My songs in ‘Beasts of No Nation’ earned me $15,000 – Shatta Wale

Emmanuel Ayamga 08:37 - 29 August 2018

Shatta Wale said producers of the movie contacted him to make the payment after some of his songs were sang by characters in the film.

Dancehall sensation Charles Nii Armah Mensah, known in showbiz as Shatta Wale, has disclosed that he was compensated with a sum of $15,000 for his songs used in the movie

According to him, producers of the movie contacted him to make the payment after some of his songs were sang by characters in the film.

“Beasts of No Nation” became one of the most talked about movies across the continent following its release in 2015.

The war drama film featured star names like Idris Elba, as well as a Ghanaian cast including Ama K. Abebrese, David Dontoh and Abraham Attah.

Speaking on Zylofon FM’s Showbiz Agenda, Shatta Wale said he initially rejected the royalties from the movie producers because the $500 they offered was disrespectful.

The “Gringo’ hit maker added that they later returned with an improved offer of $15, 000 which he accepted.

“They proposed an amount of between $200 and $500 for each of us. But I declined, because I felt the amount they were paying did not measure up to our status. I felt they were taking us for granted, so i did not accept the amount they proposed,” he said.

"From a reliable source my other colleagues ended up taking a mere $500 and I believe that was disrespectful. Hence, after a period they (directors) called me and handed me an amount of $15,000. And this is how much I believe, we deserved and should have bargained for.”