#FRONTROW: Liking foreign music is fine, but let’s also back our musicians

American musician Chris Brown, Nigerians Flavour and Wizkid, Tanzanians Ali Kiba and Vanessa Mdee, Ugandan Navio and Ghanaian Fuse ODG all performed in Kenya this past weekend. They were all on two big stages – at the coast’s Mombasa Rocks Festival  and the FOMO Party in Nairobi. That t so many foreign acts have an audience in Kenya should signal a universal appreciation for good music regardless of its origins, right? Wrong.

Seven  non-Kenyan musicians can all have big audiences here because the crowd glorifies them over local acts. “I don’t listen to local music,” is strangely a cool thing to say in Kenya. just like it is alright to brag that you don’t speak any of your parents’ mother tongues. There are countless avenues for the promotion of foreign music, from broadcast media to concerts and festivals that play only “international” music. Even a Kenyan station that is supposed to be an outlet for only African hits  mostly plays Nigerian music.

STRONG WORDS FOR THE NEW NORMAL

No wonder one of the pioneers of the urban Kenyan sound, Nyashinki (Nyamari Ongegu), has such strong words for this new normal. In his song, "Now You Know", the rapper rails against getting called up to curtain raise for a Nigerian musician. He has the luxury of calling rap a hobby and maintains that he has a livelihood beyond music. There are many who toil in recording studios, put out new music and end up with 3,427 views on YouTube. Sometimes it is because the material is harmful to the  ear and should be rightfully shunned but it is often because Kenyans are busy showing love to Diamond’s new video or commenting on the cultural significance of Beyoncé’s Lemonade.

There is nothing wrong with having a global, eclectic taste in music. I am not suggesting that Kenyans should listen exclusively to local artistes. All I am saying is that King Kaka’s emotional song, "Papa", dedicated to his late father and featuring the talented Elani, deserves more attention. I expected to see a long read on what sexually permissive culture Gabu, Frasha and Joe Mfalme are promoting in "Wabe", which has become a club anthem everywhere.

WOULD GIVE MY EYES

I would give my eyes for a long read on Bahati and Willy Paul’s styles, their musical inspirations and what their different dramas mean for a new generation of gospel music. Why aren’t more people pointing out  the outstanding creativity in the video for "Thitima Anthem" by Kymo and Stigah, and why they deserve that Groove Award for Best Song? I just want greater respect accorded to the unbelievably talented Filah (Philip Tuju) and the excellent work he is doing with the Upper Hill School boys Redfourth Chorus Choir.

Koroga Festival, Blankets and Wine, Mombasa Rocks as well as other similar opportunities are important to a nation’s culture. Even in the US, watching Chris Brown in concert is a treat so it is admirable to have him perform on a Kenyan stage. Getting a legend like Hugh Masekela to thrill Kenyan fans is an achievement that should not be downplayed. What if local artistes were also supported enough to gain that international standing so that they can ask for Sh1 million per minute for a performance?

UGANDANS REALLY PARTY

I’ve just returned from Kampala and I was amazed by how much Ugandans party. On the Wednesday I arrived, I went to three different nightclubs and they were all packed.

“Don’t they have jobs to go to tomorrow and actual responsibilities in life?” I asked nobody in particular when yet another club was still full on Sunday. Just two days earlier, the Ugandan musician, Maurice Kirya, had been a guest on our show live in Kampala. He was performing at an event next to us at the Kampala Serena. He was off to another show right after his set at the Miss Tourism Uganda Awards.

Two weeks earlier, I had asked another prominent Ugandan artiste, Chameleone, why his countrymen appear to be richer than their Kenyan counterparts.

“There are more events in Kampala than in Nairobi,” he had told me. “In Uganda, there are more shows and more endorsements and those provide revenue.”

I saw it first-hand from looking at Kirya’s schedule and the numerous activities that took place during the week I was there. It reminded me of the variety in local music I had when I  lived briefly in South Africa. On most days in Johannesburg, I had the option of watching various Mzansi artistes in concert at different venues. In Nairobi, the turnout is often so embarrassing that they just stopped doing them. Instead, local musicians are asked to curtain raise for the next Naija or Bongo star for a fraction of their fees.

