Ezekiel Mutua: Content creators are to blame for dirty music
During his time as the CEO of the Kenya Film Classification Board (KFCB), Ezekiel Mutua rubbed many the wrong way for his campaign for clean content.
All the harsh criticism notwithstanding, Dr Mutua remained firm. Even after leaving KFCB and joining Music Copyright Society of Kenya (MCSK), Dr Mutua is a man on a mission.
In fact, he now lays the blame on content creators for glorifying sexualized content. According to Mutua content creators have played a major role in some of the dirty content that are seen on some lyrics and music videos.
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“When we started we received a lot of opposition. People thought we were infringing on their freedom, but our goal was focused on the young generation who for one reason or the other do not have enough parental supervision. A person who has not attained the age of 18 years is still a responsibility of the government,” Dr Mutua said.
“I joined KFCB during the analogue to digital transition period and new digital spaces became available, like social media and a lot of content that was being created there was dirty. Content creators believe that content has to be sexualized for it to sell.
“Celebrities also started following this trend of including dirty lyrics and half naked women on their music videos. Content creators started normalizing bad behaviour. The values of our young people are shaped by what they see online,” he said.
He said despite not being a regulator anymore his work is still not yet over.
“Now I am no longer a regulator, but I am grateful that I am still in the same sector, and where I am is the best place where I can be able to do more. Because apart from regulating where I am we give direction and advice,” he said.
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Artistes, he said, need to understand that they have been given a talent by God which is a big responsibility.
“An artiste is someone who has been given a talent by God to build the society and not destroy it. Some of the things we are advocating to our artistes, to think about the kind of music they produce. A song that they would be content to watch with their parents or children,” Dr Mutua said.
“The truth is content that sells all over the world is content that is suitable for family viewing. There is more money for content that is consumed by a lot of people rather than a group of people. Dirty lyrics can be popular but it does not sell. That is why you see artistes who produce such songs are not doing well financially,” he said.
In 2019, while still at KFCB, Dr Mutua proposed a restriction of two local songs in public places because of sexual innuendos in the lyrics.
Dr Mutua directed that the two songs, Wamlambez by Sailors and Tetema by Rayvany and Diamond Platnumz, only be played in night clubs and bars and not in public spaces where children are likely to be.
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