Shatta Wale Biography
REAL NAME: Charles Nii Armah Mensah Jnr.
His real name is Charles Nii Armah Mensah but he is popularly known by his stage name Shatta Wale, is a Ghanaian-born producer and reggae-dancehall musician.
Shatta was born on 17 October 1984 to Charles Mensah Snr. and Elsie Evelyn Avemegah. Aside from singing, Shatta is also a renowned Songwriter, Record Producer, and Sound Engineer.
He is well known for his song “Dance hall King”, which led to winning the Artiste of the Year at 2014 edition of the Ghana Music Awards.
He mastered his art within a few years and he also traveled to Jamaica to learn more about dancehall. He starred in the movie “Never Say Never” featuring Charles Kofi Bucknor, Edward Kufuor, and Paulina Oduro.
The multiple hit-maker has also been featured in Shattered Lives along with Bisa Kdei and Majid Michel.
Education
Charles Nii Armah Mensah a.k.a Shatta Wale completed his high school education at Aguafo Secondary School and during that time he was known as “Baby boy”. After rounding up his secondary school he changed his name to “Bandana” and released the track “Moko Ho(Bandana from Ghana)”.
Music Career
He collaborated with Ghana’s outstanding talents, Tinny to ditch out “Moko Ho which enjoyed tremendous airwaves in the Ghanaian music industry in 2004 and was one of the hottest songs released in Ghana that year. Bandana later released his debut album titled “Bandana from Ghana”, and took a short break from the music industry.
After the musical hiatus, he came back better and stronger after rebranding himself to Shatta Wale and released his song “Dancehall King” in 2013, a song that instantly became a hit.
Shatta Wale’s rise to fame occurred in 2013 VGMAs, award after releasing a diss track for the organizers of the Ghana Music Awards titled “Me Need No Awards” because he alleged the organizers robbed him, the Dancehall Artiste of the Year to female Dancehall Artiste Kaakie. The song was ditched out in an uncharitable manner enveloped in bitter lyrics.
His massive breakthrough happened in 2013 after the release of his banging hit single “Dancehall King” which took the airwaves by surprise. In January 2014 Shatta Wale was one of the hundreds of Ghanaians that welcomed the Queen’s Baton Relay, which was on a tour of some Commonwealth countries, ahead of the games in August 2014.
The Ghanaian Musician who was so overwhelmed and couldn’t resist the happiness took to social media to thank those who made it happen.
“It happens once in a lifetime. I will like to thank the president of Ghana and the nation for granting me the opportunity to be part of the change in the Queens Baton. God bless my homeland Ghana.
According to British Newspaper, The Guardian, they reported in May 2014 that Wale’s song “Wine Ya Waist” featuring Nigerian musician Davido was one of five “must-listen-to” songs. The same year, his song titled “You Can’t Touch Me” was widely used for the Dancers Against Racism Campaign Worldwide.
Controvesies
Shatta Wale was all over the news in 2015 after he asked not to be nominated in the Vodafone Ghana Music Awards knowing fully well that he could have won the prestigious Artiste & Song of the year for the second time running with his hit songs Dancehall Commando featuring Sarkodie, Party all night long featuring Jah Vinci Wine ya waist featuring Davido and Korle Gonno among many hit songs he released the preceding year.
He made this request because of the pending court case with the organizers of the awards, Charter House Productions Limited for making defamatory comments against the CEO of Charter House in a video he uploaded in his social media account.
Shatta Wale’s ‘After The Storm’ album launch which was held at the Black Star Square in Accra Ghana on April 29, 2016. The event attracted over sixty thousand people which he thrilled with countless songs. The album contains 22 lists of songs and it received generally positive reviews from music critics.
Shatta is one of the best musicians in Ghana today and he has been commended for his hard work and consistency. His persistence in the music business has produced tracks like Reality, Kakai, Hol’ It, Mkportor Kportor, Baby (Chop Kiss ) Kill Dem Wif Prayers to name a few.
Shatta Wale is also well known for his philanthropic endeavors. During Christmas festivities of 2014, Shatta Wale took the opportunity to visit the Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital Ghana’s biggest hospital to donate generously to the Children’s Block worth Thousands of Ghanaian cedi while many Ghanaian celebrities were busy spending quality time with friends and family. Shatta Wale, Light A Million Lives and Quallo’s Production along with Gasmilla, Keche, Episode, and Dada Halfco donated to the victims of the twin disasters (flood and fire) that happened on 3 June 2015 which took many lives.
Endorsement Deals
In 2014, Shatta Wale was unveiled as one of the brand ambassadors of Guinness Ghana Breweries along with other musicians like Reggie Rockstone, EL, and Fuse ODG for Made of Black campaign.
He was also unveiled as the brand ambassador for Storm Energy Drink
Shatta Wale is the newest brand ambassador for Kasapreko Company Ltd, a producer of several alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages in Ghana.
He was unveiled In September 2017 after the deal was sealed.
Awards And Nominations
In 2014, Wale was nominated for the Maiden GN Bank Awards as the People’s Choice Male Musician of the year.
He was also named the 38th Most Influential Ghanaian by E-TV Ghana in 2015 in their annual survey of influential people in Ghana. He is the dancehall Messiah. He resurrected dancehall in Ghana and in Africa as a whole.
He has won several awards including Best Reggae/Dancehall Video, Most Popular Video at 4Syte TV Music Video Awards.
African Artiste of the Year at 2014 Nigeria Entertainment Awards, Artiste of the Year, and “Dancehall King” at the 2014 Ghana Music Awards.
African Artiste of the Year at 2014 Nigerian Entertainment Awards and Best Performer of the Year at 2014 BASS Awards.
He also won Best Video Dancehall and Dancehall Artiste of the year at BASS Awards.
Wale also won Best New Entertainer at International Reggae and World Music Awards 2014 and Jigwe Musician of the Year at 2014 Jigwe Awards and DJ’s Song of the Year at 2014 Ghana DJ Awards.
Shatta Wale has also won about 40 other awards and nominated for about 33 awards. They are just too numerous to name.
Net Worth
Not Estimated