Ghanaian audio engineer Kofi Boachie-Ansah, popularly known as Beatmenace, has commended Shatta Wale for showing vulnerability in his performance on the song Street Crown.
Speaking on the second edition of Joy FM’s Music Lab, Beatmenace said the delivery was unlike the Shatta Wale many are familiar with.
“I think this might be one of my favourite songs from Shatta Wale. I want to comment him for actually sounding vulnerable. I think it means a lot, if you know who Shatta Wale is. He is larger than life. But you can see a side of his personality. You could hear how vulnerable he was on the record, and I think we must commend him on that. Because I think it does justice to the subject matter.
And there is a level of intimacy. It nearly feels he draws you into his world. He is talking about being real in the face of adversity. And you feel as if he is talking to you. You see yourself in what he is saying,” he told host Kwame Dadzie.
He stressed that it is important for artistes to deliver songs in a way that reflects their true subject matter.
Released about a month ago, Street Crown has received endorsements from fans and industry players, including Jamaican dancehall star Vybz Kartel. The song is also topping various music charts.
Joy FM’s Music Lab is a segment designed to take listeners behind the scenes of Ghana’s most talked-about songs, exploring the creative and technical processes behind them. It covers vocals, lyrics, instrumentation, arrangement and production.
Experts such as producers, musicologists and other creatives join the show to provide commentary and insights.
This week’s edition featured broadcaster Austine Woode, audio engineer Beatmenace, voice coach and artiste development manager Freeman Daniel Ame, and music producer Hubert Kofi Anti, also known as Ubeatz.
According to Joy FM, Music Lab seeks to educate and entertain music lovers, creatives, students of music, media and the arts, as well as industry professionals. It aims to demystify technical and artistic processes, celebrate creativity and skill in Ghanaian music, highlight its diversity, and provide a platform for learning and critique.
The segment airs on Showbiz A-Z on Joy 99.7 FM every Saturday from 2 pm to 6 pm. The programme is hosted by Kwame Dadzie and produced by Philip Nai, with support from Anita Teye, Oliver Fangnon and DJ Wobeti.