Have you noticed that the music genres of the past still blast through hall speakers at events and legendary music from time immemorial still fills the atmosphere at restaurants, weddings, and shopping malls?
It’s actually not a crime to enjoy the music of the past, but what music will our generation be associated with?
Whenever I listen to Fela Kuti Anikulapo‘s songs or one of the old jams, I smile and ask myself, “Are any of this modern-day music going to have a lasting impact in society?” Almost all that Fela addressed in his “Beast of No Nation” is still happening today and whenever you listen to it, you’ll think they just release it a week ago because of its relevancy.
When compared to modern Music, old music is leagues ahead. It doesn’t matter what you enjoy listening to but the truth remains that music has gone downhill since 2010.
https://mp3bullet.ng/5-nigerian-songs-that-will-calm-you-down-when-you-listen-to-them/
It’s easy to tell the kids of today how impactful the songs of Fela, Lucky Dube, Bob Marley, and even Alhaji Agba (Dr. Sikiru Ayinde Barrister) were to our society. But are today’s kids going to say the same to their kids with this our music?
Music these days are not lyrically good, it is just only about good beats, rather than having an enduring impact on the world at large.
Money has a negative impact on this and it’s what turns music to business rather than an art. Corporate titans largely influence studios and bands. Artists compromise integrity for a more lucrative payday even though it may take the band in a completely different direction.
The beat is not the only thing that makes a song truly great. Let’s forget hype, sales and chart success. A good song must transcend time, convey strong emotions, shift culture, and resonate with a large number of people.
https://mp3bullet.ng/top-11-nigerian-artists-who-have-their-own-record-label/
Sure, some top artists these days make amazing music, like Falz the bahd guy, Brymo, Wizkid, Davido, Olamide, Burna Boy, among others, but will these modern-day musicians go down in history as legends?
Perhaps Wizkid will, but will you be proud to tell your kids you grew up listening to Wizkid? What happened to the immortal rock bands like Bongos Ikwue and the Groovies, Fela and his band.
Bands and artists of the past used to make statements of importance and incorporate influential and difficult topics into their music.
Think of Onyeka Onwenu, Africa China, 2Baba, Asa. Their songs are not just about hollow subjects. They sang about things with deeper meaning.
SEE ALSO: Why Davido, Wizkid, Olamide Should Not be Compared with New Generation Artists
For instance, in 2Baba’s ‘E be like say,’ these are the lyrics:
See, all I want to say is that
They don’t really care about us
Because all they want to do is to get in touch with big bucks
Because they think the money gives them the power
But the power is nothing
If your people cannot get quality education
The power is nothing
If your people keep on dying of disease and starvation
The power is nothing
If your people have no peace (no peace)
The power is nothing
If your people cannot live in unity (eh)
See, why do you keep deceiving the people, my brother, my sister
See, why you make all this people to dey fight one another
Only God can judge you now [x4]
Another year has come
And now you want my vote once more
Oh no
Where is that in today’s “popular” music? Compare this to the brilliant mind of Naira Marley, whose lyrics in “Opotoyi” are:
Aya kinkini, bi obo Tiger
Sexy girl, je kin gbori si e laya
Papa e bi ti sugar, mo ti fe da, obo yen dun bi sugar
Da kin to da, o ni kin je kin oun mo kin to da
La nkan to fe la, je kan mo pe aiye la bola
What’s the message in some of Naira Marley, Zlatan, Baddo, or Davido songs?
For the sake of our generation and in order to build a saner society, let’s hope that artists will return to the roots of music and perform heartfelt tunes that can make the world a better place, not a more egoistical one.
Producing music is not just about making money, it’s about changing society for better.
Music is an art.
–Yusuff