You might not notice, but we Nigerians treat musicians like dirt

State Of The MusicYou might not notice, but we Nigerians treat musicians like dirt

We attack Simi's fashion, ignore Davido's struggles, trash D'banj's hustle to make music; our musicians are treated as trash.

When you study music on a daily basis to try to make a living out of loving the art and telling the stories around and about it, you are bound to experience more than the average guy that just likes to listen to the new Davido song.

That’s what has happened to me. This job provides an escape from the realities of existing in Nigeria, while also serving as my work, and it has made me appreciate the art. Telling stories about the music means you have to regularly be involved with the people who make it.

As fans, we love the music and value it. And that’s why it is so important to us. But over time, circumstances have come together to make us become hateful towards the people who make the art, and all their troubles. We are unforgiving of them, attack them at their fallible moments, and place them on pedestals where they are bound to fail. Our love for the art, has led us to despise the creators of it.

You might begin to tell yourself, that my line of thought is trash. I understand. I even thought it was trash at first. And even as I write this, I have Davido’s ‘If’ playing in my head and telling me it is still trash. Is it not because we treat them nicely, that’s why they are they make a lot of money, live large, and rub our noses in it on social media? Aren’t they all jerks with just a mic and some talent that are fleecing us of our hard earned cash?

But it is true. We do hate our musicians, and treat them like trash.

You could see it in the comments on Instagram. We ignored the struggle of Davido with being a new father, and trashed his struggle to make good music in 2016. We attack 2face Idibia for not protesting for social justice, while also failing to factor in the numerous forces at play in the country.

We lowkey hate on our Yemi Alade’s music, while openly declaring that she should never have attained that level of success. And then there’s Mr Eazi, whose success has threatened our collective, unfounded sense superiority over Ghanaians. We also berate Simi’s simple tastes in fashion, and use it as an excuse to attack her flawless art.

Why? Why are we like this?

Many musicians are right when they call out haters. They do have haters. And when you go deeper, it all boils down to jealousy. We Nigerians who have 9-5 or have less exciting lives wish deep down to have the life of a musician. We believe that put in minimum work to get to the level that they currently are, enjoying more money and adoration from people than all of the other ‘meaningful’ occupations. Doctors, lawyers, bankers, firefighters and others are seen to be below the musician in the social hierarchy of value.

But it’s not true. The reality of being a musician in Nigeria is depressing and hard, and if everything is made public to you, I bet you would choose to hold on to your regular job. Being a musician in Nigeria is extremely difficult, and when they become popular, the job gets harder.

Popular artists lose their basic human freedoms, as the fame puts enough pressure on them to commoditize their entire life, and sell it for profit. Their work goes beyond the music, and into the realm of monetizing the brand.

They are constantly asked by the media and fans, to justify their existence and the music that they make. And then there’s the media, who most likely are scavengers, looking for the dirty by-product of celebrity lifestyle, and bringing it to light.

This pressure society puts on them can make a man go mad, lose their mind, and look for extraordinary means of escapes. They are on a rollercoaster that is essential for their survival, while also debilitating to their mental state and health.

They are treated like shit by everyone, and although the monetary reward is fulfilling, it comes at over intangible costs, which can never fully be documented.

A solution to this is to throw more light on what happens behind the scenes, and bring to the public, how much it costs to be a star.

Perhaps, only then would we totally understand the true plight of artists and respect them for sticking to the art against all odds.