Mr Ezekiel Mutua, the Chief Executive Officer of the Music Copyright Society of Kenya has put an unnamed venecular singer from the Kamba tribe on notice after receiving numerous phone calls regarding a vulgar music video which he deemed ‘obscene and vulgar in the extreme’.
In an initial statement published on Wednesday, February 5, 2025, Mr Mutua said artistes had resorted to releasing such content to chase clout and to thrive in a society where consumers ‘thrive on such scartology’.
“I am inundated with calls regarding a video by one of the Kamba artists which in the natural interpretation and meaning of the title and the words is obscene and vulgar in the extreme. Some of these artists do crazy things for clout chasing because most consumers thrive on such scartology. This is not music. It’s pure madness and the author and those who celebrate such obscenity should be called out. We are consulting with the relevant authorities to ensure that action is taken to stop this spate of moral decay.
If we keep normalizing such obscenities in the name of music, then we have no future as music is a powerful tool for shaping moral values for better or worse. Music doesn’t have to be dirty to sell and artists must understand that they have a duty to build society through art, not to destroy it. I want to assure the country that we are keen on mentoring our artists to produce quality music, but where our advice is ignored then we have no choice but to let the law take its cause. I will be giving a comprehensive statement on this matter once the video is examined by the relevant authorities,” said Mr Mutua.
While the artiste remains unnamed, a section of Kenyans responded to the statement, naming two songs in particular that they deemed vulgar. Until a comprehensive statement is made on the findings, Nairobi Post will not name the particular songs or the artistes who sang them.
However, a section of Kenyans online welcomed Mr Mutua’s move to have the artistes investigated and their music banned from Kenyan media spaces. They also called for artistes to be held accountable for the content their release and Kenyan media airspaces kept relatively decent.
Mr Mutua has been on record calling for and effecting the ban of several songs and music videos in Kenya due to the nature of their content. Among them were Takataka by Alvindo, Niko Uchi by Getumbe and Yesu Ninyandue by Embarambamba, Wamlambez and Tetema as well as Sauti Sol’s video for their Nishike song.
