Vee’s outburst signals desperate state of artistes
Says local musicians will remove all their music from being played on state radio stations – RB 1, RB 2 and Btv
Popular musician, Odirile Vee Sento has sent a chilling warning to the “powers that be” on behalf of local artistes, who are reeling under COVID- 19 induced economic depression.
He gave the authorities until Thursday ( yesterday) to respond to their requests for opening of entertainment industry failing which they instruct their lawyers to remove their songs from the playlists of state media - RB1, RB2 and BTV.
Addressing a press conference Wednesday at Stanbic Bank Piazza following his brief detention at Broadhurst police station, a fuming Vee said:
“These radio stations are enjoying our music. But we are hungry. Our songs are being played for cheap”!
He said they will give the stations 24 hours to remove all of their music and then see what they would play. “Maybe they will see that we mean business,” he said much to the approval of the gathered artistes and media corps. He said there is no need for their music to be played on radio if they are not important. “It is our music, which we produced at our own cost,” Vee fumed. Vee was categorically clear that his was not a politically motivated speech, but that he was instead, “hungry”. He said “enough is enough”, that the time has come for the entertainment industry to speak out about their “empty stomachs” that cause them sleepless nights. He said music is important in life in general and has a healing power.
“Just because it is something that you can’t touch does not mean that it is not important,” he said, adding that all industry players deserve respect and equal treatment.
“Ga re batle go nyadiwa,” he charged his voice quivering through the speaker. He slammed a press statement released by Ministry of Youth, Sport and Culture this week, saying it was just “adding salt to the wound”. After the press conference, Vee told this publication that he was put in a corner and had no choice but to take this route.
He said that he was OK with any decision that might come as a result of his action. “I am fighting for a purpose, and this is worth more than anything,” he said.
His personal advisor, Pastor Botswelelo Tsekane of On Time Church International told this publication that although a quiet person, once Vee has made a decision, nothing can stand in his way.
He has been spending a lot of time with him over the past three months, working on strategies which he could not divulge as they involved third parties.
He said Vee also had shows lined up outside the country in Malawi and Namibia, but he declined to take the offers, as he did not want only two people at Black Money Makers.
Vee’s outbursts were the culmination of events that began early this week with artistes gathering at GSS grounds to air their grievances.
They were dispersed as they did not have a permit. The next day Vee applied and was given permit for a gathering of 50 people.
However that gathering spiraled out of control, with scores of people converging at Old Naledi Grounds to either catch a glimpse of their favourite artistes or perhaps just out of sheer curiosity.
For these two gatherings, Vee was summoned to Broadhurst Police station Wednesday morning where he was briefly detained and slapped with two undisclosed charges.
His detention attracted fellow creatives and supporters who thronged the police station to see what would become of the musician turned activist.
However, the crowd was eventually dispersed by the notorious Special Support Group ( SSG) but not before four other creatives were detained and then released.