Story courtesy Overtime Media
Ghanian Dancehall, Afropop and Reggae superstar, Livingstone Etse Satekla aka “Stonebwoy” is eager to revisit Trinidad and Tobago for Carnival 2025, even as he prepares to release his sixth album UP and RUNNIN6 on October 24, 2024 under the Burniton Music Group, in partnership with Warner Music Group’s ADA Worldwide. Stonebwoy initially came to Tobago for his honeymoon in 2017 and has linked and worked with Soca legends such as Machel Montano and Fay Ann Lyons, but he has yet to experience Trinidad Carnival. “I feel like I have only sampled one piece of the pie,” he said via Google Meet last week, “and Tobago was so beautiful: of course it made me want to experience more.
I was one of the first African singers to be live on Trinidad radio – 96.1 I believe it was and that was in 2017 also – and just a few days ago, I was in the studio elsewhere with Machel Montano and Davido, so you know we are working on some things… but the Carnival has eluded me thus far, so Im going to try to make it next year!”A humble and charasmatic talent, Stonebwoy has long admired, included and represented the Caribbean region: seemlessly incorporating Afrobeat, Dancehall, Reggae, Highlife, Amapiano, and R&B to craft his signature Afro-Caribbean sound. His mastery of these styles not only showcases his versatility, but has also cemented his reputation as a trailblazer in global music.
With more than 50 collaborations recorded to date with some of the top Jamaican dancehall and reggae stars, it was not surprising to find Stonebwoy quite at home in Kingston, Jamaica earlier this year at the Island Music Conference hosted by Diamond-selling, genre-defying, global music icon, Shaggy. One of the singles from his soon-to-be-released 13-track, sixth studio album features the legendary hip-hop talent and producer, Wyclef Jean and asks listeners to “Pray For Me”. Stonebwoy explains: “It was really inspiration driven you know, due to the fact that I’ve always wanted to work with a Godfather like him and he has been such a huge inspiration to me.
So you know how creativity goes right? I’m always recording and I realised there’s a song that only he could bring to life and only him could bring the fullness thereof, so that’s how we ended up doing such a soothing song and he also featured me on another song with Jah Messenger, Luciano…”Clef has been like a father to me you know, me na lie…” he revealed, “and a continuous inspiration, cause he’s such a tremendous foundation, so to have a foundation like that on my album is such a blessing – and I got Spice on there too – the Queen of Dancehall is like a sister to me, so to have these greats on there is just… Amazing! I really value and respect the relationships I have with these icons and it’s not just a music thing where we are trying to make a collab: we live our lives and we have to connect often to bring musical messages to the people, so it’s organic and real and true and that’s why it’s felt beyond just what you hear even.”Featuring artistes and producers from various countries around the globe, Stonebwoy’s UP & RUNNIN6 album represents his cross continental, all encompassing status and deep-rooted desire to bring all peoples back together.
Recently, CNN named him an “African Voices Changemaker” in recognition of his role in propelling Ghana’s dancehall movement to international heights.His appreciation for Calypso as a leading genre in the Western Hemisphere; as well as the vibrant and positive energy of Soca music and even our more recent and troubled export, the Trinibad subgenre was therefore not surprising. His favorite artiste? None other than the Rudeboy-ambassador, Llano “Jahllano” Grant. “I remember something I would have read about the Calypso, where it originated from West Africa and the West African Kaiso and Canbule music, so I know its the foundation and you can’t ever forget or neglect the foundation. The Soca I have done a couple songs with Fay Ann Lyons – you know Bunji and Fay are my family – they always show me love, but I got really excited when I heard the Trinibad stuff cause of course, I love Dancehall music. “You know, for me, when I listen to those gun songs, I hear them as poetry, you know.” He explained. “I don’t hear them as literal stuff because all that stuff is illegal and it’s not good for mankind anyway, so I just see the poetry, and I admire the word play and, you know, not necessarily the content.
But it”s inspiring still, you know, and when I heard Jahllano he just brought it all together for me! You can tell him I’m one of his biggest fans from Ghana, yeah? I love how he brings things across in a soulful way, but with the hard lyrics and the word play still – Trinidad is blessed to have so much talent in such a small place. We have to work and continue to build these bridges to connect everyone, that’s why it’s go time for me now; that’s why I called the album UP & RUNNIN6 you know! The time is now!”
