Shatta Wale’s Freestyle Sparks Controversy, Allegedly Leads to Exclusion from RNAQ40 Event

A recent X post by

@imsacred808

has stirred up buzz in Ghana’s entertainment scene, suggesting that a freestyle by dancehall artist Shatta Wale may have cost him an invitation to Richard Nii Armah Quaye’s lavish 40th birthday celebration, dubbed #RNAQ40. The event, held on March 21, 2025, in Accra, saw high-profile attendees like Nigerian stars Davido and Rita Dominic, but Shatta Wale was notably absent. The post, which includes a video of Shatta Wale performing energetically at a radio station, claims Quaye, a prominent Ghanaian entrepreneur and founder of Bills (formerly Quick Angels Limited), decided to exclude the artist after seeing the freestyle.

Shatta Wale, born Charles Nii Armah Mensah Jr., is no stranger to controversy. The reggae-dancehall star has a history of public feuds, most notably with fellow artist Stonebwoy. Their rivalry peaked during the 2019 Telecel Ghana Music Awards (TGMA), where a physical altercation erupted after Stonebwoy was named Dancehall Artiste of the Year. Shatta Wale and his entourage stormed the stage, leading to a brawl that saw Stonebwoy brandishing a gun. The incident resulted in the Artiste of the Year award being withheld and a ban for both artists from the award scheme, deepening their nearly two-decade-long rift. Shatta Wale’s provocative behavior, including past lyrical insults at the VGMA organizers in 2013 over a perceived snub, has often kept him in the headlines.

The freestyle in question, as seen in the X post, shows Shatta Wale delivering a fiery performance, possibly with subliminal jabs that may have rubbed Quaye the wrong way. Quaye, who won the overall 2020 40 under 40 award in Accra, is a respected figure in Ghana’s business and investment circles, and his milestone celebration was a major event. While the exact content of the freestyle remains speculative, the X post’s caption, “Dem say Richard Nii Armah Quaye see this Shatta Wale freestyle that be why he no invite am to #RNAQ40 ,” suggests it may have been deemed too controversial for Quaye’s guest list. This incident adds another chapter to Shatta Wale’s polarizing career, highlighting the fine line between artistic expression and industry relationships in Ghana’s vibrant music scene.