PHOTO (L TO R): Mr Adrenaline & Dr. Nkeng Stephens. Top Cameroonian videographers.
The Cameroonian music industry has withstood the difficult times and the more it grows, the more difficult and complex it will get. It is true that too many hands do light work and a single hand cannot tie a bundle and it is for this reason that initiatives like the “Hold Hands Movement, Support Your Own” were formed. Why have these innitiatives rather done more harm than good when they were made to look like solutions to the already wrecking problem? Toujours les Choses à vérifier
● THE HOLD HANDS MOVEMENT (HHM)
Back in late 2016, A new generation of Cameroonian entertainers were on deck. Videographers were begining to get recognised for their efforts, artists too. A certain Dr. Nkeng Stephens had just discovered his form and was making headlines with his art. His creativity could not be ignored as he brought in some contagious energy. With the energy he brought, he believed Cameroonian entertainers could come together as one force and correct the mistakes of the past. At this point in time, we could see the likes of Salatiel, Mr. Leo -, Blaise B – and many others getting involved to push the innitiative. They would even organise games like soccer ⚽. It was all fun and hardwork but what happened along the way ?
Some might just have been putting hands while others were busy holding their own hands. Putting a hand means you could take it off at anytime they choose to, but if the hands are held, you won’t pull out just when you wish/want.
According to Nkeng Stephens, togetherness the solution. Building bridges and creating networks to sell and give art value was the aim. But this movement lasted only for two years, because it seemed one sided and more like a clique.
Many must have felt ignored and used by the innitiative and so they became less interested and the innitiative that was running later started creeping and finally stood still. Could this be adjusted and things sorted out for good? Yes but it didn’t so it was abandoned for support your own.
● SUPPORT YOUR OWN
This emotional blackmail right here is just a branded version of the former innitiative though not by the same person. This was surely adopted by the ones who didn’t benefit from the former concept. Support your own if it was genuine, could have made up for the mistakes of the former. But being created by another person, what makes you think the person who created the former movement would give his full support when no one supported his innitiative but rather helped it to fail?
This concept could not work for so many reasons beyond our understanding but it is clear that many have been using the slang to emotionally prick the conscience of people.
Support your own however doesn’t mean it will be given for free, it just means it can be subsidised and made a little easy for you.
The support your own concept could have been a perfect concept to elevate one another but people expect support to be entirely free. Supporting your Own, doesn’t mean the support will be entirely free. This is where so many got it all wrong. If a producer had to produce a beat for a foreigner at say 500K, the same producer could decide to support a home home artist at 200K or less. That’s huge support.
The support anyone would freely get is may be a home artists being nominated internationally and everyone jumps in to vote or may be a producer willing to shoot for a younger artist for free. It’s optional not obligatory.
Disrespect, disregard, dishonesty, disloyalty and entitlement to support, have all led to failure of these movements and instead of trying to amend the situation, another concept is coming up “For the Culture”. It will still fail because it’s just another branded form of emotional blackmail. There is absolutely no reason to do anything just for the culture. Everything should be done because it has to been done right.
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So how did “Support Your Own” fail because of the Hold Hands Movement? Let’s know what you think.
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