There is no point proving a point by twisting or trying to play a brick game with words. It’s just an impossibility. Sometimes hitting the nail and not bending it is the best solution, especially when you have a brand new sledgehammer – which hits really hard.
The Cameroonian entertainment industry is divided into two: the English and the French which it not news to those who know that Cameroon is “supposed to be” a bilingual country. The French however have a larger market, not solely because they make up the larger portion of the country’s population, but because they have some common characteristics of pushing their craft with unity and togetherness. This concept of “together and unity” is not the case in the English entertainment industry, and you’re left asking yourself “why it is so when this section is rather smaller than the latter?” Les choses à vérifier.
Over the years, history has continued to repeat itself and the industry has remained stagnant and instead of growing, in as much as it looks like it’s growing. It is individual growth of either artists or actors that dominates the spotlight. You might then want to ask where the problem lies, considering the degree of unexploited talent that lies within this smaller region. They have gone out there and proven that an ostrich can effortlessly kill a lion if need arose.
Why is it that most artists from the English section, once they cross to the French side of the country, they tend to do better? In as much as the French section is criticised for obvious reasons, there is one thing that you must acknowledge about them and it is acknowledgement and recognition of talent.
Artists like Jovi, Mr Leo, Stanley Enow, Salatiel, Blanche Bailly and Daphne, who have successfully fused both languages, with French seemingly dominating their lyrics, can attest that they have received so much love from the French side of the nation. The bottom line from the above citations is that, everyone will go to where they are loved. No one wants to be ignored or underestimated especially when they know how good they are.
Why do you think most artists have been able to succeed in some countries and not in others? They go to where the energy is positive and where they feel welcome even if not loved.
If artists realize that unity is strength and personal interest is set aside at least, there won’t really be a need for the personal fights we see daily, when there is still a lot of work to be done both nationally and internationally.
We have seen our front liners falter, on live interviews and international fronts, somethings which are meant to be in house, rather exposed or sold for cheap applause. The truth is bitter but must not be ignored; every household has issues and the wise always solve these issues in-house, so that another ear doesn’t hear, this is where most of the English singers have have faltered :
Stanley Enow saying he doesn’t know Jovi, Jovi downgrading to prove a point, Jovi saying Stanley is the wackest Cameroonian rapper, Tzy Panchak saying Jovi is greedy on an international livestream, Ko-C being told he’s the only known rapper from Cameroon that a one track artist knows and the said artists walks away with free promo because no one can ignore their rivalries.
Also, rivalries that led to fans and artists supporting Lyrical Joe against Jovi, which givs the foreigner the guts to trespass the industry when heso desires, Salatiel saying Montess didn’t deserve an award etc.
Now with the above, ask yourself, where will the industry be in the next 10 years with this attitude? Some upcoming artists are already copying such attitudes and we have seen overtime and you all speak of the culture? Who are you deceiving?
Something has got to change and someone has got to make that change when it’s still early. Battles should be against the enemy (Poverty and external competitors) not yourselves.
There was a recent feud between Maahlox and Kerozen, when the Ivorian Singer attacked Maahlox, just the way the francophone blogs and fans trashed the issue together, the Ivorian rushed back with an apology an respect and dignity was restored. Imagine fans and bloggers sided with the Ivorian just because they didn’t like Maahlox?
Team work makes the dream work. Rather than telling the world your brother is wack, or you don’t know your brother, or celebrating when you are told you are the only known person, it is very important to put selfish interest aside and join hands in laying a solid foundation. For this to work, there must be respect (recipocrated though) and support for one another, disagreeing and not hating. There is a lot of negative energy in the anglophone entertainment industry and if not fixed, the talented ones will keep running to the French section where they are more appreciated and unbissely propelled.
In conclusion, the implications of disunity are as deadly as COVID19 that just like WHO, we doubt if Covid organics can truly cure it.
Watch the video for “Mon Pala Pala” by rapper Ko-c which is still trending.
