Ethnix’s attempt at remixing their hit and our national anthem ‘Open Up’ with South Africa’s Blaq Diamond has everyone talking, including myself. It’s no secret that I personally f**ks with Ethnix. It’s also no secret that I’ve been following their meteoric rise since dropping ‘Lambela’. So, there should be no doubt that Ethnix is a quality ensemble. However, doing a remix to a song that was already standing on a million views and playing in every location in this country, was probably the biggest risk, even by their dizzy standards.
Professionally, I’ve never been a fan of artists doing remixes to an existing song, especially if it’s a hit song. There is a definitive art to remixing an existing song and actually nailing it. In my professional and learned opinion, I do not think Ethnix nailed it with the remix. I could be biased in my judgement, seeing that I genuinely f**ks with the original song. I also genuinely f**ks with Blaq Diamond. But they just did not bring it.
Actually, the whole production of the remix was terrible. The vocals were not synchronised or well-mixed. I just can’t put my finger on it, but that remix was just not the one. I think a brand new original song would have made more sense. A collaboration between Ethnix and Blaq Diamond is probably one of those things industry analysts like myself would have always appreciated.
What was the thinking behind remixing a standing hit? Who OK’d it in the Ethnix camp? Who sat there in their creative meetings, and actively fought for a remix of an existing song? The Ethnix camp will need to have a sit-down and have an uncomfortable conversation around that. Or was it Etjo and Paige themselves who pushed for this? If so, how is it that no one around them was visionary enough to see that remixing an existing song could be disastrous?
Also, who OK’d the release of the song? Are you telling me no one in the Ethnix camp saw that the remix was terrible? Or no one had the balls to tell Etjo and Paige that this was just not the one? Were they rushed perhaps by their South African counterparts? This is why it’s important to have tough characters in your camp; characters that are not your cheerleaders, but characters that will tell you straight if something is not adding up, or if something is manure and equally otherwise.
I finna think Ethnix just needs to take down the song. Be honest about it. Rework the song, or if contractual obligations allow, perhaps conjure a whole new song with Blaq Diamond. No one will be mad. As a matter of fact, everyone would applaud Ethnix, and we will all rally behind a re-release.
What’s the lesson here? Do not touch a song that’s already banging, unless you have one of the greatest producers of all time that will craft it for you.
Until the next Loop, we say #GMTM
*Need an MC? I do not post naked pictures or have a 100k followers but after 10 years of MCeeing, I think I can do the job. Contact me for a quote at – naobebsekind@gmail.com