Ghanaian musician and former SM Militant member Joint 77 has opened up about his past relationship with dancehall star Shatta Wale, recounting how he supported the artiste before their eventual fallout.
Joint 77 disclosed that he once provided Shatta Wale with a place to stay for about a year without charging him rent, describing it as part of the support he extended to him during their years together.
According to Joint 77, his relationship with Shatta Wale predated the formation of the SM Militants, and the two shared a close bond before disagreements eventually brought their association to an end.
His latest comments provide another account of the relationship between Shatta Wale and some former members of his camp, whose highly publicised separation generated controversy within Ghana’s entertainment industry.
Beyoncé Shoot Kept Secret
Joint 77 also revisited Shatta Wale’s collaboration with American superstar Beyoncé on Already, revealing that the dancehall artiste kept details of the music video shoot from members of the SM Militants.
According to him, Shatta Wale did not tell them he was travelling to shoot the video because he feared they might somehow prevent the opportunity from materialising.
“He thought we were wizards,” Joint 77 said while explaining why, in his view, the project was kept secret from them.
He said the development was particularly painful because of the relationship they had shared and the support he had previously given Shatta Wale.
Joint 77’s account reflects his recollection of events surrounding their relationship and subsequent fallout.
The Already collaboration became one of Shatta Wale’s most prominent international projects after he featured alongside Beyoncé and Major Lazer on the song from Beyoncé’s The Lion King: The Gift album.
The accompanying video, which featured both Beyoncé and Shatta Wale, attracted international attention and became a major moment in the Ghanaian artiste’s career.
Joint 77 was part of the SM Militants alongside Addi Self, Captan and Natty Lee before the group eventually split from Shatta Wale’s camp.
