Dzogbesoli Is Original, Not a Sample of Stonebwoy’s Jejereje, Kojo Kawnsela Clarifies

Just two weeks after the release of his vibrant dance track Dzogbesoli, Kojo Kawnsela is facing accusations that the song borrows its beat from Stonebwoy’s Jejereje. The track, which features King Nzima and was produced by Monster Beats, has stirred up debate over its similarities to Stonebwoy’s earlier release. Kojo Kawnsela, however, is speaking out against these claims.

In an exclusive conversation with Kobbyjosvan.com, Kawnsela addressed the controversy:

Q: Kojo Kawnsela, many have speculated that you sampled Stonebwoy’s Jejereje beat for Dzogbesoli. How do you respond?

Kojo Kawnsela: I am confident that those who truly seek the truth will eventually find it, although it might take time and effort. Some people prefer to listen to hearsay. In Ghana, over 40% of literate Christians fail to study for themselves and just accept what they’re told. Dzogbesoli is completely unrelated to Jejereje, though it’s true that the two tracks share some similar rhythms and tempos. This is purely coincidental. In fact, my original version of Dzogbesoli, which was produced by ProsbeaTz, actually predates Jejereje by several years.

It featured the Ghanaian-Côte d’Ivoire-based artist Sentinel and was released in 2020. We had to remix it because, due to COVID and my rebranding from Kojo Kritical to Kojo Kawnsela, we weren’t able to promote the song properly at that time. My team suggested remixing some older tracks, and Dzogbesoli just happened to be one of them.

Q: Why does it seem like you’re uncomfortable being accused of sampling from Stonebwoy?

Kojo Kawnsela: Stonebwoy is undoubtedly one of the most influential artists in Ghanaian music, and it would be an honor to have my music compared to his. But the facts remain, Dzogbesoli is not a sample of Jejereje. If I wanted to sample a big artist, I would do it the right way. It’s as simple as that—Dzogbesoli is unique.

Q: Do you have any future collaborations with Stonebwoy in the works?

Kojo Kawnsela: [Laughed] Who wouldn’t be open to collaborating with someone they admire? Stonebwoy is one of the few artists I truly respect, not just for his music but for the messages in his songs. I can’t say for sure if a collaboration will happen, but who knows? Miracles do happen.

Q: What are your plans for Dzogbesoli moving forward?

Kojo Kawnsela: My team at Gong Beater Music is pushing Dzogbesoli along with another single, Mercy for the Earth, both of which were released on October 28. The response has been good, but our attention is also focused on launching the inaugural Nzema Music Arts & Cultural Festival (NzeMACFest) on December 24, which is a major event for us. Because of this, we’ve had to pace the promotion a bit. We’re hoping to release the music videos for Dzogbesoli and Mercy for the Earth by February 2025.