“We were not lazy as Shatta Wale put it; he felt threatened when we gained fame after ‘Taking Over’ track – Former SM Militant member

Former SM Militant member Joint 77 has rejected claims by dancehall musician Shatta Wale that he and his former group members were lazy, insisting that they continued recording songs even after their hit collaboration, Taking Over, gained popularity.

Speaking during a discussion on Adom TV, Joint 77 explained that the group remained active in the studio after the success of the song but alleged that Shatta Wale failed to release some of the songs they recorded.

According to him, the situation raises questions about Shatta Wale’s reasons for describing the group as lazy, suggesting that the dancehall musician may have felt threatened by the growing recognition they received following the success of Taking Over.

Joint 77’s comments challenge the explanation Shatta Wale gave in May 2020 when he announced that he had parted ways with the SM Militants, comprising Joint 77, Addi Self, Captan and Natty Lee.

At the time, Shatta Wale accused the group members of being lazy and lacking the commitment required to establish themselves as successful musicians. He also claimed that he had provided them with opportunities to develop their musical careers but was dissatisfied with their efforts.

The dancehall star further argued that he had written the lyrics for their collaborative songs, a claim that contributed to the public disagreement between him and the former members.

However, Joint 77 has consistently disputed aspects of Shatta Wale’s account of their working relationship, arguing that the group contributed to the success of their collaborative projects.

Their 2017 hit song Taking Over, which featured Shatta Wale alongside Joint 77, Captan and Addi Self, became one of the notable releases associated with the SM Militants. The song helped bring the group to wider public attention and strengthened their association with the Shatta Movement brand.

Despite the song’s success, the relationship between Shatta Wale and the group eventually deteriorated, leading to their separation in 2020.

His claim that Shatta Wale felt threatened by the group's growing fame remains his personal interpretation of events and has not been independently established.