Ghanaian music heavyweights Stonebwoy and Sarkodie have reignited their long-running tensions, trading pointed messages on social media over principles, industry relationships and how artistes should respond to fanbase rivalry.
The latest exchange began after Sarkodie cautioned members of his SarkNation fanbase against attacking other artistes or brands in an attempt to promote him.
In a post on X on September 7, Sarkodie urged his supporters to focus on his music and brand rather than engaging in toxic online battles with rival fanbases. He also warned artistes against entertaining fans who tear down others in the name of showing loyalty.
Stonebwoy responded the following day, directing his message specifically at Sarkodie and questioning whether the rapper’s advice was consistent with principles he had expressed during their private conversations.
According to Stonebwoy, the two artistes spoke for more than an hour after a series of exchanges surrounding their respective international shows.
He said he had called Sarkodie after his RAH show in the UK to congratulate him, with the conversation lasting more than 10 minutes.
Stonebwoy said that after his own performance at OVO Arena Wembley, Sarkodie posted what he described as a cryptic video. He subsequently contacted the rapper after another social media post, leading to a longer conversation about the music industry, artiste behaviour and their differing perspectives.
Stonebwoy claimed that during that conversation, Sarkodie made it clear that artistes could not be forced to uphold particular principles and, as he interpreted it, sometimes had to “play along so far as it benefits them”.
He then challenged Sarkodie to reconcile that position with his latest public advice.
“Without PRINCIPLE, advice is an OPINION,” Stonebwoy wrote.
Meanwhile Sarkodie has since rejected Stonebwoy’s account of their conversation, insisting that he never told him artistes should simply act according to what benefits them.
He questioned why Stonebwoy had connected his post about fan behaviour to himself and denied deliberately targeting him through social media.
“There’s no need to say something I never said that artistes should play along so far as it benefits them,” Sarkodie said.
The rapper said his original message was aimed at people who attack other brands while claiming to support an artiste, arguing that some of them are more interested in generating engagement for themselves than genuinely defending the artiste.
Sarkodie also said he does not ordinarily respond to interpretations of his posts by fans because he is more concerned about what the people directly involved think.
He said his decision to respond to Stonebwoy was because the criticism had come directly from the dancehall artiste.
Sarkodie also pushed back against any suggestion that he harbours animosity towards Stonebwoy, pointing to their previous interactions as evidence of a professional relationship despite their differences.