Eric Omondi under fire for ‘Kenyan music is dead’ comments
A move by controversial comedian Eric Omondi to suggest the music industry in Kenya ‘is dead’ has been met with fury from a number of musicians.
Omondi suggested the music scene in Kenya was now akin to a ‘cemetry’.
“It is utter disgrace,” he argued.
“Our musicians have become mere curtain raisers for international acts. We have become clowns in our own land. Every weekend there is a group of 3 or 4 foreign artists in Nairobi.”
Not done, Omondi advised musicians to take advantage of the post-pandemic to up their game.
“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.”
But these comments have rubbed a number of musicians the wrong way with Juacali demanding for ‘respect’ in a video he released on his social media channels.
“We need to have respect. It has been a long and painful journey for the music industry in Kenya and there have been ups and downs. The internet has brought a different level of competition because as of now we are competing with the whole world. So we need the support of everyone. It is unfortunate for a comedian to bash at musicians. I am a fan of stand-up comedy but even he cannot stand for an hour and make people laugh,” said Jua Cali.
Lol!! Tanzania siku mbili ukafundishwa sarakasi ndio inafanya uongeee mbaya hivi kuhusu KE artists ?!! Some comedians and presenters/bloggers belittle and disrespect KE artists day in day out and some of them tried to be musicians and failed terribly at it …Heshima idumu ☺️
— GREATNESS (@Femi_One) November 6, 2021
Bien-Aime Baraza, the former Sauti Sol lead singer, also had his take.
Eric Omondi is the buttcrack of comedy. What he does in the name of entertainment and comedy is shambolic. It is not good marketing either. It is Clout chasing deadbeat clowning. That is not art. Our industry is in transition. We just got our groove back after a pandemic.
— Man a Baldman (@bienaimesol) November 7, 2021
Singer Bahati also hit back, accusing Omondi of operating a brothrel.
“This guy (read Omondi) has lost it since he opened that brothel in the name wife material show. He know believes stripping naked is comedy. Young men respect our industry.”