Ghanaian music act DJ Azonto guesting on CTV’s Class Showbiz, Tuesday, December 6, 2022, has revealed two ways in which Shatta Wale is an inspiration.
He had been asked about what led to the transition from disk jockeying to being a recording artiste.
“I’m even surprised God gave me the voice to do music, because I don’t really have a good voice for singing,” he confessed.
“But [observing] Shatta Wale and a host of others, I’ve noticed music is not necessarily about a [good singing] voice,”
Clarifying that he seeks not to disrespect the Shatta Movement (SM) leader, he saluted: “He’s my senior man.”
Following Sammy Flex’s lead, he mimicked Ghanaian star King Ayisoba performing, to underscore his point of one not needing a conventionally good voice to be a successful music act.
“The truth is difficult to say,” he calmed down after laughing.
“People like Shatta Wale inspired me to know that you can also make it. You know Shatta Wale is full of inspiration. I always say if following Shatta Wale, the only disadvantage is you may become [puffed up and] disrespectful, in the sense that he gives you so much motivation it becomes clear that it’s simply God at work and no one else,” he returned to the place of the Reggae/Dancehall superstar in his professional life.
“It’s true. You know why?” the ‘Fa No Fom’ hitmaker endeavoured to explain what he meant by following Shatta Wale may lead one to become arrogant and disrespectful.
“I’ve stopped befriending some bloggers and some presenters because they frustrate and make the work too difficult at times,” he said. “Excuse me to say, they always want you to give them money.”
“It’s as if you are indebted to them forever and ever,” he rubbed his beard. “Sammy, can we do this work successfully with this attitude?”
He admitted that media personalities “are promoting us, and every worker deserves to earn their fair due. If I go for an engagement and see the producer of show and give them money, it’s fine, and in this world, if you want to be given you give, but don’t make giving [a matter of force and extortion] and threaten to stop playing our music if we don’t comply.”
At this point, he asked rhetorically if media personalities and radio DJs are paid for playing foreign songs “like ‘Buga’.”
“The media should simply support [local musicians],” he stressed.
“This is why I say if you follow Shatta Wale too much, he’ll inspire you to the extend that you’d not respect some people because [you’d notice even when they sideline or blacklist you], by God’s working, you still succeed,” DJ Azonto asserted.
He also revealed his first song ‘Choices’ though a flop, “because no one knew me then,” was better than Sarkodie and Criss Waddle’s.
