Recently, “Bieber trend” hit the Twitter social media. Some fans of Justin Bieber, a teenage American pop star, were cutting their body parts and uploading pictures of the injury on Twitter with the tag cutforbieber. This was in an effort to stop the pop star from smoking marijuana.
Bieber was allegedly caught by the Paparazzi’s camera, smoking Indian hemp with another pop star, Lil’ Twist, who was an artiste on Young Money music label. Bieber’s fans, knowing the implication of this behaviour, took actions to stop him in a rather ridiculous way, hurting themselves in the process.
A few days after, it was reported that a camera man was crushed to death while he was trying to take a picture of the pop star. Bieber, probably, did not care whether someone had died because of his abnormal act.
Late last year, a video of Nicki Minaj’s tour surfaced on the Internet. A fan was videoed trying to touch her waist, a move that prompted one of Nicki’s bodyguards to attack the fan with punches. The artiste looked on, showing no sign of emotion. The video reminded me of the late Michael Jackson’s immortal song, All I wanna say is that they don’t really care about us.
A few months back, 19-year-old Sonia Jumbo was suspended indefinitely from Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, Ghana where she is studying. The reason was not unconnected with the erotic pictures she posted on Twitter, which showed herself and Davido, a Nigerian hip-hop star in a compromising position.
People have been stampeded to death, fainted, or injured at concerts where their favorite artistes performed. Ladies have thrown caution to the wind, offering sensitive body parts as surfaces for autographs of morally-deficient artistes. In the process, they make themselves cheap and voluntarily allow the perverts to have a taste of the ‘forbidden fruit’.
People hurt themselves and injure others over sweat-soaked shirts, shiny wristwatches, free musical compact disc and other useless souvenirs thrown by artistes at concerts. Just recently, at the much-publicised Koko Concert, people were asked to pay N15,000 to take pictures with their favorite artistes. A VIP table went at a higher price. At the Summer Jam Festival last year, it cost Nigerians a staggering N500,000 to sit on the same table with Rick Ross, an American rapper.
This piece will not be complete if I forget to condemn the manner tweeps – as Twitter users are called – beg artistes for “follow-backs” and abuse others on issues related to their favorite artistes. However, the fact remains that these artistes do not care if these people exist.
The artistes, on their part, see themselves as tin gods of sort, basking in the attention and generally feeling as if the world revolves around them. Some even see their position as an opportunity to dole out insults to fans that would not lick their feet and tell them what they want to hear.
An allegiance to any cause, whether music or art, is good but when it turns to obsession then something is wrong somewhere. Going to concerts to support one’s favorite artiste is good but when one does to his own detriment, then it is not worth it. Entertainment is a good thing but when one’s favorite artiste sees himself as more important than God, then one must back down.
When a fan’s life-savings is given out to sit at the table with Rick Ross or to purchase VIP ticket, then such a person needs help. It is the people that attach importance to these artistes. They are not supernatural human, but we are wont to see them in that manner.
Imagine, Cross River State government reportedly paid $200,000 for Nicki Minaj to perform at the recently-held Calabar Carnival. That is approximately N30 million. Our own Eva Alordiah would put up a nice performance if paid around 15 per cent of that amount. Now, I understand the reason there are more Akpans and Ekaettes earning their living by working as house helps.
Let us think of the children that can be taken off the street with $200,000. Let us think of infrastructure that can be put in place. Let us think of scholarships that can be given out to the less privileged. Let us think of the widows, the impoverished and the sick on hospital bed.
Chris Brown recently stormed Nigeria after he was paid almost $1 million. But our countrymen and women continue to suffer for lack of basic things. Must we live fake lives? Who are we trying to impress? Davido’s musical career continues to soar but Sonia’s educational career is dangling. Who is at a loss here? Are these artistes worth dying for?
Adebisi, 200-Level Language Arts,
