If what the popular saying ‘music is the food of the soul’ says is true, it begs the question of what kind of food some artists in the Nigerian music industry have been serving their audience. Going back a couple of years, it is alarming and sad how the quality of music has dropped in the industry.
It might be hard to admit that too many Nigerian songs are now either filled with vulgar words or promoting immorality that it is advised to not let young children listen to these songs, but the truth stares us all in the face.
That then triggers the question of how we moved from songs addressing societal issues, fighting oppression, and entertaining without throwing our moral compass in the dustbin to what we have now.
A case in point is the recently released song from ‘one-hit wonder’ singer, Portable titled ‘Neighbor’ featuring street pop singer, Small Doctor.
If music truly is the food of the soul, then that song is simply feeding rotten or maggot-infested food to oneself.
That is not to say there aren’t people who have said they enjoy listening to the song, but what kind of a person enjoys listening to songs that objectify women?
More than half of Portable’s lyrics in the said song talked about women’s private part in the most demeaning way anyone can, and it is unsurprising because that is who he is and how he sings, even before the stardom.
While no one can easily decide who gets fame and who doesn’t, it is important to ask ourselves why we continue to promote mediocrity while the real talents struggle. Is it that we’ve come to love this ‘noise’ so much that real music does not interest us anymore?
This leads to the important question. What changed?
Music is fast moving from the regular art people do for passion – the type where musicians give evergreen songs that stay with people forever – but is now gradually easing into business, hence the need to adapt and follow the herd.
When the likes of Small Doctor shouts ‘won ti gba penalty wo throwing’ and he gets massive airplay for it, we all saw how obvious it is that others would follow in the cruise ship. As much as the song held no meaningful lyric whatsoever, it made people dance, and even do more than that. People lost their home training when the song came on in shows back then.
What changed is that music has moved and continues to move away from how we used to define it into a different zone that is hard to understand.
There was once a time when the lyrics of the song really mattered – and that is not to say there are no more people who that still matter to – but now, all you need is a good beat or an interesting personality, then the proper PR and you are up there ‘chilling with the big boys.’
But how long does this new culture last? How long before the audience who enjoy the noise starts to demand real music and the shaft is separated from the rice?
The Nigerian music industry is a very competitive space. There are thousands of people out there making music and hoping for that breakthrough, and as much as noise is still promoted, the truly talented ones get heard.
When push comes to shove, talent outranks ‘cruise.’
The implication of promoting mediocrity and terming it as ‘cruise’ in the Nigerian music industry.
As it should be, talent and hard work are supposed to be rewarded but when mediocrity is promoted so much that it gets more attention than talent and hard work, the only outcome from that is simple. No one puts in the work anymore, or people just put in a bit of work diluted with a lot of mediocrity.
The implication of this on the Nigerian music industry in years to come is that we see an industry that is swarmed with a large number of ‘cruise artists’ whose style of singing is only on songs that lasts for 12-24 months.
Gradually, the music space starts to lose the crop of talents that used to inspire upcoming artists to want to do good music, with a unique talent to stay focused. The ‘cruise artists’ would have been getting the attention that the only option for the talented ones will be to adapt to the new condition and do ‘cruise’ like every other person.
Another question we should ask ourselves is how well this will help further the struggles of those who have set the path others enjoy now. It is important to note that some sacrificed a lot for what the Nigerian music industry now enjoys.
Will the likes of Portable be nominated for awards with his type of songs? Did Wizkid and Burna Boy win and continue to be nominated for Grammys as a ‘cruise artist?’
Conclusion
There is absolutely nothing wrong with ‘catching cruise’ but it is saddening when it starts to affect the craft of people who have put in sweat and blood to get noticed. It becomes a hindrance to the development we aim for in our music industry and sets us back from where we are right now.