Hello 237ShowBees! We bring to you guys our discussion with Cameroonian producer, singer, humanitarian and businessman Seta Beatz who discussed with us his life, musical career, the industry, the current crisis and much more.

Get the full juicy gists we were able to squeeze out from the “Werewa” crooner!

@237Showbiz: From your stage name, many will take you for a music producer or beat maker but when perusing photos on your social media platforms, they see you attached to philanthropy. Please tell us, who is Seta Beatz?

Seta Beatz: Hehehe, well Seta Beatz is an artiste, a beat maker, a humanitarian and a businessperson.

@237Showbiz: How did you get into music ? Do you do it full time or there is a side hustle that bring in the papers?

Seta Beatz: Music is something I grew up with. I started playing guitar at the age of eight. Back in my secondary school days I was a member of our school choir and I also performed in a group we called ourselves the “Back Street Boys” hahaha. I also played guitar, drums in churches and during church crusades you know…My professional career as an artiste started in Ghana when the manager of Empire records Ghana, met me at a recording studio playing acoustic guitar on another artiste song. He later asked me if I had my own songs which I said yes but not recorded yet. I played a couple of them to him and he encouraged me to take music seriously…. He even paid for two recording sessions for me. This was sometime in 2012 and that’s how it all started.

Honestly, I have not been doing music full time. I manage a bunch of other stuff.

@237Showbiz: As a musical artiste, your musical career has been on and off for a quite a while now, why the inconsistency?

 

Seta Beatz: Well, I must agree with you that I have been inconsistent. I run a charity organization, a Children’s Home and family businesses.   You know how much attention showbiz needs. My problem has been time to manage this properly. For the years you didn’t hear something musical from me, I have been working hard to build a more solid foundation for my structures so that they can be sustained when I give in more time for my music career. ‘’ Man dasso need doh for pay all these wuna promo bills. You wise the headline now nor?). 

 

@237Showbiz:  You are currently signed to the record label called Fame Boy Records! Tell us more about the structure. Is it independent or sponsored ? How many artistes are signed to the label?

 

Seta Beatz: The record label Fameboy is a label I created. Its still very new and a lot is being put in place. This is not operating with all those label signing rules but as a family where young talented artistes are given a chance to grow in their music careers. For the moment we don’t sign artistes. We have a couple of young artistes we are beginning to support. (Pay for studio recording sessions, video shoots, photoshoots, promo etc).

 

@237Showbiz: From your vision and manner of handling situations, it’s not strange you were one of the best students growing up. Tell us about your educational background.

 

Seta Beatz: hahahaha…. Ahhh I wasn’t an excellent student ooh but a good and disciplined one. I have been through primary, secondary, high school, university and have also obtained a couple of other professional trainings in and out of the country. I am still studying though…. Sincerely school helps but the practical world out here helps better. My vision and manner of handling situations has been through diversified interactions and life experiences. We all know the common phrase “Experience is the best teacher”.

 

@237Showbiz: Your latest single WEREWA released few weeks ago has caught a lot of attention given that it speaks mainly about “The Struggle” and current political instability in the Northwest and Southwest of Cameroon. Please tell us, what inspired this song?

 

Seta Beatz: The suffering of the people inspired the song. The word in my dialect Meta “Werewa” means help us.  I took this word from women I saw one morning running from heavy gunshots towards my home in Mbengwi and crying out. I could see grand mothers who couldn’t even walk struggling to run and some of them falling to the ground. We have a blind and handicapped school just next to my home and these people were also crying and struggling to run. It was so sad and painful to see the fear and frustration of these people.

@237Showbiz: As an artiste and Cameroonian, has the struggle affected you particularly in any way? If yes, please tell us how.

 

Seta Beatz: Of course, the crises still affects me. I run a children’s home with over 50 children which I support. These children have been facing difficulties to go to school for the past years as we all know.

My younger brother was also shot in the leg.  I was ones held hostage by armed guys for hours. After a few calls that made them recognize me, they had to let me go.

My community is deserted. They shoot people and dump their dead bodies along our roads. Most of the people who supported our music have been displaced, some killed, some in prison, and some psychologically traumatized by their ordeals. We all know that “Market for showbiz nodi waka again for NW and SW.”. We keep praying for peace and normalcy to return.

 

@237Showbiz: What measures do you think we need to put in place to get out of this “Wahala” ?  How can Cameroon and Anglophone bounce back to normal?

 

Seta Beatz:  Dialogue is the one and only route. Both parties must begin by dropping down their arms. How do you seat to talk with someone you consider an enemy still carrying a gun or a machete? How can you comfortably seat down and talk?  There is always going to be this fear of the unknown and lack of trust and confidence of the outcome should there still be a disagreement. Both parties must agree to drop their weapons, seat down and talk a peaceful way out.

@237Showbiz: The Cameroon entertainment industry on its part has its own “Struggle” Envy, Jealousy and hate is the order of the day. These are some of the ills plaguing our Entertainment industry. It started with artistes now even the fans have followed suit. How can we overcome these challenges?

 

Seta Beatz: Well the Cameroonian music industry is still at its puberty. No artiste is yet fully established and so there is this silent competition and insecurities. Everyone is still putting in work to make some papers, own investments that can guaranty him/her a great future when retirement comes. The failure is that at this stage the industry has no structure. There is just so much disorder without a body that controls and coordinates activities. Its like a group of persons that all have the opportunity to go up a tower using a ladder but they all are fighting to be the first to climb and by so doing they push each other off and on, break the steps of the ladder for others not to climb, meanwhile they could coordinate themselves with one person climbing after the other to the top. The ministry of arts and culture, the ministry of tourism and other stakeholders need to give in full recognition to the work of artiste and put in place rules and platforms that supports the artiste. Right now, “Any man di just try ye best. Any man di find ye own way”. It’s not easy.

 

@237Showbiz: What that one word or piece of advice for Cameroonian artistes playing a deaf ear to what’s going on in their respective land of origin?

 

Seta Beatz: Never forget where you come from. Just never forget your humble beginnings.