Video: Sarkodie Has An Advice For Shatta Wale
When the frog ingest too much water, it dies. So goes a very popular Akan proverb. The inference is that, when someone seems to have had enough of a situation, the person react; sometimes with very grievous outcomes.
Ghana’s foremost rap act, Sarkodie seem to have had enough of the antics of fellow artist, and friend, Shatta Wale. The self-acclaimed ‘dancehall king’ has been casting insinuations and sometimes, outrageous commentary about Sarkodie during radio interviews ahead of the release of his third studio album, ‘’The Reign’’, this month.
Shatta Wale has been throwing jabs at Sarkodie and others for not being smart or business conscious, resulting in them walloping in poverty. Known for his love for banters, Shatta Wale name calling and beefs with the likes of Samini, Yaa Pono and Kwaw Kese is well documented. The three have responded equally through songs radio interviews and on social media. Sarkodie is the only one who had remained silent during Shatta Wale’s recent tirades.
But, the silence lasted just for some few weeks. Sarkodie has clapped back in a freestyle video aptly titled ‘’My Advice’’. Rapping over Joey B’s ‘’Stables’’ instrumentals (produced by Altar Nova), the 3 minutes and six seconds, black-and-white video has Sarkodie addressing some of Shatta Wale’s assertions; throwing back some diss remarks; and offering a piece of advice on how to brand his image.
Dressed in a white shirt, with a glass of wine in hand, Sarkodie raps with the tone of a parent offering advice to an unruly child. There’s no inkling of anger in his voice, like those he exhibited when he went rogue on fellow rapper, M.anifest during their godMC-Kanta rap exchanges.
‘Me on this beat, e go cost you some damages’, Sark opens up his verse. He proceeds to talk about how his daughter would never go broke if he should pass on at this moment: ‘’If I die, Titi alone would inherit/spend my publishing (money)’. He describes Shatta Wale’s frequently cited properties as evidence of his wealth as ‘chicken change properties’ before adding ‘if being poor be like me/ then father, abeg you, bless me with poverty”.
From questioning his bank account balance to the quality of chains Shatta Wale wears (which Sarkodie describes as ‘aluminium’ or fake), coupled with the fake hype he rides on, Sarkodie intones how he doesn’t need all that to be great since; ‘I stay mute 1 year sef/ still full support’- an humble brag about how formidable his legacy and support is. He offers a very thoughtful advice: ‘Confidence is when you able to compliment people without you feeling insecure’.
Sarkodie establishes why he is addressing Shatta Wale towards the end of the freestyle: ‘I gave you a long rope/ so just enjoy it/ I was waiting for you to snap out of it’. In his estimation, one has to use his fame to push the industry forward by helping rather than bickering with colleagues. And, also, nobody would dare feature Mugeez (of R2Bees) on a record if social media trends was synonymous with fame. The lack of a bona fide successor, according to Sark, is the reason he can’t retire now.
Sarkodie’s approach to spend 3 minutes on a freestyle to address this seeming tiff between him and Shatta Wale further confirms how much of an OG he is. This new act is something out of the book of the legendary Jay Z; a rapper Sarkodie considers a mentor.
The lyrics of “My Advice” are nothing short of biting. And the demeanour of Sarkodie reflect that of a guy who’s not only confident in his skin but, sending out a warning to Shatta to keep his name out of his mouth.
