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Stonebwoy Under Fire After Claiming Reggae “Belongs To Africans” And Not Jamaica

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Ghananian Reggae/Dancehall artist Stonebwoy is being taken to task, mainly by Nigerians, after he claimed in an interview that Reggae music “belongs to Africans” and not Jamaica, and that Afrobeats came out of Ghananian Highlife music.

In an interview with TheCable Lifestyle newspaper, Stonebwoy, who was declared the Prince of Dancehall by Dancehall icon Beenie Man last December, was asked whether he had a viewpoint on the argument posited by “many people” that Reggae is not an African thing.  

“I’m not the only one doing it, there are tons and tons of people, who are inspired by that genre of music. It doesn’t belong to any Caribbean society from its core. It belongs to Africans and we are enjoying it in diverse ways,” the Bhim Nation artiste had said.

“Reggae is rooted in the heart of Africa. It’s not a foreign style or movement… Even our Afrobeats of today also stem out from the highlife core, where the highlife core tells stories and brings people to consciousness. Whether Reggae, Dancehall, Highlife, or Afrobeats, they all come from the same source,” Stonebwoy had remarked.

The Ghananian also went on to state, erroneously, that all Jamaicans are of African descent in a bid to bolster his argument.

“Remember that Jamaicans are all Africans by virtue of the slave trade. So, it’s just the music that we’re doing back again,” he stated. 

However, he was taken to task by Nigerian blogger Corporate Junky, who said declared that Stonebwoy’s comments were not only an affront to Jamaicans, but that Ghananians had “this idea that they own everything and everything is from Ghana”.

“Reggae is not from Africa. It is not an African product.  It is a Jamaican product.  It is a Caribbean product.  You are not going to take that away from them.  OK, that is called theft… you are not going to take away their legacy from them…. It is not going to work.  Ghana is going to have to learn to build themselves up; build their product; build their own music and stop latching onto other people’s success,” he said.

Stonebwoy who is a Dancehall artiste and now he is attempting to “take Reggae” and claim Reggae for Africa.  No.  You see, I am from Africa; im not gonna let you do that.  It is not credible; that is not true.  Because by that logic, you can also say that Hip Hop comes from Africa, because African wee once Africans that were sold into slavery,” he said.

He added: “That’s the kind of thinking that makes you very unintelligent, makes you very basic.  Reggae, and Dancehall is a Jamaican product which the likes of Stonebwoy have tapped into and made a career, because Jamaicans gave you life.   Now you want to take their product and claim it for Africa?  No that’s not gonna work.”

Corporate Junky was supported by a throng of his compatriots, among them Real Ebony Queen.

“That’s the same way they claimed Afrobeat, until Ebo Taylor said in his video that Fela originated Afrobeat… Meanwhile, Ghanaians are doing the same thing to Jamaicans. Ghanaians should stop this stupid mentality that every good thing comes from Ghana and very soon Ghanaians will start claiming Jesus is from Ghana and not Israel. Some Ghanaians are HYPOCRITES and Delusional people,” she said.

“Bob Marley , Buju Banton and all artist in the world comes from ghana, delusional people,” Jonathan Ogbone added.

For Lucky chukwiuma, the interviewer ought to have stopped Stonebwoy stopped in his tracks and corrected him about his false claims.

“Notice how he tries to ganner Nigerians talking all that Reggae African f-ckery . Naaaaaaaah bruh, Nigerians never gon ride with such damaging statement. Reggae is Jamaican and organic to them. #RespectReggae,” the man noted.

Another woman VIC Lovely pointed out that such claims were not new, and African Americans had not been spared from the claims as Ghanaian highlife singer Gyedu Blay Ambolley had claimed, in an interview, that rap music was a “totally African thing” which he invented and introduced to the world.

Over on TheCable Lifestyle’s Twitter page, the rebuke of Stonebwoy and jeering of his compatriots was on in earnest.

“Ghanaians will say everything in the whole world is from Ghana if given the chance. What a nation,” Sunny Yande said.

“How many Africans are doing reggae music? Go and sit down…

Dem just dey fanfool themselves,” Makdatafriqa declared after reading the article.

“Blah, blah, blah. Jamaicans own reggae. That’s where it was created developed. Dear god,” another woman stated.

Makdatafriqa also got into a tiff with Bhimbright2 after he stated that: “Are you aware that most of them knows much about our cultural even to the extent that they have our names, now how do they get all this Africans historic things if not they brought out by an Africans PARENT.”

“Caribbean countries ain’t African countries with the fact that they have African ancestry. U are here insulting me and try to justify what Stonebwoy said. Even though it’s false. Grow up mtfkr… We have Africans in America as well, Europe as well, why don’t he go and claim their genres as well? U are just a fool trying to justify stupidity from your artiste,” she stated.