News:- Artistes Protest Against The Dominance Of Nigerian Music In Kenya

August 11, 2015

By RUN RUN SURE

in Audio, News

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Local musicians in Kenya have taken to the streets to vent their frustration at local media in the country for dedicating majority of airplay to music from other countries especially Nigeria and South Africa. The Kenya Musician Movement (KENAM) recently protested the lack of airplay, demanding 70 per cent for Kenyan music on all platforms. The protesters are calling coming in the heels of a directive by the government to all Kenyan TV station to screen 60 per cent of the local content, this is yet to be realized.

According Mitch Wyclif, a publicist for beat ya Keggah production label, ‘we are demanding for 70 per cent airplay from our local media as we see only Tanzania and Nigeria music being aired. The media has turned to be the most corrupt platform. One has to bribe producers of shows and DJs in order to get airplay in their station.’ In recent times, Nigerian pop stars like Davido, Iyanya, Wizkid, Yemi Alade and others have all headlined sold out concerts in Kenya and this is not the first time Kenyan musicians will face off with Nigerian acts.

In March 2015, Kenyan fans took to social media to slam HKN boss, Davido over his poor performance in the country. Also in January 2015, Kenyan rapper Mwafreeka fired shots at Nigerian rapper, Ice Prince and then he apologised a few days later. All that, of course, is not forgetting the beef between Kenyan rapper Jaguar and MMMG lead act Iyanya a few months back….

Kenyan musicians are protesting the lack of airplay on local radio and TV stations in the East African country, the BBC says.

Members of the Kenyan Musician Movement took to the Nation Centre in Nairobi today 10 August, 2015 to air their grief and accused the media of favouritism towards West African and South African music.

According to Nairobi News, Mitch Wyclif, a publicist for Beat Ya Keggah production, said: “We are demanding for 70% airplay from our local media as we see only Tanzania and Nigeria music being aired”.The Kenyan government has put in place a new directive that requires TV stations to broadcast 60% local content. The Communication Authority of Kenya expects all broadcasters to meet this requirement by 2018.

In a report by Josephine Mosongo of Kenyan publication Daily Nation, she wrote that it seemed as though the Kenyan stations could not thrive solely on the local music, as such music from other African countries had to be brought in.

“Truth be told, there is demand for fresh Kenyan music but the supply chain is grossly inadequate”, Mosongo wrote in her article titled “One song a year; are Kenyan artistes lazy?”. She highlighted how the local talent in the country were not able to release as many songs or videos as their Nigerian counterparts in a year.

Recent years have seen Nigerian music gaining popularity across the continent and even in the West.