By Durrell Namasani
Musician Patience Namadingo has received a backlash following his sentiments about a song titled ‘Somone’ which was done by popular Zambian musician ‘Yo Maps’ and Malawi’s popular hip-hop artist ‘Taygrin’
Speaking during ‘On the Table program on Diamond TV, Namandingo said he was not happy with some lines that were used in the song which is still enjoying airplay in different places in Malawi and Zambia.
While acknowledging the beauty of the song, Namadingo faulted Tay Grin’s verse in the song which according to him was exalting a white man.
” _Aneba anga ndi azungu/ ndalama zanga ndizachizungu_ ” goes the verse in part.
According to Namandingo, this line conveyed a message of racial discrimination by exalting the white man at the expense of the black man.
“You know music goes to the head.. think of kids who are singing such kind of a song.. they believe that for you to make it in life your neighbour must be a white man or you need to have white money. So anything to do with elevating the white man and making black man feel inferior when the black man is closer to the white man and feels like he is better off than the rest, I don’t support. But I support the song, it’s just that that line I don’t agree with,” said Namadingo.
However, these sentiments did not go down well with some music lovers in the country with many claiming that Tay Grin was only trying to entertain fans with his art and there was no need to take the lines seriously.
Bright Perculiar Kansalu believes Namadingo does not understand the song and there was a need for him to understand it better before coming in public with his sentiments.
“Mwina nyimboyo sakuimvetsetsa those words are like an IDIOM for example: aneba anga ndazungu. Meaning amakhala ku area yobeba yabwino. Nanga azungu angakhale ku Mtandire or ku Ndirande,” he said.
Dennis David Sokwane wrote; ” You don’t police art like that especially when you are an artist too.”
“Music is art. Its very unfortunate for an artist to come public criticising a fellow artist. Mr Namadingo you have to swallow your pride a papa mwalakwisa kwambiri,” said another music follower Elton Wiltord Tony Nankhwere.
Jimmy James Bunya tried to remind Namadingo and all those in support of his sentiments about artists who did similar songs in the past but they were never criticised because people new it was just one way of entertaining them.
“I remember those days there was a song featured Ludacris, Busta Rhymes and Fat Joe if I’m not missing on the artist they sung a song titled ‘Arab Money’ it just idolized the way Arabs spend money on luxury and these were Americans though black but I don’t think it had to be taken as racial inferiority. So everyone is entitled to his opinion, but we can let that go and enjoy the art. Actually those bars spiced up the song.”
Alfred Valdo Kamwana said “Some words in songs are supposed to be for entertainment only,not all songs are informative or educative and empowering..Zinazi tiyeni timvele kuti tingokondwa monga za dance.”
Meanwhile, Namadingo and hip-hop artist Gwamba are set to release their brand new video which they have featured two of Malawi’s top musicians, Temwa and Lawi.
Some music lovers are of the view that Namadingo’s sentiments are just a publicity stunt to push the brand new song which is expected to be released on Friday, May 31.
