Review: Why African Parents Now Support Their Children in Music

Case study: Brians Lee and Magascos concerts last month 22nd and 23rd respectively.

This comparative piece of analysis between Magasco's concert and that of Brians Lee/Mr.Leo, held on the 22nd and 23rd of December last month respectively, particular to the historic appearances of the spectacular artists's mothers on stage, on their different concerts, will lay special enfancies on the following: why African parents hated their children doing music, what has been the changes over time from the artists themselves and why they now support their children in their music careers. What was not right, the changes over time and finally, the mended loopholes.

WHY AFRICAN PARENTS HATED THEIR CHILDREN DOING MUSIC:

If there is any genre of music that has influence the world over times, it should be hip hop. It provoked the African parents to forbid their children doing music. They saw this as music to the "lost son". Brought in the lamplight by the black Americans, descendants  of slaves in the 1970s, mainly to clamour on their rejection in society, depression, frustration and lack of education. Post Independent black Africans youths became more influenced by such trend of music with high level of vocal language in their verses such as "fuck you" "Amma gangsta" "lion's Ambition". The videos  to these songs, were also highly pornographic and  indecent dressing. Majority of the youths became more vocal, drug dealing, stealing and worst of all, encouraging promiscuty and dropping out of school. Reasons why African parents hated their children doing music at the time. It was indeed, contrasting to the normal African traditional music (though also with signs of indecency), but without much influence to the outside world as they were considered premitive. African youths greatly felt in love with this trend of music due to colonisation then by.

WHAT HAS BEEN THE CHANGES OVER TIME BY THE ARTISTS THEMSELVES:

We must have noticed that the most artists today doing afro pop/afro beat music, use to do hip hop. For example: Magasco, Yong Makon, Tony nobody, from Cameroon;  P square, 2Face, from Negeria. African youths have become aware on the importance of "Who I am?" and the fact that the world is becoming a global village and highly competitive, they are gradually coming back to their origins, in singing, dressing and way of life in general. Most now believe that they need to go to school before doing good music in order to meet up global standards, in contrast to how it use to be two or three decades ago. Most of their songs show the uniqueness of their origins, that is, respect the African context and content, Especially lyrically, but little video wise. Most videos highly remain immoral.

They now sing in the context of globalization, having an upper hand over other continents like Europe, because they had the opportunity to have experience multiple cultures especially through colonialism.

WHY MOST AFRICAN PARENTS NOW SUPPORT THEIR CHILDREN'S MUSICAL CAREERS

Music has become so, so lucrative, business wise. Many artists now feed their families and own estates out of music. Also, artists now respect, humble and most have become social activists, singing against the ills and the plight of the common man in the society. Most promote African tradition which has become more and more respectful in the international scene.

Now, you see why Magasco's and Brians Lee's mother support their children doing music. Remember, Magasco promised a percentage of the profit of his concert to the refugees from the Anglophone part of the country, and it was fulfilled immediately after the concert. Brians Lee has been very hard-working, humble and we know it. He likes staying out of trouble.

Conclusively, one can completely say such immoralities like per the days of hip hop have mostly been avoidded in modern African blended tracks. It has drastically reduced. At least, 70% of young African songs now represent something more viewable to the eyes and listenable to the ears. Even young Africans still doing hip hop, have change the style to reflect African context and content. For example, the use of African languages and costumes in their songs. Artists such as Mic Monsta, Wan Shey, Eta Ejob alias Young Holiday and Jaykay Kroz in Cameroon are examples.

#Ajourneyforthetruth... By Samuel Tohbi.