Ghanaian artiste Epixode has voiced serious concern over what he describes as Dancehall’s diminishing influence, not just in Ghana but across the globe.
Speaking on Okay FM with Nana Romeo, the award-winning artiste dissected the genre’s downturn, linking it to cultural disconnection, muddled messaging, and poor branding that have turned both fans and sponsors away.
While some blame Ghana’s local scene, Epixode insists the genre’s waning momentum began long before in its birthplace. “Until Vybz Kartel came out of prison, Dancehall was actually gone. We’d find Dancehall artistes doing Afrobeats and stuff. Afrobeats is ruling the world,” he noted, pointing to a global shift that left Dancehall struggling for relevance.
In Ghana, he believes the genre’s popularity peaked nearly half a decade ago. Yet, instead of anchoring their sound in local culture, many artists mimicked foreign trends, diluting the music’s resonance with homegrown audiences. “When we started it, we misinformed the fans,” Epixode explained. “The people are not able to relate to our songs more than our culture. We try to copy the West.”
This failure to root the music in local identity, he argued, alienated fans and watered down Dancehall’s impact. He pointed to a mismatch between the themes commonly heard in Dancehall, violence, gangs, bravado and the lived realities of Ghanaian listeners.
Even the genre’s competitive spirit, often expressed through lyrical clashes, has backfired due to misunderstandings. “The fans did not understand that the rivalry in Dancehall is for a purpose. We, the artistes, are too emotional sometimes to control our feelings, and that influences the fans,” he said, reflecting on how personal feuds have overshadowed artistic intent.
The impact has been commercial too. According to Epixode, Dancehall’s edgy image has scared off potential corporate partnerships. “When corporate bodies want to come in, there is a certain misconception about the Dancehall space. Nobody wants to affiliate with us unless it’s one or two of us who have branded ourselves to suit the corporate space,” he lamented.
For Epixode, reviving the genre means more than just fresh hits; it requires a cultural reset, better artiste branding, and a conscious effort to make the music both relatable and marketable.
