SA artists must stop embarrassing themselves and the country

It is inconceivable that the soccer fraternity would demand Bafana Bafana be featured in the Fifa 2010 World Cup final without proving themselves.

There is no sane person, including die-hard supporters of Bafana, for instance, that would support demands that they be in the final without proving their merit against international counterparts.

It is a well-known fact that only those who meet the whimsical “requirements” or criteria of referees and other decision-makers make it to the finals.

If this is an acceptable conclusion, one fails to understand why the same principle does not hold for South African artists, especially musicians.

The whole issue of the 2010 Kick-Off Celebration Concert at Orlando Stadium on the eve of the World Cup has generated more heat than light.

And the artists have just added a lot of dust to cloud clarity of thought on how the mafia-like Fifa operates around the world.

Instead, the music industry should respect the decision of Control Room, the LA-based company that has been given the rights to stage this very important global concert.

Also, the music fraternity should applaud the few local acts — including Vusi Mahlasela, The Parlotones and BLK JKS — that have been selected for the line-up for there are true testaments to our world-class talent and acts.

The concert provides a platform for some of the best artists in the world to share their talent, artistry, music and soul with the people of the world.

But the fact that locals like Johnny Clegg, Jonathan Butler, Soweto String Quartet, Sibongile Khumalo, Simphiwe Dana, Thandiswa Mazwai or Ladysmith Black Mambazo, to name a few, are not featured does not take anything from their artistic integrity, talent and world-class acts.

This is not a South African event except that we have been allowed — by the grace of Sepp Blatter et al — to provide the context, location and infrastructure for this global event to happen.

What baffles me is the whole protest by local artists who demand to be included in the line-up.

This smacks of nothing else but a culture of entitlement by spoilt children who feel that just because the party is happening at their home they must be Mr Party, themselves.

But mature people know that life is not like that.

It is ironic that indigenous artists are quick to point the accusing finger at so-called “Americans” for allegedly dominating the line-up.
Perhaps it is important to pause and consider what John Legend, Alicia Keys and Black Eyed Peas represent in terms of projecting black super-achievement and contribution to the global arts.

These are descendants of African slaves who paid with blood, sweat and tears to attain the leading position in the highly competitive music world.

They did not sit back and complain about racism, exploitation and marginalisation when they should have been working around the clock to let their talent do the talking rather than protest.

It is misguided for local artists to want to condemn and discriminate against artists from the African diaspora, especially, who have been chosen by history and destiny to represent black talent on the global stage.

The irony of this whole brouhaha lies in the fact that local artists unashamedly imitate these “Americans” when it suits them.
In fact, these same “Americans” are not only their role models but their source of inspiration.

Rightfully, the minister of arts and culture, Ms Lulu Xingwana, empathises with local artists and would like to see the line-up more representative.

But it’s time local artists ask themselves how their oppositional stance to spreading music, love and unity through the Orlando Stadium concert boosts the government’s international-relations policy or promotes a positive image of our freedom and democracy.
What our artists need to admit is that they face a serious challenge when it comes to organising themselves so that they become a influential and powerful unionised bloc.

They need to unite beyond more than just sour grapes and rhetoric to influence developments and trends in their sector.
It is long overdue that the Creative Workers Union of South Africa took the lead to make policy recommendations to government and help put systems and structures into place that would determine the terms and conditions for staging international shows in the country.

The protest against the domination and superior treatment given to so-called “foreign” artists is something that should be a matter of principle and not political expediency.

In fact, if they want to be taken seriously on their pseudo anti-American stance, then they should give a rational explanation for sharing the stage with the same “foreigners” at events like the Cape Town International Jazz festival or Joy of Jazz, for instance.

It is difficult not to see their sudden but misguided radicalism as blinded by selective emotional reasoning tinged with sour grapes.
Our artists are supposed to be the custodians of the soul of this nation and are, essentially, agents for freedom of expression, association, movement, global peace and unity.

They are expected to be exemplary national icons that not only protect but promote the new principles of non-racism, unity, free movement and peace in the world.

It would make more sense if they defended the rights of their counterparts from around the world to not only perform at home but to use them to promote international brotherhood.

The Orlando concert is intended to reflect international artistic solidarity and show artists from all over the globe “working together” as espoused by the government.

Presumably, it would have been constructive engagement for them to invite these “foreign” artists to join them in free concerts for the people rather than embarrass the country through these childish antics.

Over the last four years, South Africa — using Nelson Mandela as the face — has told the world “Ke nako — Africa’s time has come”.
This journey began long before Germany staged the World Cup in 2006 and the big question is: what have our artists been doing all along?

They had more than enough time to engage the Local Organising Committee, for instance, to influence the selection process of the line-up.

If it is true that freedom is about choices, local artists must assume responsibility for everything that has happened to them or failed to.

The government will, of course, always support their right to assemble, protest and free expression as much as it is committed to helping organise themselves along union lines to give them a loud voice in cultural industries.

In fact, the government is very serious about opening up opportunities for them to compete at an international level.

But this is the time for African artists to show the true spirit of Ubuntu and give our freedom and democracy a dignified and respectful African face.

The lead-up to the 2010 World Cup needs our artists to be part of a build-up that will project a positive image and profile of this country.

Now is the time for artists to truly play a role that says music is a great healer that can unite the people of the world.

Anything less is self-defeating.