RE:IMI Follow-up Open Letter Re: Band Aid 30 And The Wider Issues
RE:IMI Follow-up Open Letter Re: Band Aid 30 And The Wider Issues
December 8 2014, London, UK
PREAMBLE
Three weeks ago, among the then pervasive Band Aid 30 media coverage was the prediction that their recording of ‘Do They Know It’s Christmas?’ was destined to be a Christmas number one. And on the eve of the recording, RE:IMI (Race Equality: In Music Industry) sent out an open letter.
Sadly, after a one week stay at the top, the record’s dropped out of the top 10 in its third week. What does this say about the record, or indeed the Ebola cause? As a communicable disease, and given the fact that we live in a global village, one would imagine there’s a greater urgency in helping with the humanitarian aid, in order to contain it at source.
The focus of the original RE:IMI letter was mainly about inclusivity, due to the fact that at the time of writing, only one African British artist was known to be part of that Band Aid collective. The letter also highlighted the issue of access, or lack of media access for African artists and African-led community initiatives.
The letter obviously struck a chord, as the overwhelming majority of those who replied were not known to me. Most including Dr Morgan Dalphinis, whom I know, were in support of the RE:IMI position, whilst others I did not know felt the need to write to say “well done”, rather than agree but “stay silent”, as one replier said.
Also, the publication of the letter resulted in my being interviewed on BEN TV and RT, and an approach from a national equality and diversity organisation for an exploratory meeting.
The focus of this letter is to address the other issues mentioned in the replies, and some of the wider arguments that have played out in the media since the release of the Band Aid 30 single.
This letter was meant to go out on Saturday December 6 in support of an initiative mentioned at last Friday’s Elbow Out Ebola (EOE) community conference. A representative of Mano River Women’s Peace Network (MARWOPNET), which works across Guinea, Liberia, Sierra Leone and Ivory Coast, had suggested that at 11am on Saturday December 6 2014, a candle be lit to show solidarity with all those who’ve died or are suffering from Ebola, or the consequences of the disease in Ebola hit countries.
Indeed, as part of BTWSC and African Histories Revisited, who organised a fundraising dinner in aid of Médecins Sans Frontières UK (MSF UK), on the eleventh hour of the evening, we lit a candle and offered prayers at the close of the event.
The significance of December 6 in the Ebola narrative is that it’s the date one year ago that 2-year-old Guinean Emile Ouamouno, who scientists dub Patient Zero for supposedly introducing Ebola to West Africa, died.
Beside fundraising dinners, African-led community activities on the day included London-based charity Liberian Social Organisation’s Ebola Food Appeal, which is taking delivery of non-perishable food at several venues, including Zanzibar, where the EOE took place. In the long term, one would hope the distribution of any food aid will start from Africa.
African Peoples Development & Empowerment Project launched the Smash Ebola! Black Ankh Project aimed at fundraising to help health care in Sierra Leone.
The initiatives from the African communities continue. For example, on Saturday December 13, Cecelia Foundation Liberia in partnership with African Youth Development Action Project, is organising a fundraising and information event in Peckham, south London, for Ebola orphans.
As few people had heard about the candle light initiative, I propose we support by lighting a candle at any time on Saturday December 13, and send photos to social media using the #Candle4Ebola hashtag. I’ll make sure this happens at the Look How Far We’ve Come Community Talk/Grassroot Community Meeting taking place Saturday afternoon at Stanmore Baptist Church.
And now to Band Aid 30 and the wider issues.
INCLUSIVITY
In the original letter, we urged Bob Geldof to widen his address book, because at the time of writing, Emelie Sande was the only African British artist mentioned. It turned out that Seal was included, as was an artist from the African continent, Beninois singer Angelique Kidjo.
The marginalisation of Africans in the Band Aid/Live Aid narrative is just another example of the invisibility of Africans and ethnic minorities in the creative industries, as documented by DCMS (Department of Culture, Media and Sport) and Arts Council reports, noted one replier.
My view is that Band Aid is a heritage project that represents the British recording industry’s contribution to a cause. Why else would the Chancellor of the Exchequer take the unusual step of waiving VAT on sales of the record? For that reason, it needs to reflect Britain and the music industry much better, and especially as it is for an African cause, African artists should be properly represented in the lineup.
Secondly, there are those who have issues with the song itself, and for that reason, do not want to have anything to do with it, and don’t care whether or not Africans are featured in the lineup. Indeed, some have called for the boycott of the record.
What must be foremost on our minds is the purpose, which is supposed to be a humanitarian response to the Ebola outbreak in some parts of West Africa. Whilst we in our relatively comfortable lives can argue about the rights or wrongs, or even the boycott of the Band Aid 30 record, one would assume that Ebola victims are not very likely to question how the money comes to provide the resources to help them. For more on the rights and wrongs of this Band Aid initiative, look to blogs, such as Critical Investigations Into Humanitarianism In Africa.
