Admittedly, considering ways and manner in which our artistes in Ghana are treated based on the public’s thoughts about their persona and brand, many face unfair treatments all the time whilst others go scot-free with even greater blemishes.
A typical example is how MzVee would be treated for cheating on her partner as compared to how Mzbel would be handled. The truth of the matter is that, whilst many may sympathize with MzVee, almost everyone will condemn Mzbel. This is simply because of Mzbel’s “unpleasant” past of always been at the wrong side of the media.
Frankly speaking, I am doing this piece because of a recent photo which had Michael Owusu Addo aka Sarkodie smoking! This photo has courted lots of controversies on social media. This is because most people are of the opinion that Sarkodie is just trying to rebrand and shouldn’t be faulted. Granted that the rebranding is anything to go by, this is one of the most biased opinions one can ever share on social media. This is because, Charles Nii Armah Mensah Jr., aka Shatta Wale has always faced public backlash for smoking in his music videos, live videos on Facebook and so on.
To some who have followed trends in Ghana, they’re baffled that Sarkodie can smoke and not make bad headlines but Shatta Wale would be literally roasted for just holding a cigar or cigarette!
If this is not open bias and selective “justice” then I doubt what is. In any case, it is no one’s business that Shatta Wale or Sarkodie smokes but it becomes necessary and worthy of discussion when one is chastised for negatively influencing the youth whilst the other is hailed as finally deciding to rebrand.
So, Shatta Wale smokes and all hell breaks loose where as Sarkodie smokes and he’s tagged as rebranding? How?!
