Afro Dancehall Artiste, Livingstone EtseSatekla, professionally known as Stonebwoy, says those who say Artistes are far from the realities of the economy is untruth.
According to the 5th Dimension Album composer, the fluctuation of the economy affects Artistes just as much as it does the ordinary Ghanaian, thus the assertion should be dispelled.
“It’s not true. To me I say it’s false because we are all existing within an economic system. And we form part of the sector that comes together to make an economy a beautiful one, a thriving one. So we cannot be seen as people who are disengaged or disassociated with the economy. It’s a lie.”
“I don’t know how people have managed to get to an understanding like that to feel like Stonebwoy and the likes ‘when the price of fuel goes up they don’t have a problem, they can buy and things’ I think it’s a big lie. We all belong to the economy.
“For instance, if I’m making 10 cedis today and the economy is thriving and booming, and there are structures in place etc. that should tell you that I will be making a 100 cedis in a day. So it will affect everybody equally,” he said on Joy News.
Stonebwoy who also runs a foundation to support youth empowerment in Ashaiman noted that he has had to cater for more people as a result of the harsh economic conditions.
He noted that the increasing number is also partly fueled by the perception that artistes are not affected by the economic hardship because of the glitz that characterise their lifestyle.
He said, “I don’t see it decreasing any time soon because the perceptions are building up from the roots that musicians or creative arts or once they see you on TV you have arrived, you know, so that will never end until probably they don’t see me on TV anymore.”
He added; “But so long as they continue to see you on TV and of course you have a foundation that you’re operating so everybody will think that ‘o, on top of that you still have a foundation.
So that means you have the finances that you’re dashing because they see in the news Stonebwoy celebrates Mothers’ Day with some selected mothers and widows…people will see it from the fact that I have so much to give but will not see it from the fact that I have the heart to give and I may not have so much.”
