A lot has been said about the state of the Kenyan music industry with regard to local acts not getting enough airplay on radio or TV.
Kenyan music acts have mostly been up in arms against media stakeholders for giving local content the cold shoulder.
On the other hand, media personalities and DJs argue that local content is wanting and therefore, artistes just need to work harder and release content worthy of airplay.
As the debate rages on, veteran Kenyan rapper Abbas Doobeez has also joined the conversation and spoken like a true veteran of the game.
Abbas, who is now based in Malta Island, spared some advice to Kenyan artistes on how to manoeuvre through the tough music industry.
According to Abbas, one big hit is enough to propel an artiste’s career to greater heights.
“If a certain presenter/Dj is not playing ur music as an artist….just drop one track that will leave no reasonable doubt….radio-friendly beat, simple clever catchy hook(make it creative…not sloppy) and 3 killer verses throw in a nice repetitive chant….BOOM!!?♂️. when it’s a GOOD CERTIFIED HIT all radio stations will have no choice but to play it,” wrote Abbas on social media.
He added: “Once u have a headliner song that makes ur brand a house hold name then drop ur album which has ur other songs that are also good but not commercial(for example). Copy paste that sequence and keep doing it… That’s how u pimp the industry to work 4 u and not the other way round!!!”
The former K-South rapper also noted that the issue of royalties needs to be addressed. It will be remembered that a few years ago, Abbas claimed that he was paid Sh89 in royalties.
“Another Issue that needs to be directly tackled is Royalties. Do u know how much money is being stolen right under our noses that actually belongs to the artists??? Expose these pple!!!!why is the Secretary of “a royalty collecting organisation” pushing a benz while the artist(who employed her/him) is taking the Uber to go collect their royalties from that same secretary?” wondered Abbas on Instagram.
