DNG [@dngkenya]
Over 10,000 musicians in Kenya are struggling financially with many living fake lifestyles.
This is according to self-proclaimed Kenya’s number one hypeman Davidson Ngibuini aka DNG.
In an interview with Milele FM’s Dennis Ngubuini, DNG explained that the misery some of the broke musicians go through was exposed inadvertently by the Music Copyright Society of Kenya (MCSK) early this month during its controversial disbursement of royalties.
According to DNG, any musician making money off his or her craft is not expected to complain over the Sh2,530 flat-rate payout from MCSK.
He revealed that one dissatisfied artist, in fact, forwarded him the payout’s message that showed he had an account balance of zero prior to the ‘meagre’ two-month PPP distribution courtesy of collections from public places by MCSK.
“By the time an artist is complaining about Sh2,530 do you think that person is moneyed?” He posed to Ngubuini.
“Surely, if you have money, you shoot videos in the USA then you send me a screenshot complaining… There is an artist who sent me a message, the M-Pesa balance was nil-nil,” DNG went on.
The One FM presenter then went ahead to list the artistes, he said, were truely making a killing in music.
“Very few people have monetized their music in this country and we can name them. Ones that I know personally are Jua Cali, Nameless, Wyre, Timmy T Dat and Khaligraph Jones. Those are five, yet, artists in Kenya are over 10,000.”
The hypeman added that if the chain of content creation, dissemination and consumption is scrutinized closely, DJs rake in lots of cash while recording artists wallow in poverty.
“DJs are in business all week. The person who records the music is the most broke in this ecosystem of music, huyu ndio hana shillingi. Ask me, I have done music and at least I am honest about it,” narrated DNG.
The emcee also denied that a Mercedes Benz 2012 model he purchased a year ago estimated to cost Sh2.5 million was from proceeds of his stint in music.
“It was not from music. It is show business. You act smart and open a company then make a brand. It attracts corporates who want to work with you and that way you make money,” he noted.
