In a recent interview on Showbiz 927 with Caleb Nii Boye on 3FM, renowned music producer JMJ, born Joshua Raphaelson, has shared his insights on the reason behind the low competitive nature of the Reggae/Dancehall genre in Ghana
JMJ, known for his collaborations with some of Ghana’s biggest names in the music industry, attributed the situation to the changing trends and tastes within the Ghanaian music scene.
You see music like Obrafuor said is dynamic. It changes,” he explained “There was a time it was Reggaeton. There was a time it was Trap, it keeps changing”
JMJ specifically highlighted the prominence of reggae/dancehall music, describing it as a “worldwide food” that people from all walks of life have embraced.
He reminisced about a previous era when reggae/dancehall reigned supreme, and artists like IWan, Jupitar, Stonebwoy, Episode, Kaki, Samini, and Mugeez (then known as Gogomi) were making waves in the industry.
“Reggae/Dancehall is a worldwide food that people all over have consumed over time. Now it just happens not to be the food in demand as it used to be back then and that time saw the generation of IWan, Jupitar, Stonebwoy, Episode, Kaki, Samini, Mugeez,” he shared
Mugeez, in particular, he said was recognized as a talented reggae artist hailing from the DC reggae hi-grade family but switched when joined R2bees.
“Mugeez is a pure reggae hi-grade family boy from DC. Those days his name was gogomi. He flew with Samini to his MOBO awards. Each dispensation there’s a taste of what people want to hear,” he underscored.
Throughout his illustrious career, JMJ has worked closely with numerous Ghanaian artists, contributing to the development of their music.
His impressive portfolio includes collaborations with notable names such as Sarkodie, Stonebwoy, and Samini, among many others.
Notably, he pioneered the concept of Riddim Albums in Ghana with the release of the groundbreaking “Trigger Riddim” in 2009.
This album featured tracks from talented artists such as Stonebwoy, Samini, Mugeez, Ghetto KB, Iwan, and Lingua Kat. I
ts success paved the way for other Ghanaian producers to venture into creating their own riddim albums, such as the “Xtra Large Riddim” and the “Missile Riddim.
