The State of African Musicians

After the announcement that D’Banj had been signed to Kanye West’s record label (see article below), I found myself having a debate with someone on Facebook about whether or not this is a good thing for African musicians and the African music industry.

The opinion by this individual was that we Africans do not value ourselves and our music unless we receive some form of validation from our American counterparts. And, he could not understand why anyone would be happy for D’Banj simply because he had been signed to Kanye’s label.

His point is valid, and there is definitely a truth to it. Most Africans, in the music industry or not, view anything American as better than anything that is originally African. Yet, this individual could not see past this point, and view the bigger picture.

D’Banj has been a major artist on the African continent for some time now. He is not a new discovery by Kanye. D’Banj has been awarded for his music and held places on African music charts. Because of this, it should be seen as nothing but a natural progression to be able to grow as an artist as well as grow his audience and fan base. American and European artists develop fan bases and sell their music in Africa, so why should it become a subject of debate when an African attempts to establish his brand in America?

But the bigger point that I feel needs to be made is that most African artists die poor. After their careers are over, they never reach a point where they can retire on their royalties or other business ventures developed through their music careers. The reasons for this can also be argued, but what I want to emphasise is that because of these limitations, on making a  livelihood, on African artists, it is also a natural thing for them to want to establish themselves in places where it is possible to be able to make a lasting and substantial income from their talent and craft. Until such a time arises that African artists can die with some money in the bank in their own countries (like artists in the U.S.A)without having to go overseas to earn it, then I think we will then be able to legitimately question the conscious/subconscious need to ‘make it’ in the U.S.A.