Local RnB not appreciated � Lee
Dumisani Ncube | Wednesday August 19, 2015 16:41
Lee is a recording RnB artist who has worked on a number of tracks and has also worked with bands such as Perfect Pitch.
“Only a handful of people in the country tend to appreciate local RnB music, while the rest do not,” said Lee, who believes there are a number of talented RnB artists in the country with potential.
He, however, decried lack of support from the general public.
He explained that the small RnB market in the country has forced him to venture into other genres. “I am known as an RnB singer, but I have slightly moved to house music,” he said. He recently worked on a number of House tracks including My Girl.
He said the locals prefer to listen to international RnB by the likes of Chris Brown and Trey Songs. He urged the local market to give local RnB musicians a chance and listen to their creations before they decide to go for the international sound.
In 2012 Lee hosted a show titled ‘Lee Presents You’.
“The turnout was okay. It was only loyal RnB listeners that attended the show,” he said. He added that musicians like Samantha Mogwe and Amo are good RnB artists.
Lee recently took his frustrations to Facebook posting a status which read: “I am still wondering what it will take for people in Botswana to actually appreciate local and slow genres be it your Country, Soul, RnB, etc? We actually have very talented people around and most of them are not appreciated as much. You’ll only get around 30 to 70 people going to, say... Maitisong to go and watch such. Are we only about hype? Commercial House music? Kwaito? You name it. What is the problem? and please don’t tell me about quality of the music because the quality of our music has really improved. Rather say something else” (sic). Other local RnB musicians also recently complained that there is a small market for the genre in the country. The recent complaint came from Phiri Jr II, who is on quest to revive the music genre.
Hip Hop, kwaito and house are the only urban music genres that have managed to win a wider audience.