VIDEO & LYRICS
We join those who describe the shocking introductory part of the video clip as ‘aid pornography’, in order to underscore the disgust many Africans and non-Africans feel about the use of graphic images of Ebola victims, to sell a cause. The video is not a news item, and even with the news, where depiction of reality is important, there is censorship, especially when it comes to the portrayal of European suffering and fatalities.
One does not need to see graphic images to know that the record aims to raise funds to avert more deaths. This is not 1984, when perhaps people were not au fait with global charity records. Hence its use in 2014 is ignorant, or should that be arrogant? Or at worse, racist.
The lyrics have come in for a lot of criticism, including a pre-release Guardian article by Bim Adewunmi, who found it “clumsy, patronising…”
Of course the song isn’t perfect, and some have suggested that new lyrics should have been written. My view is that Band Aid sells ‘Do They Know It’s Christmas?’, which has become a fundraising vehicle for humanitarian causes.
Tweak it, if you must. But don’t create a new song specific to a new cause – let other cause-specific groups do that. As one imagines those that buy Band Aid records do so to support the cause and not necessarily because they are great fans of the song.
That said, it turns out Geldof did reach out to at least one other African British artist, Afrobeats star Fuse ODG, who however turned down the opportunity to join Band Aid 30 because of issues about the lyric's portrayal of Africa. There is some confusion about Fuse apparently re-writing some lines in the lyrics.
It’s however since been revealed by Emeli Sande that she and Angelique Kidjo recorded reworked lyrics, but their version did not make the finished track.
REGGAE ARTISTS
A couple of repliers pointed out the marginalisation of reggae artists, when it comes to Band Aid/Live Aid. In his 1986 biography ‘Is That It?’, this is how Bob Geldof responded: “There aren’t any world-famous million-selling reggae bands. If Bob Marley were alive, I'd be on my knees begging him to play, but no one's heard of Aswad outside the universities. Put them on the telly and people will switch it off.” So now you know.
AFRICAN CONTRIBUTION & ACCESS
Some have asked why don’t the Africans do something?
The fact is that they are doing things on several levels. It’s just that it’s mostly under the radar of the mainstream media and the general populous.
Regarding artists, it’s worth pointing out that they can help in more ways than just making charity records, such as making donations quietly, or working with projects in affected areas.
Months ago, UN Secretary General Secretary Ban Ki-Moon called on U2 singer Bono to help organise a charity concert to fund the fight against Ebola. I think that was a retrograde step – he should have been calling upon Governments, statutory bodies and NGOs, whose job is to deal with humanitarian issues.
Instead of looking to artists to the rescue, we should see them as any other citizens, who can choose whether or not to do something about an issue. What they do must be voluntary, instead of being asked.
That said, Ebola is a human crisis – we can not afford to get too comfortable with the idea that it’s happening over there, and can’t be where we are.
So although any person, irrespective of race, using their creative talent or media profile to raise funds for the Ebola response or bring media attention, should be applauded, it is right that we see African engagement, in order to counter the European saviour syndrome.
In Britain, London-based Afrikan Boy revealed on a Channel Four interview that he had his own Ebola song, and rapped a few lines from the song at the tail end of the interview.
More importantly there have been a number of initiatives in Africa. These include the Collectif Africa Stop Ebola’s ‘Africa Stop Ebola’ single, which is available via all major online vendors, including iTunes and Amazon.co.uk. The collective features well-known African artists such as Salif Keita, Mory Kante, Oumou Sangare, Amadou & Mariam, Tiken Jah Fakoly, Kandia Kora, and rapper Didier Awadi. Also, Liberian acts Shadow, D12 and Kuzzy have brought out ‘Ebola In Town’, whilst 2C, Knowledge and Kouu 88 have released the self-descript ‘Ebola Awareness Song’.
So those who for whatever reason have issues with the Band Aid 30 record, can look at supporting some of the alternatives. However the chances are you’ve not heard of any of these musical offerings. And that is to do with the lack of access Africans generally have within the Western media when articulating in their own voice issues affecting them.
Over a dozen African artists including Akon, Femi Kuti, Angelique Kidjo, Danai Gurira, Ice Prince, Judith Sephuma, Fally Ipupa, Desmond Elliot, Diamond, Mafikizolo, Wax Dey, Magasco are among a group of artists and actors who recently launched the One Campaign to pressure world leaders for a speedy response to the Ebola outbreak and to build sustainable health systems to help prevent future outbreaks. Although they highlight many of the points raised at the EOB conference, the campaign’s sub-2 minute hauntingly elegant video succinctly says it all - their focus is on African Union Chair, H.E. Dr Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma, and all African leaders to take more responsibility and act urgently by providing more trained personnel, materials, financing and international coordination to all affected countries.
