• Sadiq expresses concern over some remarks Shatta Wale made recently
• He refuses to accept that a claim that musicians cannot know the amount they make on songs
• Such claims, he insists, affect the progress of the industry
Sadiq Abdulai Abu, the founder and CEO of 3 Media Networks tackled Shatta Wale’s claim that musicians cannot tell how much they make on a song or video.
The musician had explained on Hitz FM’s Daybreak Hitz that one of the reasons he is not enthused about collaborations with local acts is that it is not financially rewarding.
Citing his collaboration with Sarkodie as an example, Shatta Wale said: “If people want us to do collaborations like this, I’d say the structures are not right for us to know how much we’d make if Sarkodie and I do a collaboration. If you call Sarkodie and ask how much we made for ‘Megye Wo Girl’, I swear, he can’t tell you. He can’t give you a figure.”
His remark was an elaboration on why his ‘Gift of God’ album had been delayed. According to him, efforts to get some notable international artistes on the album has not been successful but that will not compel him to “impress Ghanaians” by collaborating with equally great countrymen.
He said: “I’m about the business. Shatta Wale featuring Samini could have been the biggest song in Ghana but I did a song with Samini at a point where he realized we should do a song. The business around this thing is not to create an impression but it’s about making money and feeding fans.”
Responding to Shatta Wale’s comment in a series of tweets, Sadiq shot down the assertions of the dancehall musician.
Considering that artistes receive money from various digital music platforms based on metrics known to the musicians and the general public, Sadiq, without equivocation, described Shatta Wale’s point as hollow.
“Wale is always making hollow arguments and running in circles. Who says that today, one can’t know exactly how much one makes on a song or video? How such narratives are allowed to fester is shocking”, Sadiq stated.
“Industries can’t be built without thought leadership. Wrongful narratives from people who have next to nothing idea on how industries are enabled shouldn’t be allowed to fester. It’s the reason we keep talking about the same issues year in year out without much progress”, he continued.
Sadiq posited further posited that for the industry to progress, conversations must be elevated.
He said: “The business of media, entertainment & the creative industry is a serious one & can’t be limited to cheap, populist & simplistic takes. Wrongful narratives create perception. Deeply held perceptions become reality & soon we will be back to a downward spiral drive one more time. Majors are looking in. The shifts has started. This isn’t the time to allow the small and simplistic talks to erode the gains. Forward we must and that can’t happen on this small mind talks.”
