Episode is a reggae/dancehall artiste
Ghanaian Dancehall artiste Epixode has expressed concern about the gradual decline of Dancehall music, attributing its fall to a combination of industry missteps, misguided fan perceptions, and the genre’s branding challenges.
Speaking in an interview with Nana Romeo on Okay FM, the award-winning artiste did not hold back in dissecting what he believes went wrong.
According to Epixode, Dancehall—once a dominant force—began losing steam globally long before the Ghanaian scene started to feel the effects. He pointed out that the genre only saw a slight revival when Jamaican star Vybz Kartel managed to release music from behind bars, rekindling global interest.
“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.
He admitted that Ghanaian Dancehall artistes failed to sustain the genre’s momentum during its prime, roughly five years ago. One of the main reasons, he said, was that artistes focused more on mimicking the West than connecting with their own cultural roots.
Epixode explained that many songs were filled with themes that didn’t resonate with the average Ghanaian listener—songs about guns, violence, and gang rivalries—which alienated potential fans who couldn’t relate to that lifestyle.
“When we started it, we misinformed the fans,” he said. “The people are not able to relate to our songs more than our culture. We try to copy the West.”
Another issue, Epixode believes, lies in how rivalry among Dancehall artistes is misunderstood and often poorly handled. While clashes and lyrical battles are part of the genre’s DNA, he argued that Ghanaian artistes sometimes allow personal emotions to spill over, blurring the line between showbiz and real-life tension.
This, in turn, affects how fans respond—and not always in a healthy way.
“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.
The ripple effect of this behavior, he noted, extends to the corporate world. Dancehall, often perceived as rowdy or aggressive, struggles to attract sponsorship and support from major brands.
Only a few artistes who have deliberately rebranded themselves to appear more “corporate-friendly” are considered safe bets for endorsements or event 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.
In contrast, Epixode referenced a shift happening in Jamaica itself, where the birthplace of Dancehall is now witnessing a push for peace and positive messaging—something he believes Ghanaian artistes can learn from if they want the genre to survive.
For Epixode, the survival of Dancehall depends not only on the creativity of the artistes but also on their ability to evolve and stay grounded in local realities. Without that, he fears the genre may continue to decline in influence both at home and abroad.
ID/KA
