The scourge that is music piracy

A problem misunderstood is a problem that will never be solved. This is exactly the case of music piracy in Nigeria. People just scream ‘piracy’ and criticize pirates for their insensitivity without really understanding what piracy is all about. Most of the music industry stakeholders themselves don’t really understand it, and this further compounds the problem. But even as piracy continues to be shrouded by an aura of mystery that seems impenetrable, those that are really affected by it have taken time out to study it. It’s not everyone in the industry that’s affected by it, severely or otherwise. Several of the big artists and record labels also feel its heat, but because they are surviving in music through shows and endorsements, they are able to weather the storm and so don’t really feel they should go out of their way to tackle the menace, since it is even a hydra-headed monster that makes you wonder which of its heads to cut first. So it is the struggling artistes who are bearing the full brunt of piracy. Phemz, an upcoming artist who is finding it difficult to promote his singles, Bunmi, Telemi, Mu Jo Jo and Babie Okwu, spoke in depth on the piracy issue and his knowledge of it. His revelations on the issue are shocking, to say the least. His initial words: “The actual pirates are not the real pirates who sell the bootleg CDs to the public. The real pirates are the radio stations who refuse to support upcoming artists and Nigerian music thereby. They are the ones who encourage piracy and they are the actual pirates.” Explaining, he said Nigerian radio stations prefer to play foreign music, and they also don’t play Nigerian musicians who don’t bribe them, and it’s their stance that actually leads to piracy. “The refusal of Nigerian radio stations to play Nigerian music adequately is what led to and still encourages piracy. If we had the support of these radio stations, the listening public would be able to listen to our music through them. But because the radio stations don’t support us, boys become desperate and resort to other available means, like internet promotion and especially piracy.” According to him, it is psychological trauma for an artist not to hear his song being played on radio or not to have a hit track when other artists are having hit tracks and smiling to the banks. He disclosed that when the radio stations don’t support an artist by playing his music, but the artist needs his music to be heard all over and everywhere in order to become successful, piracy becomes an option for the artist. “Pirating your own music is degrading and humiliating, but these radio stations don’t leave you with any other choice. And despite all the negative sides of piracy, there are actually some merits in the pirated CDs,” Phemz revealed. “A pirated CD will spread your music all over the world and allow the public access to it anytime they want, unlike waiting for it to be played on radio and not being sure it will be played as what is played is dependent on the presenter or DJ’s choice. “It’s very frustrating being an artist in Nigeria,” he lamented further. “Can you imagine that these radio stations that keep praising American artists and playing their music demand money from us before they can play our songs? But my question is, does R Kelly settle them? Or Black Eyed Peas? So if the foreign artists don’t settle, why do they expect same from us in our own country?” Worse, in his opinion, is that they sometimes settle radio DJs and presenters and the DJs, presenters stop playing their songs after two or three times because they want more money. “I wonder why we can’t celebrate our own,” he blasted. “In Cuba, it’s only their music they play on their radio. But here, you’ll hear all these radio people eulogizing R Kelly, Usher and other American stars who don’t know them and don’t give a damn about them.” Still venting his frustration, he dropped another bombshell. “They keep blaming pirates, pirates, pirates. Maybe the pirates are not really to blame. Are you aware that the pirates can’t make the music compilation themselves? Oh yes, it’s DJs who make it for them.” As far as he is concerned, DJs don’t have any right to compile music for pirates, especially as they themselves are professionals in their own sector of the music industry, so it is ethically wrong. “These are the problems of piracy that people don’t understand. So how will piracy go away when radio stations and DJs, two core elements of the industry, are working against artists? In America or Europe, you can be sure that your music will get quality air play on radio. But here in Nigeria, if you don’t have money like D’Banj and P-Square to settle radio DJs, don’t waste your time with radio, you might as well go to the pirates yourself.” He also divulged the best way to get rid of piracy, saying that it will only be eradicated when the government steps into the affair like everyone is agitating for, but not by government coming into the issue in the way people are demanding. “It’s not about the government arresting pirates. That won’t really achieve anything. Piracy will only be truly eradicated when the government firstly promulgates a law that only Nigerian music, or mostly Nigerian music, should be played on Nigerian radio. And if anyone wants to kick against such a law, it will be pointed out to the person that Nigerian music is not played on mainstream radio in America, Europe and Asia so there’s no need for us to be playing their music here at the expense of our own music and musicians.” He gave maximum kudos to Nigerian TV stations and praised them effusively, saying that they are the ones who truly support Nigerian music. He recalled that when a colleague of his, Achiever, was able to scrape money together to do a music video for his song, Ask Question, he got maximum airplay on TV for it, unlike on radio, and he said he could still mention many more of his colleagues that have never had real radio support “and yet, radio should be the basic promotion avenue for musicians.” *****************Continues next week*****************************