I
SUPPORT NBC'S BAN ON WHIZKID'S AND PHYNO'S SONGS...AND I RECOMMEND MORE!
A few hours ago,
the Nigerian Broadcasting Corporation came out with a list of NTBB songs (Not
To Be Broadcast). Though such songs have been on the airwaves for months but I
guess it's better late than never. The songs are Whizkid's 'The Matter' and
Phyno's 'Man of the year'
On social media,
a predictable furor has been generated by the NBC's action. Fans and friends
of the concerned artists have been expressing their angst over the ban with
some asking what yardstick was used in placing such a ban. As amusing and
sometimes annoying one finds some of those comments, which I think stem from an
emotive viewpoint rather than logical, I have to pity such commentators because
I believe they actually are the ones the songs have corrupted in the first
place.
In Today's
entertainment sector, sex is king. The more sex the music videos suggest, the
better for the artistes, music video directors and even the stations. I have
repeatedly screamed at various interactive music fora that these days, when
watching the Nigerian television channels either on terrestrial or satellite
bouquets, one cannot differentiate between the lewd music videos and soft porn!
It is also alarming and befuddling that many of the musical acts getting brand
endorsements here and there are nothing to write home about when it comes to
the lyrical content of their songs or the moral appropraiteness of their music
videos! These young turks sing blatantly about sex without giving a hoot about
the most important audience of all; the children. If they don't know it, they
should be told that children are quite impressionable and what goes into a
child's mind visually can either distort that child's moral progression or
improve on the child's human development as time goes on. But do SOME of these
repressed reprobates in the music sector care? Not in the least! The more
raunchy the music videos are, the better for the rascals. Just to buttress my
point, have you guys seen the way most Nigerian kids dance to some of these
songs at children's parties? It's all about winding their waist and even
twerking much to either the amusement or amazement of their parents. Yes,
thanks to these accursed music videos, we are breeding a new generation of
morally bankrupt youths who just need a little prod in their subconscious minds
to become the future terrors of the New Republic of Sexual Nigeria! Mark my
words.
And I won't lay
the blame on the artistes alone. The radio and television stations which fight
over themselves to broadcast those songs and videos are as guilty in this
regard. Perhaps too, the music video directors who come up with such concepts.
The NBC too is as hypocritical with these bans as it is sometimes inept. I
would suggest a total overhaul of their monitoring unit, if my opinion is
asked. I mean, why would they wait for months after such songs must have gained
heavy rotation on radio and television before they use their hammer? What kind
of crass dereliction of duty is that?
The relatively
new Director-General of the NBC, Mr Emeka Mba, is well known to me. He just
assumed duty a few weeks ago and I believe he should make it his duty to clean
up the airwaves. And please, no double standards! There are worse American and
even African music videos and audio tracks ravaging our airwaves which the NBC
don't know jack about! Some radio On Air Personalities take delight in playing
some lewd songs with the 'F' word unbleeped at times. A few months back, I was
driving in the same car with a Reverend Gentleman and we had one of those FM
stations on the car radio that afternoon. Akon's song with the chorus ' I wanna
f**k you...f**k you out on the floor...'assaulted our ears. On radio? I had to
join the shocked Reverend Father in making the sign of the cross even though I
had switched to Pentecostalism years ago! Such was the shock.
We all have
witnessed how Whizkid slyly came into the scene a few years ago. I use the word
'slyly' because his first single 'Holla at your boy' was a neat teen-pop track
which was family friendly and won him a huge fan base across continents. Having
achieved his aim, his next couple of singles introduced the lyrical direction
of his debut album. 'Tease me' was a daring post-pubescent song which extolled
his plea for sexual freedom and also a blatant praise of his mojo. 'Na me be
the bad guys' he crows. The accompanying video to that track was as
suggestively lewd with pole-dancing girls doing some randy stuff. The clean boy
image of Whizkid took a back seat and thereon his handlers and producers tried
to sell him as a post-teen sex symbol.
So, it was no
surprise to the discerning ones amongst us when his new singles were laced with
overtly raunchy suggestivism. Let us examine the lyrics of the banned single in
question; 'Back to the matter, open and close, touch your toes, oya baby..,'.
Chai! May your children grow up in the ways of the Lord.
I have nothing
against the hard working Whizkid, in case some puerile minds begin to think in
their usual template that 'what's Novia's own?' Or 'He's just jealous of
Whizkid's success' which is a usual conclusion when critiques like these meant
to correct an anomaly raise some dust. I actually enjoy most of the young man's
clean songs as much as I abhor his lewd ones. This is basically a call to him
and others of his ilk to go inwards and re-engineer their lyrics. Better still
as Gbemi Olateru Olagbegi of Beat FM tweeted, they should go the extra mile in
producing clean radio edit versions of some of their songs.
