Rapper, GNL Zamba, thinks it’s unfair for fans in Uganda to ask celebrities to show off their swanky cribs like their South African peers do, yet they (Ugandan fans) have failed to buy music and support artistes to grow their wealth.
He also added that the Ugandan economy isn’t vibrant enough to facilitate other revenue streams such as endorsements through which artistes can earn.
GNL was responding to a fan who posted a photo of an expensive residence said to belong to South African rapper, Cassper Nyovest. The photo also shows a fleet of luxury cars parked afront the white crib.
This prompted GNL to respond, tweeting: “Casper has been smart & is blessed to be in a country where fans buy music, stream it and the economy functions so endorsements are heavy. I’m just saying UG fans calm down”.
He added that for Ugandan creatives to amass meaningful wealth, they must expand their audience beyond Uganda. But also, that creatives must be paid for their works.
A non-functional copyright law has dragged Uganda’s arts industry for years. Artistes, including those whose careers span over 2 decades have not benefited from their royalties despite having churned out dozens of hits.
For many, the only source of income is bookings for concerts.
Until the Covid-19 pandemic brought the entertainment industry on its knees and they were unable to stage live shows for two years, many artistes had not woken up to the importance of diversifying their income streams.
However, GNL says local celebrities should not be judged since they live in the same economic circumstances like every other Ugandan.
“These people surprise me. As if they don’t face the same problems we face. They act like artists are given 24hrs in a day while they are given 8. We also want to see results in their fields. He is a journalist, we should judge him by Anderson Cooper (CNN host) standards,” he tweeted.
He adds that the public shouldn’t take what celebrities say or showcase (as their assets) on face value. Some of the celebs stage shoots and lease cars which they later parade as their own property, he said.
Adding, chances are, Cassper Nyovest is broke.
Cassper Nyovest has garnered several endorsement deals with various companies, notably with vodka brand, Ciroc, which is one of his biggest endorsement deal in his career so far.
He has also endorsed with major brands like MTN, Shoprite, Samsung South Africa, Coca-Cola KFC SA, Castle Lite and Nike SA.
