Laika Music Defends Diamond’s Top Billing at Coffee Concert, Says Ugandans Must Accept That He Is Big
Laika Music has joined the conversation about the Coffee Marathon and concert in Ntungamo, where Tanzanian music icon Diamond Platnumz was given top billing over local artistes.
Unlike some who have questioned the presence and payment of a foreign artiste, Laika believes the decision on how to promote the coffee lies solely with the organizers or the coffee company itself.
“It is not up to local musicians to decide how the coffee should be promoted. Whoever owns the coffee or company chooses how to publicize it. Who they invite, or from which country, is not our concern,” Laika explained.
She acknowledged that it is understandable for people to feel uneasy when a foreign artiste headlines a major event in Uganda and reportedly earns more than local performers.
“It is okay for people to feel that way, but me, as me, I feel Ugandans have to accept that Diamond is big and he has worked for it,” she added.
Laika stressed that the focus should not be on how much Diamond was paid but on what Ugandan artistes can do to reach that level.
She also took the opportunity to call for greater unity among Ugandan artistes, pointing out that disunity has held back the local music industry.
“I believe we are not united. Every time someone tries to do something different or urban, they get downplayed and discouraged. Now you see where we are; we are still local in our local country,” she concluded.
