Ghanaian dancehall artiste Sugar Ranking has appealed to fans of Shatta Movement and BHIM Nation to stop attaching unnecessary emotions and hostility to musical competition, warning that such actions could negatively affect the industry’s growth.

Speaking during an interview on Daybreak Hitz on July 21, 2026, Sugar Ranking said both fan bases have played significant roles in promoting Ghanaian dancehall and should focus on supporting the culture rather than creating divisions.

According to him, Shatta Movement and BHIM Nation have achieved remarkable success, but some supporters are attempting to undermine the efforts and contributions of the pioneers of the genre simply to gain attention online.

“Shatta Movement and BHIM Nation have done tremendously well. But the fans, they are trying to distort the toils of the giants seriously because they want to trend,” Sugar Ranking stated.

He explained that music is part of showbiz and healthy competition is one of the elements that keeps the industry exciting. However, he urged fans not to allow personal emotions and hatred to influence how they perceive artistes’ lyrical battles.

“We are here for the betterment of the industry. Sometimes competition makes the industry interesting. If the person is competing without hate, without anything attached to it, followers should follow as such. They should stop trying to add emotions to it,” he said.

Sugar Ranking stressed that dancehall culture has always involved lyrical rivalry, which should not be mistaken for physical conflict.

“Dancehall has come to stay. It will stay. The dancehall culture is violent — not physical violence, but lyrically. It’s lyrically violent. They should accept it that way,” he explained.

The artiste noted that reggae dancehall is built around strong lyrical expressions, debates and competitive performances, and fans must understand that such exchanges are part of the culture.

“That is dancehall, that is reggae dancehall, that is the culture. Lyrically violent, they should accept it that way,” he added.

Sugar Ranking identified fans as his major concern, urging them to protect the unity and progress of Ghana’s music industry.

“The fans are my only concern now,” he said, while expressing appreciation to supporters across different camps.

“I love all of them — BHIM Nation, Shatta Movement, the Ranking Family. Now they say it’s true, it’s Ranking Family, BHIM Nation and Shatta Movement,” he added.

He further acknowledged other established dancehall movements, mentioning High Grade and describing the relationship between the different groups as connected through their shared love for the culture.

“We have High Grade, we have others. High Grade and Ranking Family, we are the same,” Sugar Ranking stated.

Dancehall artiste Sugar Ranking TheRabbi has expressed his desire to have a friendly musical clash with veteran Ghanaian musician Samini, saying the encounter would help showcase the art of dancehall to the younger generation.

Speaking on Daybreak Hitz, Sugar Ranking said Samini is the artiste he wants to face in a lyrical battle, adding that he has been calling for the clash since the beginning, but Samini has not shown interest.

“I want a clash with Samini. He is my mate, and he is the one I want for the love of the game. I have been calling for this clash since we started, but he doesn’t want to do it,” he said.

According to Sugar Ranking, the proposed clash should not be seen as a personal rivalry but rather a celebration of dancehall culture and a way to inspire upcoming artistes.

He explained that both artistes have played important roles in Ghana’s dancehall movement and should come together to demonstrate how the genre is done.

“We should do it so that the young ones will see how we do it. Dancehall is our own. I am the president and he is the vice president, so the president and vice president should do something to make changes,” he added.

Sugar Ranking believes a clash between himself and Samini would create excitement among music lovers while highlighting the creativity and competitiveness that have shaped Ghana’s dancehall scene.

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Gospel musician Perez Musik has argued that legendary musicians such as Bob Marley and Michael Jackson could have struggled to achieve the same level of recognition in today’s music industry, where artists are often judged by hit songs, streaming numbers, chart positions, and viral moments rather than the depth and impact of their entire body of work.

Speaking in an interview on Hitz FM, Perez Musik said the modern music environment has shifted away from storytelling and meaningful albums toward the pursuit of commercially successful singles.

According to him, although technology has transformed how music is created, distributed, and consumed, the industry must develop ways to help audiences appreciate the complete works and messages of musicians instead of focusing only on popular songs.

“The industry has changed. We may not be able to return to the CD or cassette era, but there should be systems that encourage people to listen to the full works of artistes and not just the songs that are trending,” he said.

Perez Musik observed that many musicians are now moving away from traditional music distribution methods and are choosing to release their songs through personal websites.

“I’ve noticed a trend where most artistes are not distributing their songs again. They put them on their websites. They have their songs on their websites,” he explained.

The gospel musician stressed that music should not be viewed only as entertainment but also as a platform for communication, inspiration, and sharing important messages.

“As an artiste, let me confess, I don’t want you to just simply vibe to the songs. I feel like I have a message. I see myself like a messenger,” Perez Musik stated.

He believes that if icons like Bob Marley and Michael Jackson were active in today’s music industry, they might not receive the same appreciation because audiences now tend to focus on instant hits rather than complete albums.

“If Bob Marley were in this era, he would have really struggled to shine. It’s the same with Michael Jackson. If they were in this era, nobody would listen to the albums. They are looking for hits. Don’t listen to ‘Billie Jean’ and forget about the other songs. Maybe nobody would have even heard what ‘Redemption Song’ was, because it was just a guitar and his voice,” he added.

Perez Musik insisted that the value of music should not be measured only by streaming figures, online popularity, or chart rankings, arguing that the true impact of music goes beyond numbers.

He revealed that some listeners have reached out to him to share how his songs helped them through difficult moments in their lives.

“I feel like musicians have more to offer. They have more to offer than just the streams, than just the numbers that people are counting. It goes beyond that. Music can heal. Music can deliver,” he said.

Perez Musik added that music has the power to influence lives, strengthen relationships, and provide hope, warning that the art form should not be reduced to statistics and commercial success.

“Music has saved people’s marriages. So we shouldn’t cheapen the art,” he said.

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