Every situation delivers its own lessons and statements. Whether pleasant or sour situations, the message is delivered nevertheless.
The death of hip-hop artist Martse birthed a lot of talking points. It is one death which provided numerous viewpoints. At least everyone who dared to weigh in with his views appeared to make him/herself believe that they were making a lot of sense.
I won’t devour to amplify some of those viewpoints, for some were weak, malicious and lacked logic in every sense. When such things happen, as has always been the case, some want to ride on that wave to gain two minutes of fame by going all sensational and speculative just to attract attention.
It is sad and unfortunate that they do this at the expense of the grieving families and friends who are still at pains to come to terms with their loss. But like headless chickens they go on uttering insensitive narratives which border on nothing but foolery.
Like we saw and heard when other figures such as Grace Chinga, Evison Matafale and others passed, the case was almost similar and maybe worse, last week when the remains of the rapper were being interred.
But like I said, the platform is not about those sloppy heads who can’t fashion a moment of their own to earn the limelight, but wait for someone’s death to shine. Today, I would love to pick out one positive highlighted by Martse’s passing.
Almost everyone was amazed with the love, support and honour that Martse received in his death. If we talk celebrating someone’s life then Martse got more than he bargained for. But the outcome represented a bigger picture and not just one thing pinned on Martse.
The urban music brigade is winning a lot. The persistent effort that they have ploughed in trying to make themselves as a relevant artistic force is starting to show. They have finally found their spot on the music-verse.
There has been a massive connection between the urbanites and the millennials. This age bracket knows no Bob Marley, Keith Sweat, R Kelly, Boy II Men, Sisqo or Jagged Edge. For them Tay Grin, Kell Kay, Piksy, Achina Gatta Ase are the bigger stars.
You will be surprised how the millennials follow the local artists to boot. The passion they show for their art is unbeatable and beyond imagination. While we spent the precious time of our youth in memorising songs by KC ‘n’ Jojo, this group is investing similar levels of energy in mimicking Gwamba.
We all saw the explosion that was at Robins Park when Eli Njuchi and Achina Gatta Ase held their shows there, the massive support that Kell Kay’s album launch at Lilongwe Golf Club last week received and the Onesimus comeback show at the same venue.
These things didn’t happen by mistake. And the same can be said of the overwhelming tribute that Martse enjoyed. It was something well earned. For those who have been following the minute details of the dynamics, can attest to the fact that the wind has been wheeling towards that direction.
It is even with little surprise that most corporates have settled for the young brigade as their brand ambassadors when they want to rope in one. The urban artists are commanding massive followership as evidenced in their numerous social media handles.
If there were any who still doubted the resolve that this generation possess in pushing for their artistic ambitions, they better do away with such cynicism. This group is here and it is here to stay.
If you feel like working with them, approach them. If you feel like supporting them in any way, then fair and good too. But simply don’t dismiss them on the first whim. The future they waited for is here.
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