Reggae Dancehall artiste, Livingstone Etse Satekla, popularly known as Stonebwoy, says the idea that artistes are removed from the realities of the economy is far from the truth.

Ghana's economy has in recent time been experiencing a downturn leading to a hike in the price of goods and services and a depreciating cedi among others.

According to him, the fluctuation of the economy affects artistes just as much as it does the ordinary Ghanaian, thus the assertion should be dispelled.

Stonebwoy who has been promoting his wide acclaimed 5^th Dimension album said when the economy suffers, the creative industry of which he is a player also takes a hit translating into lower revenues for his work.

“It’s not true. To me I say it’s false because we are all existing within an economic system. And we form part of the sector that comes together to make an economy a beautiful one, a thriving one. So we cannot be seen as people who are disengaged or disassociated with the economy. It’s a lie.

“I don’t know how people have managed to get to an understanding like that to feel like Stonebwoy and the likes ‘when the price of fuel goes up they don’t have a problem, they can buy and things’ I think it’s a big lie. We all belong to the economy.

“For instance, if I’m making 10 cedis today and the economy is thriving and booming, and there are structures in place etc. that should tell you that I will be making a 100 cedis in a day. So it will affect everybody equally,” he said on JoyNews’ PM Express.

Stonebwoy who also runs a foundation to support youth empowerment in Ashaiman noted that he has had to cater for more people as a result of the harsh economic conditions.

He noted that the increasing number is also partly fuelled by the perception that artistes are not affected by the economic hardship because of the glitz that characterise their lifestyle.

He said, “I don’t see it decreasing any time soon because the perceptions are building up from the roots that musicians or creative arts or once they see you on TV you have arrived, you know, so that will never end until probably they don’t see me on TV anymore.”

He added that considering the fact that he runs a foundation, people might have the perception that he has too much instead of realizing that he just wants to impact lives with the little he has.

“But so long as they continue to see you on TV and of course you have a foundation that you’re operating so everybody will think that ‘o, on top of that you still have a foundation. So that means you have the finances that you’re dashing because they see in the news Stonebwoy celebrates Mothers’ Day with some selected mothers and widows…people will see it from the fact that I have so much to give but will not see it from the fact that I have the heart to give and I may not have so much.”