Popular singer Bahati has expressed concerns over a huge presence of foreign music in the country’s streaming platforms. Bahati who shared screenshots of these platforms got disappointed at the disproportionate airtime given to international artists. He highlighted the need for local artists to unite and elevate their music collectively.
“Wasanii wenzangu wa Kenya tumeacha jirani analala hadi na bibi zetu… From YouTube, Boomplay, iTunes to our radios & TVs… Number #1 to #10 Trending ni Tanzania I almost thought I was in Dar-es-alaam,” he said.
Bahati added it wasn’t that he had anything against artists from Tanzania or Nigeria. In fact, he mentioned that Diamond Platnumz and Ali Kiba were his good friends and brothers. However, he emphasized that a lesson needed to be picked from this situation.
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He believed that it was high time Kenyan artists stopped the mentality of thinking they could make it alone and instead should come together as a united force.
Bahati further noted that it is nearly impossible for a solo artist to bring the Kenyan sound to the global stage. He stressed on the need for collaboration with fellow artists to achieve this.
“…Or else we will keep curtain raising for our neighbours. Look at what they’re doing, they’re coming together and through their unity they’re taking over home and away! Don’t get me wrong sio collabo naitisha nikitaka collabo nitaimba na Diana B,” he said.
Bahati’s sentiments have sparked mixed reactions from netizens on social media. While some individuals concurred with his views, others presented their own rationales for the decline of Kenyan music.
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Others argued that most Kenyan artists pay very little or no attention at all when it comes to investing in quality production. While on the other hand others noted that they are not promoting their music well enough.
Bahati’s point of view on the Kenyan music industry echoes that of popular comedian Eric Omondi, who has been vocal about the state of the music domain in the country. Eric has been condemning Kenyan artists for not producing great music despite his efforts to fight for their rights.
The comedian-turned-activist has countless number of times called out on artists for shooting shoddy videos with low quality which have allegedly put the Kenyan music industry to shame.
In his recent past antics, Eric compared Kenyan music to that of Nigeria and Tanzania, stating that they dominate our country because they are far much better than us.
“I have fought for artists, I have been tear gassed in parliament but you keep embarrassing us. Tanzanians and Nigerians are doing better than you all,” Omondi ranted.