Phyno is one interesting
rap artiste I have been studying. He joins the league of rappers who rap in
native lingo, following the footsteps of his artistic heralders, 2Shotz and Dat
NIGGA Raw. Phyno understands the essence of showmanship and personal branding,
what with his unique Mohawk hairstyle and his style of dressing. I don't
understand Igbo very well but I have listened to the banned song 'Man of the
Year' for controversial or lewd lyrics as well as his other songs. Here are
some words I found;
'Okereke
okereke..
My guys no
abaleke...
N'ekperem ekpere
Sika m fepu ka
chekeleke
Si mu kuwa
k'elekera
Na ezem
k'ekelebe
Ebughim otu mana m ga n'egbu ha ebelebe
...Something wey
don enter don enter but if e nor gree enter, make you rub vaseline'
Please someone
explain a bit to me about the meaning of some of his suggestivism in those
words? I think that is why the NBC banned the song.
In any case,
Phyno is one act to watch. I don't really rate him as a fantastic emcee but
he's commercial and would go far...somehow.
There are some Nigeria music
videos which I would personally recommend for non-broadcast and I hope the NBC
takes note somehow. This recommendation is without fear or favour and I must
state too that it does not in anyway detract from the amazing talents of the artistes
who I give props to for raising the bar in their chosen field. However, while
they are raising the bar, I and millions of concerned parents are raising our
kids so please 'make una nor spoil my blues with una razz ragga'. Shikena.
Wande Coal's 'KICK'
video should be banned off the national television space. Seriously, have you
seen the ladies shaking their bums in that video? For the pious and piety men
reading this, I would advise you not to bother checking it out. Especially if
you just came out of a spititual fasting regimen like I had just done when I
saw the video. Needless to say I resumed my fasting with more vigour after
that. If Timaya's 'shake your bum bum' video was sexually provocative, Coal's
'Kick' video gave a double provocation with two bum-shakers.
Olamide is a
great musical act who is making waves at present. We all have watched his
gradual ascent for the past couple of years and he has succeeded in filling a
void left open by the late Dagrin. I have my reservations about his latest
video 'Durosoke' but that is not the video I'm recommending for non-broadcast.
There's one he calls 'Stupid love' which I believe promotes alcoholic
inebriation; which I presume to be against the broadcasting rules. In the
video, Olamide in almost every cut is seen clutching a green bottle
suggestively filled with either rum or brandy or some strong coloured spirits.
He takes deliberate swigs from the bottle and even chants at a point in the
song about feeling 'high'. This video gets massive airplay on national
stations. I think it should be yanked off. Oh yes, some may argue that there's
no proof that the contents in that bottle is alcohol. Balderdash! Why don't
such people argue that the 'yanshes' they see in some of the music videos I
mentioned above are harmless to the psyche of the children? And not only
children too, come to think of it!
There are quite
a few more I could recommend but why would I do the NBC's job for them? Isn't
that one of their functions as a Commission?
It is high time
we cleaned up the airwaves. Let those who wish to listen to lewd songs or watch
raunchy music videos do so on other media. It is a sin the way we corrupt the
minds of our children in the name of artistic licence
Charles Novia
'ANTENNA' BY
FUSE ODG
A month ago, I was
buying a hot meal at a restaurant when on the SOUNDCITY channel, I saw and
heard this track 'Antenna' for the first time. I was taken in by the sheer
energy of the video and was pleasantly surprised to see Wyclef Jean, one of my
favourite acts, as a guest artiste in the remixed video. I said to myself then
that the song had a catchy chorus and an unusual paced rhythm with pulsating
snare drumming. I took little notice of the song nor tne artiste till a couple
of days ago when I saw that the artiste, FUSE ODG, is one of the nominees for
this years's MTV European Music Awards. Upon research, I discovered something
very pleasant and commendable about the young man and his artistry.
Fuse ODG is a
British- Ghanaian based in London.
Seriously, it was this guy who single-handedly promoted the 'Azonto' dance with
his single and video 'Azonto' a couple of years ago which made millions around
the world latch on to the dance. He even had David Cameron in the groove too!
This new single,
'Antenna', has had over 8 million views combined on youtube since its release
on June 2nd 2013. And the single climbed up the UK singles charts to the number
7 spot!
What really
trips me about this guy is the aesthetics of his 'Antenna' video. His dance
competition for the song alone has received close to two million views on
youtube and he keeps going stronger every week.
This is a young
talent who must be commended. And it is instructive to note that we did not see
any rump-shaking women or lewd female sexual simulations in the video, unlike
what obtains in most videos from his brothers from Nigeria. As far as being clean on
lyrics and content goes, Fuse ODG is ok.
Great song. Nice
melody. Hope he wins. Yes. Even over the Nigerians nominated for the MTV EMAs.
This guy has impressed me and I will root for him without bias.
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