Inspired early on by the music of Ghana, Stonebwoy decided to create his own sound. He was able to combine afro beats, highlife, dancehall, and reggae in order to create what he loved and what he felt was true to himself

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The Roots

Livingstone Etse Satekla was born in Ashaiman, Ghana with six other siblings. Stonebwoy recalls being introduced to music from an early age. Originally influenced by Highlife music, because it was common in his home, he quickly turned to Reggae/Dancehall to express himself. As a young boy, he dabbled in different art programs, such as acting, writing, and rhyming. Now, he qualifies himself as a singer, musician, poet, and much more. In his early teens, Stonebwoy began participating in underground rap battles. As part of Adom FM’s Kasahari Level, a popular rap competition, Stonebwoy was able to make a name for himself and announce his presence in the music world.

In 2012, Stonebwoy released his first album Grade 1 with dancehall, reggae, and afrobeats on full display. Stonebwoy had been part of S24 Studios back in 2008, until he joined HighGrade and was there until 2012. Stonebwoy decided to take what he had learned from the industry and embarked on another adventure. This led to the label Burniton Music Group (BMG). It earned the catchphrase, “BHIM,” or “Bless His Imperial Majesty,” which was just as well received as the commencement of his record company. His sophomore album, Necessary Evil, was released in 2014 on his own BMG label. He gained several awards and even more recognition in the dancehall arena including Artist of the Year and Album of the Year. Just one year later, he released an EP, Living Stone, which featured a new sound. Specifically, he forged a combination of dancehall beats, with a Western rap sound, and of course Ghanaian influences. Since then, Stonebwoy has released several singles and been featured on other artists’ tracks.

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The Musical Influence

Inspired early on by the music of Ghana, Stonebwoy decided to create his own sound. He was able to combine afro beats, highlife, dancehall, and reggae in order to create what he loved and what he felt was true to himself. As he was making music from an early age, Stonebwoy absorbed music that influenced him, fused it with other genres and revolutionized it.

The Sound

Stonebwoy’s “Go Higher,” off of his Living Stone EP, is almost a biblical rendition of overcoming challenges and a message of taking the higher road in the face of enemies. He sings:

“Higher higher, I go dey pray make I go higher
Higher higher, as I dey go dem throw fire.
Higher higher, I go dey pray make I go higher”

The Road

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