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Ghanaian rapper Sarkodie has maintained that he had no intention of mocking fellow musician Stonebwoy when he shared a video of a one-legged man on his Instagram Story, insisting that he would post the same clip again despite the backlash it attracted.
Sarkodie has denied that he intended to mock Stonebwoy’s disability when he shared an Instagram Story video featuring a one-legged man, insisting he would repost it because he had no intention of causing offence.
Speaking on the first episode of When We Sit with Serwaa Amihere, the rapper distinguished music-industry beef from disability-related issues, stressing that disability is a serious matter that should not be joked about.
When Serwaa Amihere questioned his choice of video and its potential to offend, Sarkodie maintained that he should not feel sad if people chose to take offence when he did not intend to hurt anyone.
The rapper addressed the controversy during an appearance on the first episode of 'When We Sit with Serwaa Amihere', where he discussed fatherhood, music, friendship and politics with the broadcaster.
During the interview, Serwaa Amihere asked Sarkodie about the video he shared shortly after Stonebwoy’s performance at Wembley, which prompted criticism from some social media users who interpreted it as a dig at the dancehall artiste’s disability.
The discussion also referenced the 2024 controversy involving Shatta Wale, who faced calls to apologise after making remarks about Stonebwoy’s disability.
Sarkodie, however, rejected the suggestion that he intended to ridicule Stonebwoy, arguing that mocking someone over a disability was something he would not deliberately do.
He said;
He added that his career had not been characterised by that kind of behaviour, distinguishing personal attacks on a person's disability from the verbal exchanges that sometimes occur during rap beefs.
Sarkodie explained;
Pressed by Amihere on why he chose to post that particular clip when many other humorous videos were available, Sarkodie questioned why the video should be considered inappropriate if he had found it funny.
The broadcaster pointed out that something could be humorous to one person but offensive to another, particularly when it involved a subject that could be sensitive to the person concerned.
Sarkodie acknowledged that people had been offended but maintained that he had not shared the video with the intention of hurting anyone.
When asked whether he would have made a different decision knowing the reaction it would generate, the rapper answered firmly that he would post it again.
He said, maintaining that he had no regrets about sharing the clip;
He further argued that it was unfair to expect him to feel guilty for an offence he said he had not intended to cause.
He said;
Sarkodie added that he would not want others to impose their interpretation of his actions on him without considering his intentions.
The exchange highlights the sensitivity surrounding public figures' social media activity, particularly when content is interpreted as making fun of disability.
Although Sarkodie denied intending to target Stonebwoy, Amihere questioned whether he should have considered how the video might be perceived, given the context and the possibility that it could offend the dancehall musician.
The rapper maintained that he had not intended to mock his colleague and did not believe he should be judged as though he had deliberately set out to do so.
His comments have brought renewed attention to the relationship between intention, public perception and accountability when celebrities share potentially offensive content online.