Shatta Wale contract in danger

Guinness Ghana Breweries Limited (GGBL) has started top level meetings over a possible review of a recent contract the company signed with Ghana’s reigning Artiste of the Year, Shatta Wale, to make him an ambassador of the ‘Guinness #MadeOfBlack’ campaign, NEWS-ONE has gathered.

Though the company has not issued an official confirmation, a source at the management level told NEWS-ONE there has been concerns as to whether the artiste’s recent public conduct and utterances reflect what Guinness stands for.

“Even before he was signed, there was a split opinion; but within the last week, the complaints and feedback have been disturbing and all options are now on table on how to protect the brand’s reputation and image,” the top management source noted.

Guinness Ghana recently announced the company had signed BBnZ’s EL, Reggie Rockstone, Fuse ODG and Shatta Wale as ambassadors for the #MadeOfBlack campaign.

“The four ambassadors will lead the conversation with their own #madeofblack selfie videos in which they will ask Ghanaians what they are made of. Consumers can get involved by uploading their own selfie videos. If your video is selected, you could see it shown on MTV Base during the Guinness Hour Black in October,” Judith Osei Ampofo, Ag Marketing Director for GGBL, explained at the unveiling ceremony.

On whether there has been any official petition presented against Shatta Wale, the source said there was none but added that there had been rising verbal complaints from various people. The source further stated that the current self-made videos the artiste is publishing on his social media sites have become a major issue of concern.

“We selected him because we wanted to ride on the fact that he was underground for ten years but remained resolute and determined to make it to the top and eventually his dreams came to pass. We felt that attitude of determination, strong will power and positivity reflects our brand.

But the feedback is not exactly what we expected; and the complaints keep rising.

The concerns have been whether our brand represents and endorses his public outbursts, insulting nature, usage of vulgar words on media platforms and taking videos of himself insulting and running down other companies, some of which are our stakeholders, clients and customers,” the source added.

Shatta has been in the news for the wrong reasons in recent times, the latest being his selfie videos in which he made rather defamatory statements against several persons.

The artiste incurred the wrath of many journalists when he recently took to his official facebook page to write: “IN FACT GHANA MEDIA IS THE MOST FOOLISH MEDIA I HAVE EVER SEEN IN MY LIFE…ANY MEDIA THAT PUBLISH ANY FAKE NEWS ABOUT ME SHATTA WALE IS A PUSSY…!!! I HAVE SAID IT…PUSSY.” Surprisingly, the first person to like the statement on Shatta Wale’s wall was Bull Dog, his manager.

The artiste shot to fame about two years ago when he vandalised property at the International Conference Centre after it became evident that he had lost the Dancehall Artiste of the Year to his fellow musician, Kaakie.

He followed that up by insulting Kaakie and making a couple of nasty comments about her genitals. He went as far as releasing a song in which he insulted Chater House, organisers of the award.