Stonebwoy, president of Bhim Nation, has lauded popular American artist Meek Mill for apologizing to Ghanaians on the Jubilee House music video shoot during his December 2022 visit to Ghana.
Stonebwoy opined on the Breakfast Club radio show in the USA that, he believes Meek Mill was able to shoot a music video at Ghana’s Presidential residence because he was granted permission.
“This will probably be the first time I am speaking about that because I’ve not necessarily tried to stay out of that comment. But truth be told, I could come to the States and go to the White House and do what I want to do except there was a certain amount of leeway that I could do stuff,” he said.
He noted, however, that Meek Mill did the right thing by eventually apologizing.
“I don’t think it is a big deal, and I mean, the internet got crazy, and he did the best thing he had to do because for me, it was the job of the security personnel and the protocol to make sure that ‘bro, we don’t film over here, we don’t do this over here, we don’t do that.” He is excited, he doesn’t know the laws, I believe. So he only tried to get the best of his trip,” he added.
When Meek Mill posted the video on his Instagram page on January 8, 2023, Stonebwoy commented with a fire emoji. Some wondered what exactly he was communicating, at a time when the video had raised hackles among most Ghanaians.
In the video, Meek Mill, in the company of some friends were seen in and around the Jubilee House jamming to his latest track. The rapper and his colleagues walked through some chambers of the Jubilee House, as well as the outer precincts of the facility.
Meek Mill also made use of the official podium which President Akufo-Addo uses for public addresses, while performing portions of lines in his upcoming song. Although he later deleted the video, he received scathing commentary on various platforms, especially social media.
In his apology, he said even though he sought permission for the shoot, he thought the officials at the Jubilee House probably didn’t know he was going to use it for a music video.
I don’t think they knew it was video footage when we asked to shoot its a small camera and one kid … in America we didn’t know this existed and was excited to show because they don’t show Ghana on our media much! So I’ll take responsibility for my mistake! Not intentional https://t.co/obDZb9Czu5— MeekMill (@MeekMill) January 9, 2023
Meanwhile, the Director of Diaspora Affairs at the Office of the President, Akwasi Awua Ababio said in an interview that officials at the Jubilee House were unaware that the ‘Dreams and Nightmares’ hitmaker was shooting visuals when he visited the President.