I would love to welcome you from last week – a week that was filled with much activity and excitement. Headlines or equivalents read: Bibala video out! , 2017 UG Hip Hop Awards nominees announced and so much more.
Last week the conversation was around millennials and how we need to share knowledge and acquire when it is available. Clear The Air series aims at actually clearing the air and this week we would like us to think about awards.
When the Tribe UG announced last year that the first inaugural awards would happen – mixed feelings rose. The brighter side at the end of the day showed up. Even though there were some mistakes made last year – the first all Hip Hop awards in its first year wouldn’t be criticized to mortification.
The process brought more hope and especially among people who are not really 360 hip hop but wish to see Ugandan Hip Hop and talent developed.
Among full-time hip hoppers this felt like redemption among some and others who were still stuck to a certain thought – took the dark corner to keep hurling insults.
Hip Hop is for all of US!
I think the stride in making the awards a reality is one we should say HALLELUJAH for. We all know what happened last year with Uganda Entertainment Awards (UEA) – how they forgot a whole hip hop category (read here). And this year the awarding of Fik Meika as hip hop artist of the year – it’s highly debatable.
The gesture of the awards is supposed to be an injection that is painful but offers cure.
It is also okay to pull out if you notice you didn’t do sh*t that particular year
What’s wrong then?
I have tried to follow arguments of some people against the whole process at The Tribe UG and the Awards: I realized that the whole spirit of “they don’t know sh*t and don’t deserve a say” crops up. Some don’t have their facts right. Some don’t actually know how the awards work.
I was baffled when people said or inquired: why were a number of artists not nominated? When you look at the alternative list those who were bitter offered; you will realise the artists and the songs are from a while ago – and yet the UG Hip Hop Awards works in a calendar year.
Our plea (NuveyLive) is; we need to support each process in Ugandan Hip Hop. When we start doing Hip Ego(p) and not Hip Hop as regards knowledge; then we are at a loss. The people at the Awards need to pay attention to certain genuine concerns as well and of course ignore outrageous non developmental noise.
If your artist is not nominated – you should find out why? Did he or she submit? Let us not be fools. If I am not nominated or my girl or boy – it doesn’t mean I should say they are frauds (if they are show proof or a sensible argument). If I am not on the list, I should support my favourite on the list.
It is also okay to pull out if you notice you didn’t do sh*t that particular year and feel the others in the same category with you are better off alone. This seems unrealistic but when we are honest with ourselves the returns are everlasting – AMEN!
We have to be sentimental however – it is an exciting time of the year.
This is how We look at the UG Hip Hop Awards:
They are a huge drive for aspiring, striving and hardworking artists. The sense of healthy competition rises. There is opportunity to learn more each year.
In this country Entertainment awards have been a joke for long – we don’t want to have that. Therefore, we should hope for a more genuine process; if we don’t see that we can hold the UG Hip Hop Awards accountable for any pitfalls that could have been controlled.
The online community will forget your argument if it is out of sentiment not logic. We have to be sentimental however – it is an exciting time of the year. Let us observe; be apart, be proud, be proactive and be supportive of our artists.
The Awards; give us a full mainstream sword to cut through. I am not talking about the mainstream artist mentality. What I mean here is – we are taken serious. All media covers us! They know we are firm, FAM! We have a bubble that is made of platinum not soap. And to maintain it – we need support of our own. Sensitize each other. Make developmental suggestions. Do some inclusive initiatives.
Let the awards be an awareness campaign! Find who the artists on that list are that you don’t know. Let have a conversation after the award and let us carry it on.
Until next week, Clear The Air – UG Hip Hop!
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