song. The music stops suddenly, and a young lady –a make-up artist –rushes to dab his face which now houses beads of sweat, with a white tissue, and then, with a powder brush. Stonebwoy’s face is tidy once more.
He hops onto the counter again. “From the top!” yells the director, and the music resumes. He jumps down, pretty much the same way he did a short while ago, throwing gun signs, and roaring along to the sound of his own voice.
A new-age jewel from the ghettos of Ashaiman (a suburb of Accra), Stonebwoy 29, (born Livingstone Etsey Satekla) is widely regarded a successor to such African reggae pioneers as Lucky Dube, Alpha Blondy, and Rocky Dawuni. It is not for nothing. Since beginning his career a decade ago (and over 4 well-received studio projects so far), he has steadily endeared himself in the hearts of music lovers far and near.
A repository of rich melody and a charismatic stagecraft, Stonebwoy is now a major African ambassador for the genre on the global front, appearing on Grammy-nominated projects, as well as partnering some of the most influential names in the genre: Morgan Heritage, Sizzla, Sean Paul, Chronixx, Demarco, Kranium, I Octane, Pressure, and a host of others.
January 31, 2018, 12:04 am
Brilliant piece
February 2, 2018, 7:02 pm
Beautifully written, and glad to learn about this legend!