Made in Ghana Month on GMABC: Here are the pioneers of Dancehall check out if your favourite made the list

Music analyst and artiste manager, Mr. Logic has narrated the emergence of Dancehall music in Ghana, and how it was nurtured and championed by Ghanaian youth from the ghettos.
In an interview with Chelsy Sey on ‘Ryse N Shyne’ on Y 97.9 FM, Mr Logic narrated the Dancehall story as he remembers it.
‘’Dancehall started as Ragga, that was when we used to have Shaba Ranks, Ninja Man among others. They even came to Ghana to perform. Ragga is like the hardcore version of Reggae. Reggae has always been Reggae, it hasn’t changed’’ he said.
He went on further, to explain how Ragga made it into the mainstream showbiz industry in Ghana.
‘’There was a big Ragga competition at Trade Fair in 1993 and I won. It was the first major competition. Prior to that competition, there were just neighborhood competitions. There were no mainstream Ragga artistes. General Marcus was later discovered by a Jamaican producer and he became the first mainstream Ragga artiste. I was the second person to go mainstream with an album, then I was known as Fabulous. Then came Root Eye, who also gained mainstream attention with his feature with Reggie Rockstone’’ he said.
He, however, was quick to add that it will be difficult to attribute Dancehall genre to one particular person or individual.
‘’You cannot credit Dancehall to anyone, but you can recognise that this person went mainstream first, second and third. After General Marcus, myself, Root Eye then came Yoggy Doggy and Mudfish who did the Ragga in Twi.
Mr. Logic mentioned that Samini who was known as Batman at the time came through Ashanti International with Linda after Yoggy Doggy.
He also went on to list his discoveries in the Dancehall industry.
‘’I travelled after my album when I came back I discovered Shatta Wale (Bandana), Jupiter, Epixode and Vibrant Fire. These were all my boys on my label and were signed on my Record Label. Shatta Wale was my artist, but Jupiter blew up first then Shatta Wale got his big break with King. At the time Stonebwoy was also under the tutelage of Samini and he also got his break’’ he narrated.
By: Bridget Mensah