Ghanaian musician, Stonebwoy, has prided himself as the originator of the music genre, Afro-dancehall, a safe space that has birthed many young musicians.
The award-winning singer, who has earned the title of one of the country’s greatest exports, is fulfilled to have witnessed the growth and widespread use of Afro-Dancehall tunes.
“It is literally broken down as Afrobeat and dancehall. It is very simple in that context. I am only very confident enough to have coined this name more than a decade ago and I have been living up to it till today.
“I believe that it is a very beautiful space to be in. It will interest you to know that there are tons of African youths who are into the Afro-dancehall style and paying a lot of respect to the name, Stonebwoy for being a fierce force and pushing this to the world,” the dancehall musician elaborated in an interview on +44 Podcast with Sideman & Zeze Millz in May 2023.
Stonebwoy paid tribute to the founding founders and big names who created the dancehall genre and saw it grow.
Afro-Dancehall was birth when young Stonebwoy received a calling back in 2007. It took careful deliberation and hard work to come out with the perfect name that suits this kind of music which combines African sounds and dancehall.
“My history with Afro-dancehall is that I should be, you know what they say that an idea is not in one man’s head…it will interest you to know that I have been pushing Afro-dancehall as a coin as a term from early when I started my career before I launched properly. It was the calling I had…I sat and wonder what I was going to call it and as far as 2007 and 2008, I have been about it,” he said.
The hitmaker has been making waves following the release of his 17-track album titled ‘5th Dimension’ in April 2023.
Stonebwoy was adjudged the Best Reggae/Dancehall Artiste at the 24th edition of the Vodafone Ghana Music (VGMA).