Daddy Bosco displeased with the negative remarks about dancehall music

Daddy Bosco, a board member of the Ghana Reggae Dancehall Awards, recently voiced his dissatisfaction with the negative portrayal of dancehall music, responding to comments by highlife musician Michael Adangba, who argued that the genre encourages hooliganism among Ghanaian youth.

Speaking with Graphic Showbiz monitored by Radioneghana.com, Bosco countered these claims, asserting that dancehall music, when understood properly, is deeply rooted in advocating for social justice and reflecting the experiences of marginalized communities.

Bosco emphasized the importance of seeing beyond the surface, explaining, “Those who claim Dancehall music fosters hooliganism are often not well-informed about the genre’s true nature. If we take the time to understand the genre’s ethos truly, we would recognize its cultural and social significance rather than hastily condemning it.”

Adangba had previously pointed to lyrics in dancehall that he believes promote rebellion and referenced the 2019 Ghana Music Awards incident between Stonebwoy and Shatta Wale as evidence. While Bosco acknowledged that a few individuals in the genre might exhibit unruly behavior, he urged against generalizations, noting that such behaviors are not exclusive to dancehall and occur across music genres.

Bosco, who also serves as the Head of Communication and Projects at MUSIGA, added, “When such incidents occur in other genres, we do not immediately label the entire genre in a negative light.” He pointed out that dancehall, like any music style, has diverse influences and can deliver powerful, socially conscious messages.

The genre has flourished in Ghana, with influential artists like Root Eye, Shatta Rako, Sonni Balli, Yoggi Doggi, Samini, Shatta Wale, Stonebwoy, Jupitar, Epixode, Ras Kuuku, Laruso, Iwan, and Kamelyeon helping to shape its local identity.