Ghanaian dancehall sensation Shatta Wale has opened up about his time spent in Ankaful Prison, describing it as feeling like a vacation and even comparing the jail to home.
The musician's candid account of his prison experience came during an interview with Giovanni Caleb on the popular TV show, Showbiz 360, aired on TV3.
When questioned about whether his time behind bars had humbled him in any way, Shatta Wale dismissed the notion, stating that his prison experience was far from humbling.
Instead, he expressed a sense of comfort and familiarity, stating, "Here in Ghana, we do not sacrifice to help the country. It didn't really humble me because when I went to jail, I was actually feeling like I was at home."
Shatta Wale further elaborated that the prison cell was populated by fans who had longed to see him and treated him like royalty.
He shared anecdotes of inmates fetching water for him and offering their food, making his prison stay an unexpectedly comfortable one.
"There were quite a number of people there, some for over 30 years, that wanted to see Shatta Wale. The way I was treated on the streets is the same treatment I got in the cells," he disclosed.
Contrary to what one might expect, Shatta Wale claimed that his time in prison had no adverse effects on his music career; in fact, he asserted that he used the experience to produce more hit songs.
"It wasn't like they sent me to a place to suffer; when I went there, it was like a vacation. Nobody goes to jail and comes back with the right frame of mind, but I came back and released 'On God,' 'JJC,' and a whole lot," he stated confidently.
The artist, whose real name is Charles Nii Armah Mensah, was sent to the Ankaful Medium prison in the Central Region to spend one week on remand.
His arrest stemmed from a staged shooting incident, orchestrated with the help of his PRO Nana Dope, and another individual named Gangee.