From the book Poor & Famous

In 1983, Michael Jackson released the song, Wanna Be Starting Something. The song had a hook that became a huge part of the song, a nonsensical chant with the words, “mama-say mama-sa ma-ma-coo-sa.” Little did music fans know that the chant was plagiarised from the song, Soul Makossa, composed and performed by Cameroonian saxophonist and composer, Manu Dibango, in 1972. According to AFP, Michael Jackson admitted to plagiarising the line and the issue was settled out of court. The hook was also later used by many other Western artists including Rihanna.

There are a few more times the western world looked to Africa for fresh musical ideas. American rock artist, Bonnie Rait, did a cover of Oliver Mtukudzi’s song, Hear Me Lord. Over 50 artists, including legendary American Jazz musician, Loui Armstrong, did cover versions of another Zimbabwean August Msarurwa’s track, Skokiaan, and the South African classic song, Mbube (The Lion Sleeps Tonight), written by Solomon Linda, was covered by many artists and was even used on the American film, Lion King.

I believe the reason why this does not happen anymore is that we are now trying too hard to copy the Western world and end up being bad imitations of them and lose our identity, no one can beat us at being African but if we imitate others, people we will always be second best, it is impossible to beat the one you are copying.

I watched a program on TV that featured different young artists from around Africa. Every one of them had a lot of either American or Jamaican influence more: from the way they greeted the audience, their hand signs, the dressing, and to the way they sounded (accents). It was like watching a fish trying too hard to run on dry ground, neglecting its ability to swim. Artists like Salif Keita, Fela Kuti, Thomas Mapfumo and Oliver Mtukudzi, etc. made it internationally because they were different. They embraced their uniqueness, and above all, they had so much confidence in their identity. At times an artist needs that type of confidence that is so big that it borders on arrogance, that is why up to today artists like Fela are celebrated in the western world far more than the ones trying to mimic the west.

Americanism in African Music

The biggest music trend driver in the world in the USA. All artists in the world are constantly checking what new trends are happening in the USA and whatever the trends in the USA trend everywhere because no one wants to be left behind.

In Africa, musicians rely on the media to keep abreast with American trends, and the biggest media companies that are most watched only show us the digital side of American music. This has led to a widespread misconception all over Africa that Americans have totally abandoned live music and playing live instruments. As a result, those in Africa who worship American trends believe that playing live instruments is now out of fashion. African media houses never show any rock music, country music, soul music videos, or give any updates of the artists, all they show is RnB and hip hop, artists. As a result, modern African music is now being modeled around digital music particularly hip hop & RnB to the extent that its Africanness is very much swallowed up by the Americanness, even the music videos are just a copy of American music videos.

I believe that some genres’ authenticity is swallowed up if they are over-digitalized. I can’t imagine listening to an all-digitalized Country music song. It loses the warmth.

From the book Poor & Famous chapter 12. Page 104

Author: Clive”Mono” Mukundu, Edited by Philip Chidavaenzi & Bernadette Mari-Deve

Monolio publications, Harare, Zimbabwe 2018