“Nobody owes you anything. These promoters don’t have to book you. The people don’t have to listen/share/download your music. It’s their data. Newspapers don’t have to publish your content. It’s their paper. Be grateful for the ones who support and make things happen for yourself!” Words by musician, TheFutureIsGiggz. Guess what? He’s right!
Promoters do not have to book you. I’ve been saying this year in and year out on this platform. As much as we put Namibian promoters under pressure to give Namibian musicians preference…the truth is they don’t have to do it! Promoters can have an all foreign lineup and still make money! Here’s how you need to look at it…what do you bring to the table that will make a promoter bend down to you? I am not talking about words…actual evidence of potential. You can’t sit in your zalie’s house and expect to get booked. What have you done in the last 12 months to warrant a booking? Think about that.
TheFutureIsGiggz is spot-on when addressing the reality that people don’t have to listen/share/download your music and that it’s their data. I always find it funny when musicians want to guilt trip people into buying their music. People don’t need your emotional blackmail. People are tired of nonsense quality. If your quality is dope, people will jump on your bandwagon and ride with you. You got to have some sort of quality. No one is dumb enough to waste their money on spaza’s in these tough economic times.
TheFutureIsGiggz is right about the papers. Newspapers do not have to publish your content. Caps because many times entertainers get this one terribly wrong. Entertainers seem to struggle to make peace with the fact that newspapers are an independent media structure that has the right to publish whatever they believe suits their market.
If you do not suit their market…they will not publish your content. Every media house has its agenda and the onus is on you to understand this. The New Era newspaper does not need to explain to you why they decided against publishing your content.
The FutureIsGiggz hit it on the nail when he said that every musician needs to make things happen for themselves. When the hip-hop revolution popped off in South Africa…AKA, Cassper Nyovest, Riky Rick, Kwesta created their own cool and made things happen for themselves.
However, in Namibia, it seems like entertainers want promoters, people and the media to create cool for them. It does not work like that omes. You need to create your own cool. People will follow and amplify your cool. Media will report on your cool and promoters will book you based on it.
Until the next loop, we say “GMTM”!
NSK is a professional MC. For bookings, email naobebsekind@gmail.com
@naobebsekind (twitter)