Congolese singer Fally Ipupa is in Douala, Cameroon and is happily signing autographs on his CDs for his many fans who have waited for weeks to see him and buy his latest CD. It’s no wonder that other local celebrities would show up to support the artist like Stanley Enow who stopped by to salut this African superstar.
Stanley Enow always know how to show up in the right place at the right time. He understands showing his face where the buzz is and wnhy not? His going to greet Ipupa might have been his way to be seen with the star. Afterall, this can be a way to market yourself by placing yourself right where these big artists are and Enow “gets it”.
The whole “ban foreign artists” campaign that has been introduced by some local advocates of playing only Cameroonian in Cameroon, will not work in Cameroon or anywhere else in Africa as long as there is a market for people consuming foreign music, especially when popular Cameroonian artists like Mr. Leo, Daphne Njie, Tenor and a few others are treated like royalty in other African countries the same way other non-Cameroonian artists Fally Ipupa and GIMs are treated when they go to Cameroon.
When foreign artists perform in Cameroon, their concerts are filled to the brim and tickets, no matter how expensive, are always sold out. on the other hand, we can’t confidently say the same with the top Cameroonian artists when they do the same in Cameroon.
Cameroon, you can’t have your cake and eat it. Denying foreign artists from performing in Cameroon means that they should also deny Cameroonian artists who go to their country and I’m sure those artists will not be happy if their money making potential is blocked. So why block foreigners from coming in too?
Are you saying that Cameroonian artists should also not perform and make money in other African countries when their own people in Cameroon do not even attend their concerts, let alone buy their albums? Common now people let’s be real. It is called show “business” for a reason.
Blame the big organizations above who pay these artists more money than your local talents and redirect your frustrations elsewhere as ranting on social media all year long will not change anything. The only thing that will change is money in the pockets of foreign artists and because while everyone is ranting, these foreign artists are making killer songs that will get them concerts in your country that will sell out. Yes YOU.
Let’s better ourselves, learn from those who have made it, work on our business sense so we can also make that money.
