Zeus reacts to �Voices of rapists and paedophiles�
Correspondent | Friday June 10, 2016 15:48
Here are the original opening lyrics that I penned.. “Super hot skeem/ ma-fourteen/ we meet with all types in the club scene…” that is how the song opened.
Over the years, I have heard audiences decide that the word I wrote was ‘skin’ instead of ‘skeem’, but that is a story for another day. The song does go on to include other raunchy phrasing like “re ba isa lwapeng”, which in hindsight I might not be eager for my unborn children to listen to, but I am willing to own as part of my discography and body of work.
In judging character, all works and the context within which they were commissioned should be considered. This I believe applies not just to artists but any individual that is tired with living this life.
In penning his response to the now infamous “Sebina saga” the journalist opened the article with a paraphrased quote from my song as follows “Super hot skin, Ma14, wena wa re ke eng re ba isa lapeng”. He goes on to state the lack of thought the audience gave these lyrics, while singing along to the hit song. “We all danced to it and never really paused and sought to understand why grown old men prey on these young girls. Why do men engage in inter-generational sex?
Why do they like ma14 so bad?” By the time I read these declarative statements and questions that began with me, my song and lyrics being thrown under the bus and somewhat scapegoated as a reflection of our society’s ills, my jaw was on the floor! I am mature enough to know that not everything you read about yourself as a public figure will be pleasant and audience’s have the freedom to interpret work from an artist, but I ask only for context and a holistic picture in your paintings as privileged members of the media fraternity tasked with reporting the state of current affairs. I was emotionally hurt by Charles’s irresponsibility in branding my voice as one of a “rapist and paedophile” as his headline suggested. Whether my professional image was affected by this article remains to be seen, but it is obvious that it has the potential to undo personal brand building work that I have done for what feels like a lifetime. I found it unjust that the journalist read a guilty verdict without presenting several important facts in this media trial which it seems I was meant to be an example or the face of all that is wrong with male libidos in Botswana.
Firstly I wrote the lyrics in question when I was in my teens myself, around the age of 17 when I first got the chance to work on what would become my unreleased debut album. That project saw only two singles put out, one of which was “Imagination”.
That line was for my generation and our peers who were not literallyMa-14 as the slang would have you believe. To this day you hear young adults referred to as “ma14” by older colleagues. As a 29 year old responsible citizen, I too would be disturbed and concerned if a “grown old man” as hinted at, wrote such lyrics! But as the author, I find it very unfair to use one quotable from my adolescence to make character judgements of me as an artist today.
As I have already mentioned, I am responsible enough to stand by my words without necessarily having to defend or justify them, but I do hope that we debate them alongside others that I have gone on record saying as well as corresponding deeds and actions.
Have I ever been convicted or accused of being a rapist or a paedophile? Then why am I top of the list, especially when I can point to many other examples that reflect how I feel about subjects such as the discussed inter-generational sex? Why did Charles ignore other songs I have recorded such as “Touch the Sky” in 2013 for the SKY Girls movement urging young girls to make positive choices for their lives? Why did he not mention my involvement for almost two years now with the United Nations Population Fund’s “Safeguard Young People” programme which advocates for youth sexual rights among other things which we communicate through song as well as in the field activations throughout the SADC region.
Or another one of my songs “I Am” from the Youth Health Organisation’s 2009/10-2011 “Get Up and Go” programme which discouraged such social ills as transactional sex and teenage pregnancy. Beyond a song, “I Am” evolved into a behavioural change programme that has been engaged and supported by several esteemed entities including the Department of Gend er Affairs under the Ministry of Labour and Home Affairs, the United States Embassy as well as the Department of Youth during Month of Youth Against Aids activities.
It is unfortunate that I have to establish my credentials in a space and movement that I have been not just passionate about but committed to for years now since growing from the naïve, somewhat misinformed and misdirected young man and artist that wrote “Imagination”.
But it seems that is the only way to take my voice back after it was hijacked for a story. I have consistently shown that I take matters of child protection and youth sexual, economic and other rights very seriously, beyond social commentary! Being branded as the very predator that I have fought against was disheartening and discrediting to say the least.
I am happy to see the media fraternity and other sectors of society awaken from the sleep of silence to the crisis in our communities and leadership, which includes us as the creative industry.
It’s an industry that helps to shape our public consciousness through commentary. I can safely say that as a young man growing up with a mix of cultures in modern Botswana including our traditions and global HipHop/youth pop culture, we have witnessed a lot that we should not have.
These include misogyny, patriarchy, alcohol misuse and abuse, materialism and other aspects of our unspoken culture and norms that are accepted and sometimes even glorified to the peril of key segments of our population including girls and women.
Mainstream media, both locally and globally seems to be more interested in hyping up content that is about sex, scandal and having a good time yet tend to be reluctant to give works that speak to responsibility and community building coverage. It seems that doing the right thing is not positioned as being “cool”, which does not help the upbringing of our society as it affirms and reaffirms lifestyle choices that can be destructive. I challenge you as gatekeepers to be more responsible with your coverage, looking beyond sensationalism and cashing in on scandal but truly seeking to inform and educate consistently.
We can no longer plead ignorance to the plight of disenfranchised populations or our role as men; young and old in upholding or breaking the status quo. “Not all men are dogs” seems like a good quote to circulate during a time when many in our society (including Charles in his article) have painted all men with the same brush that the dishonourable councillor was caught with. And as for my contribution to the status quo both back then as a young artist and now… I accepted a long time ago that as an artist you cannot control interpretations and connotations once you put your work out there.
If we were to be held accountable for every deed mentioned in our songs then Bob Marley would have been arrested every time somebody shot a police sheriff! Or A.T.I. arrested for “polayo ya motho” when there is a murder in Botswana. Despite this, I understand our responsibility to the public to try and spread constructive messages which as I have shown, I embrace. I am constantly engaged in debates and with initiatives across platforms on these very important matters as they define the health of our present and future society, I urge us all to join in the conversation as well action constructively.
Sincerely
Game “Zeus” Bantsi
DIY Entertainment