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Why America May Not Be Great Today

A very good reason

Michael Jackson's Off the Wall album

I once watched a documentary that chronicled the evolution of the electric guitar. In conclusion, it said that, when the instrument finally evolved to its present sophistication, it brought down the Soviet Union.

For those who never experienced the full power of music, that conclusion (that the instrument brought down communism) would sound like a hyperbole, but the statement actually meant it in a literal sense.  

What gave America that boundless influence had been its cultural appeal. American culture represented the difference between America and other advanced nations like Germany, Japan, France and the others in their ranks.  American music and movies had been the leading cultural element of America that charmed the rest of the world. Of these, music stood out more. Unlike the movies, music is understood even without the understanding of the language used. It gives credence to the popular saying, “music is a universal language.”  

While America’s music strength lasted, the radio stations in my own part of the world gave over ninety per cent of airtime to western music. Of this percentage, more than eighty per cent was American music or music inspired by American music. 

One thing with American music is the fact that it evolves very fast. You listen to an artist today, and next year, when he comes out with a new album, the style is radically different from what it was the previous year. In the last decade and a half, though, the music evolved so fast that the rest of the world couldn’t keep pace. The end product is music that the rest of the world can’t relate to. And while one thinks that all Americans will be able to relate to any music that is American, it is shocking to hear that even many Americans aren’t relating to their own modern music. What do you expect of the rest of the world?

The moment the world failed to see the essence of American contemporary music, a void was created. Here in Africa, the youth, empowered by computers and software, started occupying the voids American music created. They made music that local folks could relate to. In the radio stations, they took over the airwaves. I watched on BBC television when Tiwa Savage, Nigerian music diva, talked proudly of how Nigerian music successfully took over the radio stations from “foreign music.” She was saying what all of us had known for over a decade. 

If music made America very visible to the rest of the world, it is only natural that the rare presence of American music abroad would mean that American greatness is at the point of disappearing behind the corner. Out of sight is out of mind.  

Music and Your Community

I had just finished watching one of Tekno’s music videos when I decided to write this.  The video brought to mind the immense musical talent of the artist. I was compelled to recall a well-popularized fiasco when he performed in Kenya, sometimes in 2017, when I was left wondering how things went wrong for one who is so vastly talented.  

What often comes to mind, each time I recall that Kenya incident, is what a Kenyan fan had said while spitting his frustration. The guy posted on Facebook, that Kenyans do not wish to shape their music in the path of the Nigerian music industry. The statement could mean that he knows that Kenyan music was supposed to sound Kenyan. But since no Nigerian had asked Kenyans to design their music to sound Nigerian, the implication is that he is ignorant that music is supposed to mirror the community from which it is born.

Music is an art. Art is the creation of beauty. Art will never expect Kenyans to design their music to sound Nigerian. If you come to Nigeria, you will know that we listen to music from everywhere around the world. Even though we listen to all these forms, we only get inspired to create music that is ours, music in which you find the Nigerian character, notably in the parlance, dance, costume, and remnants of Nigeria’s music past.

So, what is expected from Kenyan music artists is for them to get inspiration by any good music, not minding where it comes from. The spin from the music would then trigger new songs, songs that would endure through generations. Yes, music that mirrors society from where it was created endures, as it makes the people proud, playing what they feel belongs to them. On the other hand, music that fails to reflect the community from which it comes is fleeting, like a candle in the rain.

To end this, I want to recount what I learned reading the history of Reggae. According to the article, Reggae is the end result of the mimicry of American pop. The music evolved to embody a Jamaican identity, a character in which there is only a small fragment of the American music culture. It is the same with Nigerian contemporary music industry. When it started, I was a strong critic of the music, asking why there is that constant effort to sound American. But just about a decade and a half later, we can confidently say that we have finally found our own music independence as well. If the Kenyan music industry is still uncharacteristic of Kenya, they should just carry on. Eventually, it will begin to reflect a Kenyan identity.

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