Bebe Cool is escorted off the stage by security personnel after he was attacked. COURTESY PHOTO
Gone are the days when musicians were just musicians. Due to their influence, they have been thrust into politics, advocacy and so many other things other than music. As a result, their participation in politics is bound to be polarising and a fuel for controversy. For fans, it is more confusing because they are not sure if they should love you for your art or your political affiliations.
An artiste’s voice or opinion is so powerful that it cannot just be passed off as another ordinary person’s opinion. It has the power to influence, divide, empower or explode into a bunch of mschewsss or bottles pelted like we saw last weeked. In that case, it is important to understand how and when to convey some of these opinions as much as everyone is entitled to theirs.
Artiste Bebe Cool’s romanticism with NRM is an open secret. We believed! Dude will lick Mzee’s boots if he has to. That devotion and love, we shall never understand but it is his choice and we should respect that. Just like it is the choice of his nemesis Bobi Wine and his supporters to follow the “People Power” crusade. Unfortunately, Bebe Cool was unfairly treated by the revellers at the Tarrus Riley concert who threw bottles and other objects at him. This was by any stretch one of the worst things I had seen.
The idea of politics and party divisions should not be seen at a music concert where people just want to have fun. This is embarrassing and should never happen again. My observation is that peeps are still angry about recent unfortunate events and Munene Munene does not make it easier. He has always been an open-minded, blunt and a take-it or leave it kind of person.His behaviour prior to that incident had left a lot to be desired. His opinion, like he loves to call it, had often been perceived as his way to demean the ‘other’ guys.In a way sounding arrogant. Textbook Bebe!
A recent interview shows him branding the People Power crew ‘cockroaches’, among other things. Imagine that for a second! This, your opinion needs to be well thought out and appropriately timed. And then that ‘John Cena’ stunt of taking off a shirt infront of already irate fans. What was he even thinking? You do not do that infront of irate fans. They will beat you, man. Did he seriously think he was going to fight thousands of people? That little fat thing called EGO will ruin people one day.
Guys, let’s be sensitive to each other before we air out our truths or opinions. No need to overtly be arrogant with what we believe in and belittle others in the process.We can agree to disagree and vice versa without a fist fight. However, we can all unanimously agree that y’all will buy me drinks tonight? Sindiyo? Nyege Nyege wot wot!
