Dancehall giant Sonni Balli is dead

Reports reaching GhanaWeb indicate that Ghanaian dancehall legend, Sonny Kwabena Akoanor is popularly known as Sonni Balli has passed on.

Although the exact cause of his death is yet to be confirmed, it is alleged that he passed on due to cardiac arrest.

Sonni Balli’s death was reported on, Thursday, 9 June 2022, afternoon and has since been mourned by industry players, some of whom broke the unfortunate news.

Sonni Balli was born on 6 June 1982.

He was the first of three children. While alive, the Dancehall star recounted how his parents always hoped he would grow to be a medical doctor. However, at the age of 9, Sonni began singing in the choir of his church.

His decision to take on a career in music was met with fierce opposition from his parents, however, at the age of 17, against the wish of his parents, he teamed up with popular music producer Nana King.

Together, the duo produced the albums; ‘Kotoho’ and ‘Abrabo’. Aside from his personal success in the music industry, Sonni Balli was an inspiration to the likes of Samini, Stonebwoy, Shatta Wale and many others.

Sonni Balli was also a social activist who encouraged all Africans to stay true to their identity and culture. For that reason, Sonni made music that spoke about his culture but was also good enough for all music lovers.

Sonni Balli through his music preached about love, peace and unity. His song, “Ama Frimpong” spoke about his experience of feeling loved and being in love.

Sonni Balli affectionately referred to himself as a “soul healer” because he believed his music heals the soul and brings joy to his listeners.