Childish Gambino’s “This Is America” has recorded groundbreaking success, given that it is the first out rightly political hip hop song in a while. The song has probably accumulated more YouTube views than any other hip hop video in recent times, statistics which according to me are a very good thing for the black community. The song received so much acclamation and acceptance, and made so much sense that Falz of Nigeria felt that in like manner as Childish Gambino he had to call out the ills of his nation in a song, he did so by largely copying the video concept and beats but his message did pass, and I think it did so well enough, given the amount of acclamation it has received, it is rumoured that Falz has even received threats from people asking him to take down this song, and as expected he seems to have vehemently declined. These two versions of conscious music really seemed to have brought about a major spin in the world of hip hop and as such some people very much believe that Cameroon in the same light needs its own version, almost everyone seems to be demanding a “This Is Cameroon” song.

Meanwhile a politically conscious song at this very point in the Cameroonian music industry if well done and by the right person may reveal itself to be a great jewel; I don’t think a “This Is Cameroon” song is necessary. Apart from the fact that it will be out right copying, which I believe is very unnecessary, I don’t know why nobody has called out Falz for his blatant copying of another man’s concept or maybe it has been done and i don’t know about it, but that’s a story for another day. Cameroonians are clamouring for our own “This Is Cameroon”, the same people who probably haven’t ever listened to Young Holiday’s HoliWeek EP or any extract of it, they haven’t either listened to Wan Shey’s “Status Update” or even ever clicked on all those links promoting VOC. But yet, because others elsewhere did, we just happen to need it too. For the better part of this year we have been preaching support doctrines, because we all know that it is the way to go if we want to achieve that takeover dream somebody talked about at the beginning of the year, but now more than ever that dream sounds quite farfetched.

Likewise Jovi in “BASTARD”, “Monshung”, “Hospital Bills” and other tracks has been shouting “This Is Cameroon” at the top of his voice, but in one way or the other, the better part of the Cameroonian population happened to miss out on these. With all these examples of conscience raising releases by Cameroonian artistes both young and old, we can say without fear of contradiction that political and conscience raising music is not what has been lacking or lacks in the Cameroonian Music Industry, but it is support and recognition that lacks tremendously. I, really do not see the necessity of “This Is Cameroon”, except if whoever does it just wants to ride on the wave of popularity set by Childish Gambino as someone said.

Conversely, we could focus on supporting our own artistes and in so doing put them at the level where they will be able to set the pace and make a real impact in our own society and in other parts of the world. Nonetheless, this is just the writer’s opinion; feel free to share your thoughts and feelings on this.
These two versions of conscious music really seemed to have brought about a major spin in the world of hip hop and as such some people very much believe that Cameroon in the same light needs its own version, almost everyone seems to be demanding a “This Is Cameroon” song.

Artistes in Cameroon have been singing “This Is Cameroon” from time immemorial, exposing ills as they really are. There’s Lapiro De Mbanga of blessed memory, Valsero who dropped a whole hip hop album in 2005 calling out ills in our society but because of our inability to stand with them in support, their art was toyed with and gently tossed into oblivion and all these happened before our very own eyes and everybody decided that it was not worth seeing.

Conversely, we could focus on supporting our own artistes and in so doing put them at the level where they will be able to set the pace and make a real impact in our own society and in other parts of the world. Nonetheless, this is just the writer’s opinion; feel free to share your thoughts and feelings on this.

Written by,

Emmanuel Asafor