There are just a handful of Ghanaian
artistes I hold in high esteem. Some for their lyrical dexterity, others for
their humility, and some others for how they do what they do. One person who
falls into the 3rd category is Shatta Wale.
I hadn't heard of him (as Shatta Wale)
until I watched with amazement how people screamed his name when his
award-winning track - Dancehall King - was being played at La Pleasure Beach
the year it was released. I sought to inquire from a friend who he was and his
response was:"which part of the bush have you been hiding? He’s Bandana
now known as Shatta Waleeeeee..." That was the extent of the craze.
Media reports have it that during his
11-year hibernation, he spent 5 of those in Jamaica extensively studying the
lyrical ways of their dancehall greats, as well as beat-making. And when he was
sufficiently baked, he returned to the Ghanaian scene a completely different
musician.
Think critically...how many musicians in
Ghana (of any genre) have successfully launched a comeback? I can't mention any
name off the top of my head. But Shatta's done it so well even Francophone citizens
sing his songs like they were written in French. Just recently, state broadcaster
described him as "Africa's Dancehall King". Now how cool is that?
You may dislike him for his vulgar
utterances, but there's something to be learnt from him.
Dear reader, today I use Shatta Wale to
drive home a point I repeatedly make. It is not uncommon for us to fail when we
start something noteworthy. We are not immune to failure in any area of our
lives. But what do we do when we stumble and fall? Do we come back doing the
same thing? We will fall again if we did, rather mightily this time.
We need to re-strategize. We need to
learn from others. We need to explore other avenues. We need to ask questions.
We need not wallow is self-pity. We need to pick ourselves up. We need to dust
ourselves. We need to look up. We need to keep going. We need to pray harder.
If we do, our comeback will not only be
successful, it will inspire others who are contemplating quitting.
More Vim... Let's Go…
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