Unapologetically Black But Won’t Tour In Africa

Nas performs in Africa often what the fuck are you even talking about lol

I am so sick and tired of us Africans blaming everyone else for our issues, everyone but us. I am over it.

Can we Africans just receive criticism without resorting to ” but but but black Americans do this and black Americans do that??” Most Westerners, black Americans included, are ignorant about Africa. I am not excusing the behavior but why are you bringing it up? Are you not capable of accepting criticism without resorting to the blame game?

I am African, born and bred, and Africans like to act as if black Americans owe them something when the curricula in the African educational system ironically pays very little attention to the slave trade. In fact, I learned more about the trans Atlantic slave trade when I studied abroad than I did in Africa. Ain’t that something? I grew up next to a slave port and I didn’t even know it was a slave port until I studied abroad. Most Africans are completely removed from our complicity in the slave trade. We simply do not care yet we have the audacity to have excessive expectations of diaspora blacks? Bye girl. Black Americans have their own culture and heritage. Yes, they are descendants from the motherland but they are NOT Africans. They do not owe you anything, so stop asking.

Also, let us not sit here and act like there are a plethora of places on the African continent with proper amenities to organize and host concerts of the magnitude as Beyonce’s. Let us not please. Again, I am born and bred in West Africa (Cameroon and naija). I am very well traveled in the region and I can literally count the number of venues that can support a large scale concert on one hand. Even the ones that do are poorly organized and you have to deal with shady organizers and poor security. I recently attended a show in Ivory Coast in a superb venue but the organization was a total mess.

Most of you on the internet who are always trying to come for anyone who is critical of Africans are usually African immigrants abroad or kids of African immigrants with your Western passports, utterly clueless about the realities in the motherland. Instead of blaming others, how about to you build YOUR community of Africans? Instead of worrying about Beyonce’s concert why not worry about the fact that YOU have never attended the concert of a local African artist in an African venue?

Let me ask the author of this article: How many African artists’ music have you LEGALLY purchased on itunes?? How many African artists have you financially supported? Worry about that good sis, and I am done. Africans exhaust the frick outta me I tell you.

END OF RANT!!

What is all this talk about “required pilgrimage” to Africa and African-Americans owe Africa nothing? I encourage a lot of you to brush up on your reading comprehension. The author of the essay spoke nothing of black artists NEEDING to go to Africa so their love for their blackness can be valid. What he is saying is that black artists and artists influenced by African culture should think about touring in African countries because #1, Africans are huge fans of certain western artists and would pay to see them, #2, they have the venues, safety parameters, and height of luxury to appease celebrities, and #3 if they love African culture so much and are influenced by it, why is it that there are no tour dates for Africa? Paying homage to whatever influences you is a nice thing to do (and artists do it often). It is not necessary, but is a suggestion. It isn’t also like these artists are not in demand – they are loved all over the globe. The problem is this disgusting stereotype that the whole of Africa is third-world and that is untrue. Another thing – if third-world is an issue, what the hell is wrong with performing for less money than you would make at Philips Arena in Atlanta? Is it seriously that much of an issue for a person who makes millions/billions? To the person who says doesn’t Africa has bigger problems to worry about, so you mean to say certain parts of the world dealing with certain issues aren’t allowed to want entertainment? I’m also annoyed at the comments about black American culture and black Americans, being apart from African culture and Africans. As a black American, I have a deep respect for the continent mainly because I am a descendant of the African people. It just pains me to see a lack of unity between all people of the African diaspora. Thanks to the writer of this essay for bringing up a much-ignored issue.

I agree with most of this, but I see that you included a picture of Nikki Minaj who was just in South Africa in March. I thought it was great that she came to Johannesburg, so I wanted to give credit where it’s due.

Can they afford to go see Beyonce? I can’t not even with income tax money. Really let’s not feed into this negativity . This is all about money at the end of the day. Some places in Africa barely have clean drinking water and proper sewer systems for all people. Africa need to worry about those innocent girls being held captive for two years at the hands of Boko Haram. Worry about how Suddan people are dying at Sea trying to escape 3000 last year . Last but not least the people being kidnapped in the dessert by Arabics stealing body parts. When you think about all that plus the HIV…. Beyonce ain’t nobody!

I will just say research more! You say you’ve done your research, how are the artist’s you pictured at the bottom of the article immersing their self in the culture.

I know why you’re trying to say South Africa “doesn’t count”, but shouldn’t it.
Bieber, Minaj, Rihanna, Beyonce, Kendrick Lamar have all toured there.
And it hasn’t been awhile since anyone toured there: Nicki Minaj who you posted above was just there in March. (When was this article written)

You show MJ as one of your “cultural immersions”, he toured in Tunisia once in 1996 and then the other 5 dates, were where…….South Africa.

Beyonce had a concert tour stop in Ethiopia in 2007 (that was 9 years ago but she was there)
I know you said you don’t want to have the Beyhive upset with you but they probably will be since you didn’t research that.

How meetings work:
The tour’s Promoters/Entertainment Companies and Managers discuss bids they have received for the shows/tours, government restrictions for those areas, what the demographics are in areas, stadium size, population size, fan base, have they had issues with other shows there and cost of tickets. Having a large stadium does not always mean you get a concert. States/Cities/Countries have to be able to afford the promoter’s fees, artist’s fees and any other fees the state/local/country’s government charge. Even in America not all states get a concert, sometimes some of them NEVER do. Not many concerts happening in Utah, the Dakotas, Wyoming.

I would say ask your local promoters/entertainment companies first to see if they have even submitted a bid for the shows of the above people you mentioned and was it a “real” bid.

Again Marie Amon, who is a fool between me & you, when you are paying double an artist’s worth just to scam your people HUN!?!

It’s an interesting position, but being unapologetically black shouldn’t require going to Africa? The African diaspora is spread across a multitude of countries, and a pilgrimage to Africa is not a requirement for being black. Black culture both within and outside of Africa borrows from each other constantly, we are united under similar experiences and bond over our difference. When Africans borrow from black-american culture a pilgrimage to the US is not a requirement. When artists are using African influences they are connecting to their own blackness and have a right to do so as black individuals. Additionally, to say Africa has heavily influenced these artist but not specify which ones/pieces is very vague, and to criticize American and European artists for mostly touring in American and European locations shows a large disregard for the influence western culture has over (shock) western artists.