You can support their petition to world leaders at one.org/ebola.
At the EOB conference, we were privileged to hear from diplomats from African embassies and high commissions in London, such as Faisal Mohammed Ibrahim, who spoke about the millions of dollars raised by the Nigerian government and its citizens for the fight against Ebola, and the dispatch of some 250 Nigerian health workers to the Ebola-affected areas in west Africa.
Last month, Al-Jazeera carried a story entitled ‘African answers to Ebola’ in which Calestous Juma, a Professor of the Practice of International Development, highlighted facts such as African countries having pledged to deploy 2000 heath workers, and business leaders having pledged in Addis Ababa $28.5m to help the African Union mobilise, train and deploy healthcare workers in the Ebola-affected countries.
But how often do we hear such positive news coming from Africa featured prominently in the Western media?
As Ghanaian-born barrister and BTWSC co-ordinator Awula Serwah said in her open letter: “The media also has to give fair coverage to initiatives by community organisations, particularly African-led ones, in Britain and on the African continent.”
She, like me, heard the recent Today programme on BBC, where Robtel Neajai Pailey, a Liberian studying for her Development Studies doctorate at SOAS (School of Oriental and African Studies) asked Band Aid trustee and concert promoter Harvey Goldsmith why his organisation did not support any of the African musical efforts. Unbelievably, Goldsmith admitted that he was not aware of any Ebola-awareness recordings made by artists from Africa.
The question is, would it have made any difference if he knew? One doubts it, as a European to the rescue project like Band Aid seems an easier sell, compared to supporting a project where African artists articulate their own issues. The ignorance, arrogance, and paternalism beggars belief. Goldsmith’s the same promoter whose 2005 Live8 was so devoid of African artists that Peter Gabriel was moved to organise the parallel Africa Calling concert in Cornwall.
With the absence of engagement with Africans, it’s no wonder cynics feel Band Aid/Live Aid is a self-serving initiative, which is essentially about media promotion of European artists under the guise of helping Africans!
The Western media is comfortable spreading stereotypical images of helplessness, and not interested in publishing positive stories of Africa or Africans, noted another replier.
In case you should get the impression that this letter is a gripe by some disgruntled African, there’s been stronger criticism by European artists, such as Lily Allen and Damon Albarn. “Our perspective and our idea of what helps and our idea what's wrong and right are not necessarily shared by other cultures,” opined Albarn, a musician who’s worked with African artists in and out of Africa.
GELDOF, SAINT BOB OR SIR BOB GELDOF
One replier felt it was a pity that I did not refer to the Band Aid head as Bob Geldof or even Sir Bob Geldof, as “just calling him Geldof is disrespectful and to my mind diminishes the message that you want to put out.” I had to point out that it is journalistic protocol to usually refer to a person by one name after initially using two or more names to establish his or her identity.
Also, as his knighthood is honorary, I believe it’s not necessary to address him as Sir Bob or Sir Bob Geldof. However, as the replier is an officer of a Church organisation, I wonder what his thoughts are on Saint Bob, which Geldof has been called many a times, or even God.
LEONA LEWIS, CORRINE BAILEY-RAE, SADE ADU ARE AFRICAN!
Among the African British million-seller” artists I thought could have joined Band Aid 30 were Leona Lewis, Corrine Bailey-Rae and Sade Adu. One replier wondered “whether these people consider themselves to be 'Black'”, adding: “after all, they are half white and as such, can decide which side of the fence they are on.” Not likely!
Wearing my TAOBQ hat for a moment, I’d say that they may have some European blood flowing through their veins, but they are African, and if they don’t know it, society certainly knows and keeps them on the African side of the fence.
FINALLY
Having used the word ‘ignorance’ twice in this letter, I’ll highlight one more comment by another replier: “When we understand that what we call racism is actually ignorance then the quicker humankind becomes one.” Education is the key to dealing with such ignorance. So I hope there are enough pointers for those behind Band Aid/Live Aid, and certain sections of the mainstream media to learn from in order to avoid or minimise the European saviour syndrome.
However, judging from the tone of Geldof’s response to Band Aid 30 criticisms, he’s probably not ready to learn any lessons in political correctness or taking African concerns in his pursuit of helping African causes.
I will once again re-iterate: RE:IMI encourages Geldof, if he would like to help Africans, to engage with them and work with them rather than merely doing things for their benefit. We thank all the Band Aid 30 artists, but we are now wise to the rise in sales and media profile which charity records, and concerts, provide.
Whatever your position, if you care about the Ebola cause, do something – find some charity or project, and support it!
Kwaku, RE:IMI co-ordinator
editor@BritishBlackMusic.com
P O Box 14092, London NW10 1WL
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