07/07/2014Every rapper especially in Mombasa has the capacity to be rich like any other in Kenya, Afica or the World.
What matters most is the strategy in the game. Hip hop artists in Mombasa have been recorded with most grievances saying hip hop does not pay.
Now let me advice you as a fan and great Hip hop 'analyst.
Mostly the means through which rappers make money are
through Royalties from their music copyright society and Mdundo ; Shows and
Concert; Merchandising (selling of clothes/gear that have their logo on
it), Ring-tones; Guest appearance on other artists songs(do not like
appearing on other peoples’ songs for
free); Endorsement money; Ghost writing for other artists; Television
appearances and so on. From this list, you can see that there are a lot of ways
through which rappers make money.
I remember talking to Odinareh and Ohmslaw Montana who have
had their songs top in playlists but are not registered for MCSK(Music
Copyright society of Kenya) which means they are not earning from it.
They registered last Month for Mdundo and received some
money last week only to realize Rap Pays!!
But most of all I have listed, except a few, depend on the
deal the artist signs. Do not get signed to a label that has major artists in
it and most of them singers(wabana Pua). You will be overshadowed. But if you get on an Independent label, then you
have power over your properties and what
you can do, but you might not have
access to big funds for promotion of your album like if you were with a Major
Label.
Let’s leave the above
for another day. Now when you are a rapper and you know you really have the
skill, try to make your songs talk about issues that relate to the society more
than you talk about yourself. This will help you may be secure a deal with an
NGO, or a parastatal that will use you as an ambassador. You can also end up
getting a deal with a big company to sell their product.
What makes many of our Mombasa based rappers not to thrive
is, they lack strategy. When something comes like ‘Kenya Kwanza’ or ‘Corruption’
issues you should talk about it in your music and approach related NGO’s and
Government bodies with an idea so that they use you and pay you. If you wait
for them to come for you.. They wont because they do not know you maybe!!!
Choose the best strategy and you will remember me