What is a Cameroonian artist worth?

I recently found myself ‘feuding’ with a brother who happens to be an artist. He posted this comment 'I guess someone has whispered to Ivorian artists that Cameroon is their No. 1 music consumers out of Ivory Coast. This evening Serge Bernaude was on CRTV 7.30 News announcing his show on the 31ST of this month in Yaounde. What a pity for Cameroonian artists!' I initially replied with this comment ' ....come on bro, It is ur fault Cameroonian artists. Ur all too heady and narrow-minded.' He accused me of using negative words and drew this second comment from me ' Come on bro,I get the impression u feel slighted by my words.I am sorry but that was never my intention. It is an honest and fair comment I stand by. Let me explain. I find Cameroonian artists generally narrow minded because you guys seem to refuse to realise that with globalisation there are no more frontiers and u must compete with music from far and near. When you feel you are losing out to foreign artists you try to strum our patriotic strings forgetting that just as our boxer matches must compete with blue=headed matches from Pakistan you too must compete with Fally and DJ Arafat made music. So instead of complaining you guys should get in2 ur studios and start making competitive music. Once again apologies if I came off as slightful, that wasn't my intent. Pyz.' This virtual conversation prompted this post.

                              There is a background to the current grudge Cameroonian artists have with music from without Cameroon and the Cameroonian music consuming public. Street legend has it that while foreign stars like Sean Paul , Akon and most  recently P-Square, I think, were paid around a 1,000,000 CFAF to come perform in Cameroon, Cameroonian artists enlisted to serve as opening acts got a 100,000 CFAF. Remember I said street legend and not official sources holds these figures to be true. Whatever the case, press reports suggest that a wave of discontent gripped the Cameroonian music scene when P-Square came to Cameroon. This suggestion and the feudy exchange I had on social media left me with one question, generally – speaking what are Cameroonian artists worth? By Cameroonian artists I mean those operating on the local music scene. This means the so-called diapora – based artists are excluded as well as Petit – Pays because he is an EXCEPTION. So what is an average Cameroonian artist worth? I would have loved to use the name of an actual artist but that might come off as disrespectful and that’s not my intention. So I’ll just proceed generally. What do I mean by what is a Cameroonian artist worth? If it is announced that the average Cameroonian artist is headlining a show, how many people will show up? How many will show and be ready to pay a 1000 CFAF for the entry ticket so that concert promoter can pay the artist let's say 5,000,000 CFAF for the show and still make a profit when all is said and done? Remember in the word showbiz, business is the end of everything. How many Cameroonian artists can headline a show and take a crowd hostage with a 2 hour slew of hits punctuated with brilliant choreography and stuff? This is what I mean by what is the average Cameroonian artist worth? Personally I think he/she isn’t worth much, not much at all.

                               So whose fault is it that Cameroonian artists aren’t worth much? Is it the government’s? No, not fundamentally. We are in a free-market economy where the forces of demand and supply, and not government, determine the value or WORTH of things. We also live in the 21^st century where you don’t need the latest - gadgeted studio to craft a hit. Is it the fault of the private sector sponsors then? Once again no, not fundamentally. As unfortunate as it may be, we live in profit - minded world where most companies will dole out one hundred million of any currency only when they’re sure to get a return on investment. So is it the fault of the Cameroonian music-consuming public that their unenthusiastic consumption of local music has floored the worth of their home-bred talent? No, not fundamentally. In a globalised world, people have a right to gravitate towards what pleases them and if you want to drag their attention youwards you better please them. So is it the fault of the artists? I hate to say this but YES, it is their fault mainly. The average Cameroonian artist still lives with the illusion that the Cameroonian music - consuming public owes them the patriotic favour of supporting them.NO, HELL NO. They also forget that music in the 21^st century is a product and entertainment is an industry. So just as our boxer matches must compete with blue-tip matches from Pakistan so too must their products compete with those from other countries. Duc – Z’s ‘African mamy’ isn’t at the top of the charts because it is Cameroonian. It is because it is simply good.

                             Less I forget, doesn’t it strike you as odd that in our entertainment parlance, those doing music are still referred to as artists and musicians instead of stars, performers and entertainers? This is perception and this not the fault of government, private sector sponsors or the public. Our artists don’t brand themselves as 100,000,000 CFAF acts. While other artists perform ours still only sing. While other artists entertain, ours still only dance. In the face of an entertainer, musicians aren’t worth much. Feel free to think otherwise.