Ghanaian dancehall superstar Shatta Wale has spoken out about a highly intimate area of his life: the anguish he faced as a result of his parents’ divorce.
Shatta Wale discussed the emotional and mental effects of his parents’ divorce in an open internet post.
The rapper claims that being present when his parents’ marriage ended when he was a small child had a profoundly negative impact on him that persisted into adulthood.
He highlighted the emotional upheaval and instability growing up in a broken home as he thought back on the difficulties he encountered.
The “Already” crooner highlighted how his early years were impacted by his lack of a secure familial environment in terms of identity and sense of security.
Shatta Wale talked about how he frequently felt confused and exposed as a result of his inability to deal with the emotional fallout from his parents’ divorce. He disclosed that the event had left him with long-lasting emotional wounds that affected his wellbeing and relationships.
He remembered that every time he expressed worries about his parents’ actions, he was constantly labelled as a disrespectful son. He added that as a result, he had to leave his family in quest of tranquilly, which had left him temporarily without a place to live.
“Growing up, I lived with my parents for a while but they did not help me. They made a mistake and broke up. They created a broken home; our home was broken and it affected me so much. Our broken home affected me. Anytime I talked or complained about this, they labeled me disrespectful. So, I left them. I left the house. I run from my parents.
“You know what my parents put me through? Because of them, I slept on the streets, I slept in front of stores. Those days, it was the prostitutes at Nkrumah Circle who were watching over me. I slept at filling stations at Circle including the one that got burnt. I slept on the streets of Adabraka and so on,”
Shatta Wale revealed that as a result, he developed a coping mechanism of isolating himself from others. He explained that, much like his previous experience with his parents, he still doesn’t hesitate to distance himself from anyone who brings him trouble.
“As a result, I started running from stress, running from people who would stress me. That’s where I learned how to cut people off because I don’t want stress. I cut people off without thinking twice. I am the chief cutter. I have learned that in life, it is important to cut off anyone who wants to bring negativity into your life,”
