Ghanaian Dancehall star Stonebwoy, then an artist under Zylofon Media, publicly expressed strong frustration with Ghanaian music websites for illegally uploading musicians’ work for free downloads.
The criticism was delivered during the listening session for his third studio album, Epistles of Mama (EOM), which took place at the Zylofon Media headquarters in East Legon. The album was released on December 12, 2017.
Stonebwoy highlighted the severe financial impact of digital piracy on artists, stating that these illegal sites manage to profit twice (from site traffic and advertising) while the artists themselves receive no income and incur substantial production losses.
He emphasized the need for proper compensation for creative work:
“Ghanaian music websites illegally upload musicians’ work for free downloads, allowing these sites to profit twice while the artists themselves receive no income and only incur losses.”
The CEO of Bhim Nation added a strong warning, indicating that while some artists may choose not to pursue legal action, the pervasive nature of the piracy problem could lead others to take matters into their own hands:
“Although some artists may choose not to pursue legal action, they may resort to physically confronting those responsible to teach them a lesson.”
The album at the center of the discussion, Epistles of Mama (EOM), was Stonebwoy’s third studio album, dedicated to his late mother, Mrs. Catherine Lucy Aku Ametepe Satekla.
