Musician and songwriter Alexander Bagonza, popularly known as A Pass, is distressed by the quality of songs currently played on radio and television.
The reggae and dancehall artist is concerned that nowadays, anything humorous is considered a song, whereas in the past, songs had to be genuinely good to receive airplay.
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“We need a bit of gatekeeping in the Ugandan music industry. Too much stupid music out here. Anything funny and stupid is now a song. What is the standard? Back then you had to have something good to be on the radio or TV but nowadays all you need is to be viral and boom,” A Pass wrote on his X account.
A Pass suggests that more quality music should be played on radio and television for Ugandan music to compete globally. He emphasized that while the Internet allows anyone to stream any content, traditional media should maintain higher standards.
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His concern sparked discussions among X users. One user, UG Patriot, replied, “Gatekeeping is nearly impossible in this digital era and it seems to have continued like this for some good years.”
A Pass responded, “How has Nigeria managed to keep the integrity of their music? Do you hear stupid music from their side? The majority is cream and the last time I checked, they are in a digital era.”
According to A Pass, if only the best songs are played on radio and television, it will encourage the industry to produce higher-quality material. “But if you play the bad song, what precedent are you setting?” he questioned.
In recent years, many artists have gained fame through viral social media platforms, especially TikTok. A Pass believes that this fame is often fleeting. “It is very easy for an artist to have a moment, but it’s hard for them to have momentum because they don’t know how it happened. It all came out of the blue. And trust me, you can’t maintain what you can’t control,” he said.
He added, “I am not in control of views, likes, and virality, but I am in control of making amazing songs with the best sound possible. I will never be bothered by low views. Some of the songs I love the most don’t have the most views but the feeling they give me can’t be measured.”
A Pass expressed pride in his work and gratitude for the ability to provide his audience with quality music. “My views on the industry come from a place of concern, but there is little I can do about it. I will play my part as I have always done,” he noted.
