Ali Kiba: Why East African music is yet to receive global recognition
Tanzanian singer Ali Kiba has waded into the emotive topic of why East African music is still not receiving global recognition like music from Nigeria and South Africa.
Speaking during a media interview Ali Kiba faulted Kenyan and Tanzanian artistes for not supporting each other in the industry.
According to the Aje hit maker Nigerians love and support each other and that is why their music is popular.
“In general I’ll speak about what is so obvious. In order to sell muziki you need crowd. Nigerians are very proud of their country and their music. That is why their music has been spreading,” Ali Kiba said.
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“They got their connections way back and they are are more united than us (East Africans). They support each other so much. It will take time for us to get there,” he said.
Nigerian songs are very popular in the African continent. Their success in the entertainment industry perhaps is the reason why here in Kenya comedian Eric Omondi has been fighting for more Kenyan music to be played by the mainstream media houses to help Kenyan artistes catch up with their counterparts.
“Our musicians have become mere curtain raisers for international acts. We have become clowns in our land. Every weekend there is a group of 3 or 4 foreign artists in Nairobi,” the comedian said last year.
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“Where are the Kenyan concerts? The curfew has been lifted, it is time to dust ourselves and get to work. We can do it, we have all it takes to reclaim this lost glory. Let’s have South Africans hosting monthly Gengetone festivals in Johannesburg, let’s get our musicians storming other countries and cities every weekend.”
Recently he termed Kenyan artistes as “lazy”, something that he says has slowly killed the industry. He argued that Kenyan musicians have become curtain-raisers for international acts.
“The Kenya entertainment scene is dead! We have become clowns in our own land. Every weekend there is a group of three or four foreign artistes in this city of Nairobi. Gengetone is dead and buried. Today I see joemuchiri1 heading down to Nanyuki for the monthly Amapiano tour. Guys, we have a monthly South African-themed music festival in our country! We have lost our glory,” he ranted.
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