Gospel music becomes Tower of Babel

The once united music industry is losing the glue that held it together with turbulence and rocky waves shaking it to the core; are these merely lost sheep waiting to be found, or is Jonah's Biblical whale swallowing them whole? STEVENS MUENDO finds out

The news of a celebrated gospel artiste put behind bars in Nairobi’s Kasarani Police Station on allegations of molesting a girl last Friday spread like bushfire. It hit many a musician and fans alike like thunderbolt. Soon, the news of his arrest was on blogs and social sites were full of updates on the same.

As the singer was running his errand he was picked up for questioning although the girl could not prove she was molested. A shocked singer was lost for words.

"A girl approached me and jumped into my car after which she told me I was under arrest. She had reported that I had raped her and that shocked me as I had never seen her in a long time," says the singer who adds that the girl has been cajoling him into a relationship yet he wasn’t interested. He explained that her main interest was his money and a share of his fame.

Cornered, the girl threw in the towel and the singer went scot-free. Now, the hitmaker, who initially contemplated suing for damages, has forgiven her.

There is more happening in the local gospel music scene than meets the eye. The once formidable block now feels like it’s built on quick sand. The honeymoon is over as the once united front is slowly disintegrating into small units and throat cut competition takes centre stage.

It is not all about the share of the big pie. Matters pertaining promiscuity, untrustworthiness in business transactions and other money deals, backstabbing and infightings have turned the once reputable segment of entertainment into a controversial nightmare.

"Because of the faith they confess, gospel musicians are judged harshly and they can’t get away with mistakes which secular singers easily get away with," says singer Victor Mbuvi of Kivevelo fame.

"In-fighting is there but critics should not exaggerate them as nothing is beyond repair. Nobody is immune to sin. We all need God’s grace to make it in this journey," he adds.

Tired of merely attending gigs organised by gospel musicians (two weeks ago) singer Eko Dydda organised charity show Badilisha Ukabila and invited fellow singers to support his venture.

THE FALL-OUT

But some big names gave the concert a wide berth without issuing apology for their absence. Among them were Daddy Owen and the MOG group who were the star attraction. The fans waited in vain and Eko Dydda was lost for words.

Taking to the stage gospel hip-hop rapper Juliani wittily slammed MOG and Daddy Owen before the anxious crowd, painting a dark shadow on what many see as a major fallout among gospel musicians.

The fallout began almost two years ago when nominated artistes for Groove Awards led by Jogg C and Gospel Fathers cried foul accusing Kevin Mulei (the Groove Awards founder) of awarding artistes allegedly aligned to him.

Some winners went home with TV screens and Blackberry mobile phones that caused the stir as the rest went home with mere trophies. There was even more drama when Chizi threatened to beat up Mulei.

Four things now come out prominently in this new unlikely wake. One, there is the issue of lukewarm gospel stars who seem to be singing gospel, not for the faith, but for the money. For them, the business of saving souls is secondary. All they want to make is a hit song and not necessarily one with the message of salvation.

Secondly, some of the gospel singers prefer night concerts rather than Sunday morning services. They see nothing wrong with clubbing and taking a little wine.

Thirdly, Gospel artistes have fallen out and formed rival camps. Issues to do with ego, fame and fortune seem to have taken centre stage. It’s about who is hosting the major shows and receiving great following and media coverage.

Lastly and above all, Gospel music has gone commercial. The message in the lyrics is drastically changing. Now, most of these guys are singing what is widely accepted by the wider masses. The line between contemporary gospel and secular music has clearly been blurred.

The so-called ‘enemies’ of the cross have now invited themselves and joined the party masquerading as fans and die-hard followers. Wayward boys and girls, men and women are inducing our sisters and brothers into sexual allure and many are falling into this trap. The sentiments expressed in Jimmie Gait’s hit single Muhadhara are just a tip of the iceberg. Some of our gospel stars find nothing wrong with making out during some of those kesha outings and night concerts?

Jogg-C & Gospel Fathers made the head start and became popular with their school missions concerts. That was before the whole of the Kubamba Crew came up with gospel TV veejaying whose popularity saw them criss cross TV stations as their demand intensified.

Mo Sound Entertainment led by Kevin Mulei is envy to many gospel singers since they landed Safaricom sponsorship for Groove Awards.

New gospel music recording stables such as Moja Entertainment (R-Kay), Princecam (Paul Mukoma), Sakata Entertainment (SK Blue), Sisimka (Chris Ruhiu), Mchoro Pictures (Muigai Ndung’u), GNPI Africa (Prince Makaya) and Lampstand Media (Rufftone) are now engaged in supremacy battle as they jostle for singers.

BEYOND PULPIT

From pioneering stars such as Pete Odera, Rufftone, Esther Wahome, Jogg-C & Gospel Fathers and SKBlue to newcomers Juliani, Daddy Owen, MOG, Alemba, Jimmie Gait, Astar, Eko Dydda, Eunice Njeri, Victor Mbuvi, Kambua Manundu, Emmy Kosgei, Holy Dave, Allan Aaron, Chit Chat, Marion Shako, Ben Githae, Bantu and Ringtone have in the past two years received an overwhelming acceptance beyond the pulpit.

Now singer Emmy Kosgei’s Taunet Nelel hit is talk of town. The energy Emmy and her dancers exude in the video is an ultimate thrill. However, one cannot help recognise the heavy borrowing the songstress makes on Brenda Fassie’s Vulindlela classic. From the kwaito beat, to the arrangement of the lyrics and intonation it sounds heavily borrowed from Brenda’s composition apart from the language and dance.

Well, it is not only Emmy, many others have taken to foreign borrowing of sound in the local gospel arena as the game is upped and battlegrounds drawn in asserting showbiz supremacy.

Daddy Owen’s CoupÈ-DÈcalÈ — a new dance craze similar to Congolese Ndombolo and popular in Ivory Coast and other French speaking West African nations — song and System ya Kapungala is borrowed from Ivorian singer Bebe DJ (BB DJ).

Worse still, Dunco’s chants distort Bebe DJs lyric chants in Tobina giving lyrics a different meaning altogether.

Don’t be shocked to find a gospel singer in a disco club. They go to hustle for publicity of their songs by asking the deejays to play them. Clearly, times have changed from the days of the Kassangas’ Wacheni niende nikahubiri injili.