Producing music beyond cacophony

It is common to hear people write off budding Cameroonians musicians as lightweight, lacking finish and seriousness in their melodies and rhythms. Such a categorisation often made by people of a certain generation, readily reminds us of the “Black Styl,” Anne Marie Nzie and Bébé Manga of blessed memory, as well as others who made it locally at a time when the conditions were not the best.

However, such an assessment generally contrasts with the reaction of many to certain songs at parties and other public ceremonies where many dance indiscriminately to the same tunes they criticise! May be because music is first and foremost emotional and sensational before being intellectual.

Yet, the inherent differences between the likes of Manu Dibango, Richard Bona, Charlotte Dipanda, Grace Decca and the myriad of young rising stars who dabble from rap to religious songs passing through afro-pop, and traditional music, is undeniable.

While the young are unable to make their mark today with songs that fade away within weeks after release, the fact remains that the singers are not the lone cause of such debacle.

The irony is that the digital age has modernised musical instruments and production making it much easier to assemble melody and even odd mantra. The result is a kind of cacophony that ranges from production to distribution and even worse, the organisation that exists to enable musicians survive from their art.

So much melodrama has characterised the copyright sector in the country in the past decades, presenting some of the most bizarre movie scenes. The musicians themselves have hardly shown a sense of purpose in defending their collective interest, thereby abandoning the stage to predators to sap the better part of their creative works.

Production studios or the infrastructure to promote talents are lacking in Cameroon, with the consequence that musicians make do with any handy means.

Undeniably, most of those who today constitute the pride of Cameroonian music have gone abroad to seek breakthrough. Even those who manage to produce have the uphill task of distribution. They are obliged to compete with others from sophisticated environments.

Thus, local audio-visual media outlets have the daily challenge of making choices between the poorly concocted tunes by Cameroonians and more refined songs from neighbouring African countries and beyond.

Objectively, the talents cannot be said to be lacking in Cameroon. Several musicians from the country continue to pull crowds in spite of the innumerable setbacks they face.

Magambeh, Benskin, Bikutsi, Bottle Dance, Njang, and other local rhythms might not have made it internationally like Makossa did in the past competing with music from other African countries like the Democratic Republic of Congo and Côte d’Ivoire, but the potentials exist in Cameroon.

The artistes and the powers that be still have a lot to do in transforming the context in Cameroon such that quality music can continue to gladden hearts.