You know it’s winter when there is talk of the BET Awards. The annual showcase has given the nod to two of our finest acts, AKA and The Soil, as part of the African nominees in the Best International Act. They will face off against some of the best acts on the continent like Wizkid (Nigeria), Yemi Alade (Nigeria), Sarkodie (Ghana), Stonebwoy (Ghana), Fally Ipupa (Democratic Republic of Congo) and Sauti Sol (Kenya).
“When I set up to make the album it wasn’t only about proving that I was more than a flash-in-the-pan. I wanted to prove to myself that I could do it again. We have seen so many artists release one album and never return. So for me, this project is testament to the fact that the fans are loving what we are doing. It took two years to make the album and two tracks, Congratulate and All Eyes On Me, have each sold more than 10 000 copies so they are certified gold. After this we are going to look at the Levels album,” said AKA, justifying why he made the cut.
The trend has always been that when it comes to voting, on any level and in any competition, South Africa lags behind, but the rapper was unfazed.
“We need to remember that population plays a big part in the voting process. There were times when I was nominated as Best Hip Hop at the Channel O Awards and the continent was involved and we won. So anything can happen at the awards. I don’t think it’s the fans who vote at the BET, but the winner is actually chosen. Let’s just hope that for South Africa’s sake, myself or The Soil are chosen. It’s never happened before that a South African act wins at the BETs so it would be nice if we won it for once. Not to take away anything from our brothers anywhere else on the continent. That win will do a lot for South African urban music,” he said.
The Senior Vice-President and Managing Director of Viacom International Media Networks (VIMN), Alex Okosi, also felt that this year’s showcase would be a spectacular one: “It’s a great place to celebrate our artists from Africa in the US. The awards are designed to recognise the best artists on the continent and that’s what is important to us. BET is a global brand and now that we have landed on the continent, we are saying to these artists, you are the best of the best and we want to recognise you.”
As much as radio plays a huge part in making music accessible to the listener, Okosi felt that the video is equally important.
“The visual is always important because it enables your sound to travel even further. You could have a big song on radio, but you have to create content that has people see you and your creativity. I think that for artists today, they can’t be one-dimensional. It is critical that they are able to perform in studio, live and on video to levels that make the fans enjoy the music in whatever way that it is shown,” he said.
Given that Africa is diverse and the different musicians sing in different languages, you have to wonder if those differences hinder the success of songs in places where the language is foreign.
“I don’t think language plays any part in impeding the African artist’s success. Artists like D’Banj have had huge hits like Oliver Twist which was able to cross over into the UK. Given the international platforms like ours, it provides opportunities for artists to shine.
“Dancehall music is a good example where most people don’t understand what’s being said, but they enjoy it all the same. Sean Paul was huge, but when he started making good videos he then became known internationally. So the video is important, although the talent comes first. What’s happening in music is what has been happening in sport,” defended Okosi.
South Africa has had BET nominees in the past who included Mafikizolo, Donald and Toya De Lazy, but none of them brought the accolade home. The solution for all this lies in the voting.
“We really have good nominees in AKA and The Soil, the people should just exercise their power to vote and one of these acts will bring it home,” said Okosi.
l The BET Awards celebrate their 15th anniversary on Sunday, June 28.