***

ETHIOPIA’S  CURIOUS MIX OF CONTRADICTIONS

By the end of this year, Ethiopia will have a bigger economy than Kenya, despite its well documented challenges. The country just declared a six-month state of emergency after months of violent anti-government protests.

The Oromo and the Amhara make up about 60 per cent of the population and are unhappy that the tiny Tigrean elite control all the power.  The International Monetary Fund (IMF) estimates that Ethiopia’s gross domestic product (GDP) will grow from $61.62 billion in 2015 to $69.21 billion this year, narrowly beating Kenya’s, which is expected to rise from $63.39 billion to $69.17 billion this year.

“We put our citizens’ safety first,” Ethiopian Prime Minister Hailemariam Desalegn said in a televised address on Sunday. “Besides, we want to put an end to the damage that is being carried out against infrastructure projects, educational institutions, health centres, administration and justice buildings.”

I remember Addis Ababa as a continuous construction zone – buildings and roads are always coming up. The country’s economy appears to be growing even as the democratic space remains thin and protestors raise legitimate concerns. How come Kenya, which has almost none of those challenges, has to play catchup in this game? Is democracy overrated?

***

SAMSUNG NOTE 7 KEEPS BLOWING UP

Kenya Airways now warns passengers against using or charging the Samsung Galaxy Note 7 phone while onboard it  aircraft. There are also giant signs outside the check-in counters at JKIA to that effect. In the last month alone, I have seen similar notices by Delta, KLM, Emirates and countless other airlines. The situation is really blowing up for Samsung, whichever way you look at it. A third replacement Note 7 is reported to have caught fire in Kentucky, US, last week, according to local station WKYT. After an unprecedented recall of the device because of some battery fires while charging, the issue hasn’t cooled down. The Wall Street Journal reported that Samsung was investigating consumer complaints that its replacement phones were also overheating. Just two months ago, critics all agreed that the Note 7 was probably the best smartphone out there. It sucks to be a senior executive at Samsung right now.

***

FEEDBACK: ON WHY WE SHOULD GET RID OF MATATUS

I agree with you on the matatu menace. We need to evolve and mature as a people. It takes maturity to do the right thing. Western societies have evolved over the years, realising that to get ahead of the pack, things must be done right and that’s why people from across the world flock to live their dream in these nations because there is order. We need order in the matatu industry. It doesn’t make sense that millions of citizens are abused, mistreated and killed to satisfy the greed of a few hundred people who control the cartels.

Njeri

We need orderly, efficient, organised, appropriate, scheduled public transport. The rude, chaotic matatus are not only death traps, but also inefficient, and expensive.

The NTSA is a confused, incompetent entity that, instead of formulating policies, does menial police work. The late John Michuki achieved much more in one year, at much lower cost, than the NTSA will achieve in 10 years.

The traffic police are corrupt and useless. Judging from the so-called police vetting, the goal of traffic police is not road safety but collecting bribes. Half-hearted cures like the recent rules published by the CS will never work.

Ben

Larry, you know very well that accidents happen daily, anywhere and everywhere. The matatu culture can’t be responsible for a few notorious matatus. For example, if you accidentally kill someone today, should we blame the Nation Media Group? Don’t blame the matatu culture, blame the driver. 

Besides, how can you compare Nairobi with London and New York? We live in a third world country where 80 per cent see London only on TV. We can’t apply the same traffic laws. Matatus are the poor man’s Uber. London has underground trains, scheduled bus services, taxis and a road network that is designed for that type of transport arrangement. If we were to apply their standards, we would have to rebuild our city.

Andrew

Larry, your anger at the chaos and needless loss of lives caused by matatus is justified, but can you put the whole blame on this transport system? The real culprits are the matatu owners who employ unworthy drivers and have unworthy vehicles, the law keepers who take bribes and help keep these rogue drivers and vehicles on our roads and allow them to break traffic rules with impunity and arrogance and above all, Kenyans who turn a blind eye to this madness. If those who use matatu users boycotted them for a one week and suffered temporary transport inconvenience, it might bring a permanent solution and some sanity to this vital system.