What is keeping Northern Music Alive: Wumbee de Rapper, Etonam, and producer, Flamezbeatz share opinions

Inside Sanatu Zambang Breakfast Live show studios

Story: Rahamatu-Lahi Zakaria || Sanatu Zambang Newsroom

Artistes in the north have over the years entertained us, educated us and as well as united us as one big family. Artistes have also enjoyed the greatest support from fans in the region, one, another artiste cannot boast of from their region.

In recent times, there seems to be a decline in the rise of northern music. To understand the current trend of northern music, Wumbee de Rapper, Etonam, and producer, Flamezbeatz joined the Breakfast Live show to talk about the music industry and what we can do to develop and keep the music alive in the region.

One of the sectors that were talked about was the role of radio stations and DJs. Though the guest acknowledged the effort of DJs, they still believe that they can do more to grow the industry.

Wumbee de Rapper believes that radio presenters can make it as part of their work to scout for new talent

‘’ Presenters as part of their job should be able to scout for new talent because sometimes, we say there is no talent in the north but there is. but we are not seeing them. Why are you not seeing them? As a presenter, you should be able to say that this person, he was no one, I saw the talent in him and I promoted him and this is who he is now.’’

Wumbee de Rapper

“But right now, everyone is jumping on the bagwon, playing every artiste that is on top. At that moment he does not need you anymore’’. He added

He also complained of how tiring it is listening to same voices all the time and asked for diversity

‘’It is hard to go on radio and ask, but who is this because most of them you have heard already and they keep forcing us to listen to them. Meanwhile there are talents out there. They should be looking out for new talents, scouting them and promoting them ‘’.

Wumbee De Rapper

Etonam talked about the favouritism in the industry. This she believes is killing the talent of up and coming artistes in the region. And also, being female artiste in a male dominated industry.

“Presenters are being selective on the artiste to promote. One day I visited a DJ and the way he behaved towards me, I realized we the female musicians are not being respected’’.

Etornam

Meanwhile, Flamezbeatz had a different view. Though he sided with the two artistes, he acknowledged the difficulties DJs go through because some are not paid while others are paid a meager salary. Due to this, they try to play the music that will bring traffic to their stations. He also talks about how he hides his identity when he produces for southern artistes.

“Sometimes when I produce for southern artiste, I don’t tell them I am from the north. When you tell them, they look at you in some ways, they see that you have done a great job but they don’t want to believe you are from the north and the kind of attention they will give will be different as well as the money’’

Flamezbeatz

On management team, all were of the view that, we do not have a well-structured management team. Most managers are people with money who wants fame and do not look at business aspect of the game. 

“I had a different experience. I had only one manager, he wanted to produce my song, shoot my video, choose my wardrobe and he was into choral music not the type of music that I do and he wanted to blend that kind of choral music into style and that was the problem.’’

Etornam

On invention, Wumbei said he is finding it difficult to please his two divided fans. He wants to bring new things to the industry but he also wants give fans what they are use to.

“When you bring something new, someone will tell you but charlie what are you doing, master, master you are in the north, you have to do what northerners are doing. That is why I was struggling. I have an EP out, wunta salima. When you listen to it, you will find it difficult to identify what kind of genre it is because I had two sides’’.

Wumbei De Rapper

Flamez on the other hand believes new artistes are just interested in fame

‘’ Their minds are in music. They want to live the stardom that their mentors are living, copying their mentors’ style without inventing. north here, the guys are limited to the kind of mentors we have here. Talent dey but you have to do more.’’

Flamezbeatz

On the way forward Wumbei said

‘’Education. I think it is education. We need to let fans know that they can listen to multiple artists. New faces will come. Just because you are listening to new artistes does not mean you are letting go of the old one. The place is big enough for everyone. People feel restricted to support you’’.

Wumbei De Rapper

“Support, we don’t want favoritism, we are all artiste. Mostly we like it when people listen to our music and criticize us’’

Etornam

and this what Etonam had to say on how we could grow the industry.

While Flamezbeatz said this

‘’artistes learn more and listen wide, producers learn more and listen wide. Artiste get a team and everyone having a role to play in your team ‘’.

Flamezbeatz

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