Unnecessary beefs draw us back – J Derobie

Ghanaian Afrobeats, dancehall and reggae artiste J Derobie has said disputes between artistes should not be encouraged because it has an adverse effect on the country’s music industry.

His comments follow an attack on Kelvyn Boy at Electroland Ghana Limited’s Ashaiman branch, after which the artiste, through a series of tweets which he later deleted, insinuated that Stonebwoy, who he thought had masterminded the attack on him, lost the battle the moment he decided to fight him.

The attacker was later alleged to be Stonebwoy’s bodyguard amidst speculations that the Ghanaian Afropop, dancehall and reggae singer was behind it.

However, a statement released by Stonebwoy’s team, said: “For the avoidance of doubt, we state emphatically that we are in no way associated with the alleged scuffle. Further, none of the individuals who are alleged to have been involved in the alleged actions have been and/or are in the employ of Stonebwoy.”

Reacting to the incident in an interview on the Class Drive (CD) on Class91.3FM on Monday, 22 June 2020, J Derobie noted that such fights impede the growth of the music industry in Ghana.

He told show host Prince Benjamin: “These are the things that don’t help the industry at all. Sometimes, I don’t blame the bloggers. We shouldn’t be encouraging fights. I have an EP coming, we should encourage that.”

He added: “I think it’s an attitude, change of attitude and that is what I was saying. Like the unity; we need to love us first. No matter what, we should just love each other. We shouldn’t encourage fights because if you encourage fights and both of them fight, at the end of the day, we’ll come and sit back and we’ll laugh and at the end of the day, Ghana is losing. It’s not them, the individuals; they’re not losing. It’s just Ghana that is losing. At the end of the day, we’re fighting for Ghana.”