For over two decades, Shatta Wale has resided at the very top of the Ghanaian music food chain. The polarising, Gorno-born artist has been a central player in Ghana’s vibrant music scene since bursting onto the scene as Bandana with the hit single, Bandana from Africa. Since then, the now 41-year-old has seen his star rise higher than many would have anticipated. His detractors often pointed to his volatility and impulsive social media rants as personality traits that could limit his potential. But what he lacks in restraint and diplomacy, he makes up for with charisma, confidence and immense talent, and with that, the dancehall star has risen to be one of the most impactful stars of his generation.
A musical workhorse by all definitions of the phrase, Shatta Wale is consistently putting out new material. Since 2013’s Up a Road mixtape, he has released 18 bodies of work. In 2025, he flooded the market with over 40 singles, a testament to the unstoppable force that he is. His latest project, Echoes of the Ghetto, sees him return to his dancehall roots after dabbling with Afropop and Amapiano on his 2024 albums Konekt and Safa.
Across six tracks, he reflects on the struggles that defined his journey and the incredible success he has enjoyed against all odds. The project retains the combative confidence, self-made mindset and charisma that often characterises his music. The project opens with the chest-thumping Boss A Di Whole Place, where he acknowledges his domineering presence in Ghana’s music scene and unwavering influence on Ghana’s youth while indicating things are not likely to change anytime soon. “Who runs things? We run things / Them know this,” he sings, delivering his lyrics in Jamaican patois, his self-assuredness and charisma palpable in his delivery.
Shatta Wale’s story is that of a man who has battled against the odds and has transcended from his humble beginnings to the height of Ghanaian music superstardom. “From the streets to the throne,” he quotes on the EP’s cover art. He reflects on these realities on records like Rise Anyway and Born Fi Par. In the former, he explores perseverance, determination and faith through picturesque storytelling, while the latter takes a more motivational approach with lyrics like “Ghetto youth, you are a rising star / This is your year; don’t doubt who you are,” using his personal experience as a testimony. “Dem laugh when mi broke / Say mi too slow; the same ones now say mi too known,” he sings.
What’s a Shatta Wale project without romantic records? He dedicates the track four slot on the project to his VIP girl, where he passionately celebrates his love interest. He relays his admiration and appreciation for her strong character and presence with lyrics like “Beauty with brains, she is a CEO / If I drop, she picks me up; that’s what I need to know” and “Pretty girl, bad mixed race like a blender / Corporate girl, but she loves the ganja” before singing “She is my VIP young girl / She is my VIP all day / Gal knows how to make her man stay” on the hook. The upbeat Worldwide Whine doesn’t quite provoke a reaction or feeling thanks to his incoherent storytelling, a stark contrast to the vivid imagery of the other songs on the record. What the song lacks in storytelling should have been made up for with vibes and melody, but Shatta Wale’s melody on the song is flat, making for a completely uninspiring listen. It’s a forgettable song.
He saves the best for last as he closes the project with the emotionally charged Afropop record, Lonely Victory. Driven by compelling piano chords, subtle kicks and stimulating backing vocals, Shatta Wale is at his most vulnerable, recounting the days he was hungry on the streets and had very little to his name, just a young boy and his ambition. Now the story is completely different; he went from begging for rides to sitting in front of his Rolls Royce Cullinan, and the best thing about all of this is that he did it all on his own; it’s a lonely victory. He made it all on his own. It’s a profound record and one of his most musically accomplished records.
Earlier in the year, Shatta Wale said he was going to do something crazy throughout the year, with his primary focus being to expand his imprint on the global front. This EP is a step in the right direction; the EP features Shatta Wale at his most lyrically profound, while the sonic directions lean heavily into Jamaican dancehall without retaining the local elements that distinguish Ghanaian dancehall. Boss A Di Whole Place seems like a record that would perform well in the Caribbean if positioned properly, while Lonely Victory and VIP Girl both have the potential to rack up impressive numbers on streaming platforms.
Overall, Echoes of the Ghetto is a fantastic project with very high replay value. Knowing this would not be his only project this year, it’s a great project to kick off what is shaping up to be a monumental year for the superstar. He has set the bar for the rest of the year quite high, but if there’s anyone that can raise the bar even higher, it’s Shatta Wale.
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