Rex Omar praises Shatta Wale as a fighter who speaks for angry young Ghanaians

Pinned summary · as of 15:53

Veteran musician Rex Omar has explained why he holds dancehall artiste Shatta Wale in high regard, calling him a fighter. He spoke during an appearance on the Group Chat Podcast, which Nana Aba Anamoah hosts.

What we know

• Rex Omar, a veteran Ghanaian musician, spoke about Shatta Wale on the Group Chat Podcast, presented by Nana Aba Anamoah.
• Mr Omar said Shatta Wale's habit of confronting people and answering back when offended shaped his public image and helped win him a devoted following.
• In Mr Omar's view, Shatta Wale would not have risen so far had he been a reserved artiste who let his songs do all the talking.
• Mr Omar argued that Shatta Wale got where he is by taking on society, and that younger fans who want to assert themselves see their own attitude in it.

What's disputed / unconfirmed

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  Mr Omar also drew on his own upbringing, saying young people were expected to defer to elders even when they were right, and that the resulting pent-up frustration made Shatta Wale a spokesman for many fans; only Pulse Ghana and Nkonkonsa carried this account.
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  According to Pulse Ghana, Mr Omar said Shatta Wale deliberately built a reputation as a man who takes no nonsense, and that he is good company in quiet moments; Nkonkonsa attributed similar remarks to him, but ZionFelix did not report them.

Why it matters for Ghana

Shatta Wale is one of the best-known names in Ghanaian dancehall, so how a senior musician reads his appeal feeds a wider conversation about how artistes speak in public and why some fans respond so strongly to outspoken stars. The remarks also touch on how young Ghanaians view being heard, a theme that runs through debates on radio, online and in the music scene in Accra and beyond.