Ghanaian DJ, DJ Lord OTB, has expressed his disappointment over an incident at the just-ended Accravaganza, where he claims he was instructed to stop playing songs by dancehall artist Shatta Wale.
The event, which took place at Ghud Park, Accra Mall, on March 29, 2025, was headlined by award-winning reggae and dancehall star Stonebwoy and featured several other notable DJs and performers.
In a statement on his social media, DJ Lord revealed that during his DJ set alongside Merqury Quaye, he included some Shatta Wale tracks in his playlist, as he believed the artist’s music is an integral part of Ghana’s musical experience.
According to him, the crowd responded positively, however, his set was abruptly interrupted when a top board official of the show intervened at the request of Stonebwoy’s management, instructing him to cease playing Shatta Wale’s songs immediately.
He went on to express his admiration for Stonebwoy’s achievements but strongly condemned the interference, stating that no headline act has the authority to dictate a DJ’s selection of non-performing artists’ music.
DJ Lord also disclosed that things worsened when Stonebwoy’s team insisted on pushing forward his performance, disrupting DJ Kojo Manuel’s slot, which had just begun.
He further lamented that artist management teams often overstep their boundaries, treating DJs and MCs as secondary players in the industry, even though they play a crucial role in keeping events lively.
DJ Lord also raised concerns about personal rivalries between artists affecting event programming, stating that it makes the entire industry look unprofessional and petty.
The Accravaganza Smooth Edition, sponsored by Guinness, brought together a lineup of top DJs and performers, including Kojo Manuel, DrewD, Merqury Quaye, Michael Nichols, Mz Orstin, DJ Minnow, DJ Sleek, DJ Justice, and DJ Lord himself.
