This past weekend, I had a one-hour set to DJ at an established venue in Dar-es-Salaam. I was supposed to be guest-DJ’ing, but there were a few issues to begin with. Issue number one: It had been planned very spontaneously; as of 4 hours before my set, the owner still did not know I was going onto the booth. He found out eventually. Issue number two: The venue attracted listeners of all styles, but most especially hip-hop and R&B, which brings me to issue number three: I prefer playing house, and although in my lifetime as a DJ I have had to learn (the hard way) that you need to respect your listeners and play along their vibes, I felt like sticking to my preferred genre that night.
So my hour came by, and I went up there, and mixed into the resident DJ’s last track (he was playing BEP’s track with David Guetta, I got a feeling) with a bootleg house remix of Snoop’s Sensual Seduction. That’s about all I got to play, because as soon as I was mixing in Beltek’s Niagara Falls, I saw the owner come up to the resident DJ, motion to him to get me out of there, and within a minute, the resident had slammed on Andre 3000’s Hey Yeah, and I had to gather my CDs and bounce from that booth. The reason? The owner had seen a few people stop dancing. This is the first time I had been ushered out of a set after about 4 minutes of playing. What could I say to the owner? He was just looking out for his clients. And what could I say to his clients? They were just having a good time… well, not during my set, apparently.
Now here’s the thing: I, and other artists in Tanzania that deal with music, need to understand that radio stations control the tastes in this country. Radio is the most proliferated source of media in Tanzania today. More people have access to radio than newspaper, television and computer or mobile media. In addition, most of these radio stations hire staff to produce their media, so those staff become neo-agents for new and budding artists in the Tanzanian market, me included. They aren’t really legal agents because they do not contractually represent any artists. They represent them in intangible forms however, because artists may or may not achieve a following depending on how much the radio station staff expose a new track, album, or mix on their shows.
A few weeks ago I was visiting one such radio station which was fortunate enough to also have staff that produced programming for TV and print. While signing in at the front-gate, I bumped into two young hip-hop artists. They saw me sign in under the name of Vijana FM, and began asking me about whether or not we ran a radio station. I told them we didn’t run an FM broadcast station, but that we were working on marketing educational and entrepreneurial content. They gave me a sample CD (I will be sampling their music next week here), in hopes that I would play it somewhere they could be heard and be exposed to the general Tanzanian population. I hope Vijana FM can help.
The point I’m trying to illustrate is that it is difficult for artists in Tanzania to break through current styles, partly because radio stations are not staying on point with genres across the board. You might be able to catch a new Rihanna track, or hear Drake playing 10 times a day, but you won’t hear the Swedish House Mafia, or Ian Carey. We rinsed Bob Marley’s music but left Lauren Hill behind. We say we appreciate Bongo flava, yet we don’t make room for the younger artists who end up in school abroad and achieve a following there. I might have missed something along the way, but isn’t the point of a radio station to cater to different styles? I understand it is a business and businesses have specific markets they serve, but then radio stations who listen to and play specific genres should be open and honest about that. At least that way, other stations know where they stand. Otherwise they end up undermining the musical talent that exists across the country; artists end up feeling forced to create something that is not truly theirs, and is not truly new. In turn, this undermines what the public likes listening to, because the radio stations are not being open to what else could be played.
Radio in Tanzania should make more room for budding artists. That is the only way venues, concerts, and entertainment in general will make space for innovation. Until people have access to other forms of media, this responsibility lies on the staff who produce programming at radio stations.
And by all means, other interest groups – like Vijana FM – should be encouraging this. How? Through the production of media that is (1) listener-friendly, (2) socially beneficial (ie: good for the public, including artists), and (3) playable in partnership with radio stations.
Growing up in Tanzania one would never get to hear tunes like Mt Eden’s Sierra Leonne, whilst also in Germany for example it is hard to find Kwaito or Hip Hop tunes playing in mainstream clubs, or radio.
So most of us prefer the music we listen to due to hearing over and over the same kind of genre as we grew up. In this digital-age those with resources have the opportunity to explore different kinds of music from the ones they grew up listening to. Some of us are less open, whilst others embrace the diversity.
With regards to artists. Does having organs like BASATA (Baraza la Sanaa Tanzania) help in any way? B’se personally I think they just have too much talk but less action. You would hear seminars about this and that all year round. I doubt if they are influential. Can someone share what move such groups have made to transform how the music industry is run?
I blame Radio alot and maybe the reason could be, the programmers and presenters do not have enough expertise as far as music is concerned. Another reason could be the world famous “URASIMU” coz the music industry is no different from any other industry for “Bribe” not to affect it. On another note, the artists need to also work on their art, because honestly, there are no hook ups so hardwork and perseverance is what is going to make them stars and it is the only way u can breakthrough even when the radio stations are forming a brick wall….. Another thing that i came to realize is that people do not appreciate local artists as much as they do to international acts. The reason for this could simply be as mentioned above that, they are forced to listed to only certain selected few, and eventully grow to believe thats whats hot. Call it POWER OF THE MEDIA. If people start to embrace they own and stop that “swagger za mtoni” comotion, they can definitely help budding artists, coz they can force their way to radio and other media outlets by the way of DEMAND AND SUPPLY after they have heard them in the streets through mixtapes, freestyles and battles.
Nai-miss Bongo kinoma, ila likija suala la muziki hasa Bongo Flava au Hip Hop, nadhani mimi kuwa mbali kumenifanya niweze kuwa na uhuru wa kuchagua kusikiliza wimbo gani ninaupenda au la; sio ile kusikilizishwa kila siku wimbo huo huo.
Most of the time when a “hot” song comes out, they (DJs) will keep playing that song like everyday, up to 10 times in 24 hrs. I don’t know what’s happening there. Bongo, we just have one kind of genre? One “hit” song in a couple of weeks?
Yea, even in the West media outlets (i.e. the powerhouses) are the ones running the show. Everything. The sad part – as Wakazi pointed out (and I agree with him) – most of our DJs seem not to have even an idea whatsover about MUSIC in general. And that’s the main source of all the problems.
Ushabiki wa wadau wakubwa unaua muziki Bongo, ukianzia kwa DJs (ambao ni mameneja wa wasanii). Ushindani kati ya wasanii upo, lakini sio ushindani wa kweli. Kuna nyimbo kali sana zilitoka zikawekwa kapuni (of koz, najua kuna nyimbo nyingine hazina kiwango)…Sijui kama kuna mtu hapa alishawahi kusikia wimbo wa msanii mmoja kutoka Mwanza “Uso wa mbuzi.” Kwa kipindi kile, nadhani ilikuwa one of the hottest tracks, lakini mshkaji alikuwa Mwanza akipiga mzigo, hakuweza “kuongea” na wahusika… Wimbo ukafa kibudu.
A lot of truth in this article, although again stuck in only one area of music
I think what I am hearing being said is that we need more transparency in production studios, or we need a new breed of production studios that reach out – actually reach out (instead of waiting) – to local talent.
Hi,
I feel what you’re saying. We have run many events and we’ve been on both side of the story. It takes a lot of courage to change things.
Years ago a house event started and if they had listened to the comments of the owners and visitors it would not have survived that long. Radio does influence the taste of their listeners, but their have been a lot of underground movements, to make things/tastes/styles change. Go out and make it happen.
Start your pirate radio station and play Ian Carey, Bob Sinclar, BorntoFunk, Sebastian Ingrosso.
Or find a way to cater for all tastes. Ian Carey made a great remix of Snoop Dogg 😉
I think internet is the future in East Africa / Tanzania so you’re on the right track!!