Is beef necessary to Malawi Music?

Years after a ceasefire to artistic war of words among some local musicians was confirmed, peace reigned and sanity was proclaimed in the industry. Now where does the resurfacing of beef leave Malawi music?

Beef, in this context means musicians taking jabs at each other under different motivations. It is a sharp weapon used to arrest people’s attention.

Between 2008 and 2010, beef reached the epicentre in urban music as a group of musicians ganged up against Tay Grin, in a famous beef series. It involved Lomwe, Fredokiss, JB and the Daredevils.

Fredokiss and JB were arguably partners in beef as they also found themselves at loggerheads with Phyzix of the Cholapitsa fame. As to the genuineness of the conflicts, only parties that were involved can explain.

Fast forward to 2017, some musicians in urban circles have exhumed graves of beef. Musicians like Saint, Jay Jay Cee, Avokado, Chavura and Sholigah are setting trends in the discipline. Only one language of demeaning their rivals has been a uniting factor among the aforementioned MCs.

Is it worth a clap or condemnation? Well, it all depends on what the audience want to absorb at that particular time, just like Fredokiss said in one of the radio interviews.

He stressed that during the days when their beef was at its peak, the industry needed it as evidenced by its overwhelming reception. In this respect, change of times has deprived beef of its weight.

It has been established that these days, artists are only involved in beef to be in the spotlight. They want people to talk about them, to record more downloads to their ill willed works and in the end gain fame.

Some artists have created it to promote their songs, knowing pretty well that good music will still find its way to the masses against all odds. Can people be forced to fall in love with a song? The answer is a simple no.

Besides putting artists in the spotlight, beef kills unity in the industry as it gives room for hatred to flourish. Bearing in mind that it takes combined effort to build a vibrant music industry, if musicians allow their pride to take precedence, will this not cripple the already pathetic industry?

A musician can only be applauded with creativity being the reason. In beef there is no any sense of creativity, it’s all about artists plainly decampaigning their fellows. So of what benefit will it be seeing your fellow Malawian artist sinking.

Musicians must stop copying these counterproductive behaviours from the developed outside world. It is high time Malawian artists started pushing each other. Fredokiss said it already, beef is no longer necessary in the present day.

Beef is an agent of insanity in the music industry as such it should not be tolerated. If artists have unresolved feuds, they have to employ other means to find amicable solutions. Otherwise Malawi music will get stuck in its pathetic state.