The shibboleth of most musicians, especially the secular ones in Ghana now is: “I will record single hit tracks and use them for performances.” But, the overlooked question is: what if you become incapacitated and cannot stand on stage to perform?
Music albums are not bought now as it used to be then (90s). Due to that, the resort of most secular musicians is to produce single tracks, hype them to become hits, and eventually get contracted for performances or what we usually call gigs.
Or, those who are internet inclined or believe in online promotion, willingly and upload their songs on websites, blogs and various social media platforms. Out of all the sources that generate revenue for our musicians, performances or gigs stand tall.
There are Ghanaian music personalities like Thommy Wiredu (late), Pozo Hayes, Bohyeba, and others who live with physical challenges (born with it) even before they got into the limelight as musicians. The fans thus relate to their performances someway somehow.
Imagine an energetic musician like (I will not mention a name, less I become a prophet of doom should any mishap happen) we all know jump like Captain Planet from one side to the other of the stage, is one day attacked with stroke or amputated and for that reason, he/she cannot or can never stand on stage to perform……think it over.
There are so many ill-fates that can befall a musician (just like any other human) that could make it forever impossible for him/her to perform on stage. It could be through ill health like stroke, madness or amputation. Bad times can come anytime, any day, anyhow, anywhere; unannounced.
Kunta Kinte of Bradez fame best suits this feature as a case study. This is a young promising musician of less than 30 years who has been struck with stroke for over 3 years now. Because of that, he can’t perform on stage. Indeed, some years back when he tried, he had to sit in a wheel chair to perform.
Kunta Kinte’s only luck in life is his brothers, Stone and Okyeame Kwame. But for the latter, I’m sure this young musician would have to beg before he eats. The lesson: If you are a musician and your greatest or only revenue stream is through performing singles at music events for a fee, ask yourself the below:
Which legs will I stand on to perform for a fee if accidentally I get injured now and cannot or can never stand on stage to jump and shout ‘let me see your fingers in the air,’ ‘DJ bring it down,’ ‘DJ hold on, ’Sing with me,’ Pull up man?’
I always feel wistful that Ghana’s (may be Africa as a whole) music industry could not patiently continue producing albums but rushed into the singles trend of music and uploading them on social networks for free download..
We have indeed shot ourselves in the head for drifting from the production of mass music albums to singles. We make too much haste in copying things from the West. If Western musicians have stopped recording albums or are recording singles, they have all the systems to support that and can still get huge revenue from single songs.
How? Their credit card system and internet supports online or e-marketing of their music industry as well as their copyright laws, royalty collection societies, media, etc work! Ghanaian musicians could still be producing mass music albums for sale they used to in the 90s, but…..today here we are – living in a single track promotion music industry.
At least if you are a musician and you become incapacitated and for that reason may not be able to perform on stage for a fee, your album sales could be feeding you or you could be recording songs in the studio for the public to buy your albums.
Already our musicians don’t get royalties, corporate endorsement deals always come with unfavourable terms and conditions and even with performances, they are either not paid well or some of them perform on batter basis…..(heave a sigh of relief)
Ghanaian musicians and single music trend; what if you can’t perform again on stage? I’m not predicting any evil, neither I’m I suggesting we go back for album production and sale, because that is not possible; I’m only stimulating your thinking and provoking a discussion. Share an opinion if you have one. Until then….MOTWUM!!
httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xjqY7nrOt7M
The writer used Kunta as a case study and firmly also stated he cant perform on stage. There’s nothing wrong using as a scenario but for the point that he cant perform isn’t true through kk. The last time he performed was last month. Get your fact correct