Kenyan duo of Amos and Josh. [Photo/NairobiWire]
The local music industry is lacking support from Kenyans where ‘self-proclaimed’ pundits have been quick to point fingers in matters of quality, often comparing our music videos and songs to that of our West African brothers or even South Africans.
But again looking closely, the local market structure is wanting. We are still fighting piracy in an industry that needs investors.
For a long time, artists have let their different genres divide them. However, the tide might be changing and with it, the realization that in unity, lies strength.
Amos and Josh is a brand that many would point to as a success story. A story that is intertwined with the goodwill of corporates (Tusker Project Fame), and most importantly, the willingness to work harder by the two TPF finalists.
Lack of a proper structure and investment has also been a huge bottleneck in seeing the industry grow. With few corporates throwing breadcrumbs like deals, dangling the carrot and milking the publicity, it is safe to say that Kenyan artistes are broke. Simple.
It is a common occurrence during a gig for an artist to beg for the fare back home or hike a lift from one of their “more successful” fellows. While some artists are lucky to land a deal or two, you can’t compare this with millions that corporates are pumping to their kind in other countries.
With this lies the ripple effect, where the broke artistes have to pay and produce cheaply. Working with international videographers such as Moe Mousa, Sesan, and The Godfather seems to be a far-fetched dream. With shows raking in little money, it is impossible for our artists to keep pace with their competitors, whose financial muscle is run by powerhouse such as Chocolate City.
But the biggest problem in the business is ignorance. Lack of knowledge in fields such as branding, intellectual property rights, business management, among other key issues.