Grooving with American Hip-hop stars in Ethiopia’s Sheraton Addis

Terrorism funds from the US government to US singers?

By Qeerransoo Biyyaa

January 2, 2008 — I don’t want to list the names of the many hip-hop stars who have been hired to entertain the ethiopian political and business elites in the capital. I hear a lot of rumors that they are paid jointly by the government and Sheraton’s owner to come and sing. It is all for the millennium; the one year-long millennium celebration. Hmmm! It is a universal fact that music is the language of the world and it can play a role in connecting cultures and people. In this regard the coming and singing some hip-hop artists from the US may have some relevance. I respect the artists’ personality and their work.

The real question is where does the money to pay for these expensive stars come from, at least to keep them for hours? People here are of the idea that the state and the Sheraton Addis jointly pay the artists. Oaky Sheraton Addis is privately owned although the owner is said to be the right-hand man of the Meles regime. The hotel has the right to spend its money as it wishes as it is its own private money. What worries me is the public money that is wasted in hiring hip-hop stars. When the state hires many such musicians from the US and pay them in hard currencies only for the few hours that they perform, I should think this is corruption.

It is corruption for at least to reasons. Reason one is the money comes from the downtrodden poor tax-payers of the country who are not lucky enough to go to the concerts. Price is the obvious barrier. The average Janes and Joes can’t afford entrance fees of well over $100, a month’s salary for a qualified professional. Reason two is that those who attend the concerts are political elites and rich businessmen. Those elites who speak and hear English fairly could enjoy the hip-hope shows but others who speak other local languages will dance to the rhythms.

It could be sometimes funny how people try to catch up in wrong ways. How much does the government pay for the local artists to showcase their music? I am not sure about this! The state controls and restricts the local artists, especially those who sing freedom songs and critical songs in the repressed South. This is particularly true in Oromia where singers are targeted as ’enemies of the state’. How can we try to jump borders and try to understand and appreciate hip-hop artists from abroad while our own indigenous music is not respected? I am not calling for boycott of American musicians here. I do buy and listen to their music from time to time, just for variety. Homework for the hip-hop stars? They must do those poor people of this country a favor of letting their voices heard to the world rather just coming and entertaining tyrant and corrupt politicians. They must advocate for respect of the human rights of the artists that are being violated everyday in this country.

The author is based in Ethiopia. He can be reached at [email protected]