Last month there was this conversation on Drake’s ‘Honestly nevermind’ album and Jovi’s 16 wives album. Many opined that a scene from the Toronto rapper’s ‘falling back’ song could have easily been influenced by the 16 wives album cover.
Following the media conversation around it vividly reminded me of the Lyrical Joe-Jovi wrangle in late 2019.
Many Cameroonians hailed Joe when he went up in battle against Jovi. What started as another rap battle soon descended below the belt, and the notion of ours first was thrown under the bus.
Joe rubbed the Lake Nyos incident in Cameroonians’ faces and many licked it with delight, under the banner of giving accolades to whom it was due. He mentioned the President in the same song and they went bunkers.
36 years after the Lake Nyos incident, victims still believe they deserve more, and maybe rightly so. Joe conveniently rode this wave of tears to fame, for likes and listenership. It was the bashing of a helpless population, stained by the workings of nature and left maimed for many decades that many embraced and termed art.
And yet, they went on fighting for a leader who has proven beyond doubt for ages to be able to cater for himself and his.
In the Joe V Jovi wrangle, someone had suggested it was Lyrical Joe being the underdog that turned tables in his favour.
He probably held this view until Jovi became the ‘underdog’ that could not have influenced the concept of a Drake song.
Are we going to act like @Drake never got inspired from @JoviLeMonstre here ? Man look at these two covers. Drake released "Honestly, nevermind" album last night and @Jovi released "16 Wives" album in 2017. pic.twitter.com/nlEgHYlJ4q
— pancho Dukamer Nfor (@panchodukamer) June 18, 2022
While these may be just two isolated and maybe even unrelated incidents, they cannot be exempted from the towering acceptance of foreign over ours. There was Zamina of Zangalewa and there was Soul Makossa of Manu Dibango.
The longtime argument has often been the low quality works by Cameroonian performers and artistes, from production to videos and even lifestyle. And when these get shoved aside by an undeniable pro, what remains? Inferiority complex.
Jovi broke the jinx, Stanley Enow broke the jinx. Salatiel did and Manu Dibango made the world dance with a trumpet.
When the play field of quality and meaningful content is level or near flat, home should always get precedence.
Wait, did someone just ask ‘which home?’ Honestly, Nevermind.
– Giyo Ndzi