Focus Media (Kigali)
Steve Rukundo
5 May 2008
column
In the local music scene, Papy John is a familiar face behind the keyboards. Yet he is also a singer in his own right, and a writer. Although he advises talented young people to be passionate about music, he sometimes feels frustrated because of music piracy, and the bad image people have of musicians. "People should give music the respect it deserves," he says.
I started in 1986 in Kigali with a band which named Les Huit Anges, meaning "the eight angels" since we were a group of eight people.
Can you tell us something of your background? Well, my full name is Papy "Safa" John, with Safa coming from Safari. I was born in Kinshasa back in 1966.
How did you start your music career? I started in 1986 in Kigali with a band which named Les Huit Anges, meaning "the eight angels" since we were a group of eight people. I was more of a keyboard player in those days. The band was supported by the Belgium embassy, and we were doing great.
Why did you split up? We didn't really split, but I had to go back to Congo after two years, so the band stopped playing. It's in Congo that I learnt to become a professional musician.
Now that you're back in Rwanda, what kind of music do you play? I do the type of music called "Afro-Fusian", which is a mixture of African and Western types of music. I am trying to discover and develop my own style because, you know, I cannot do reggae better than the Jamaicans do it.
Did you ever produce an album? Yes, I have so far made one album, Umutima Ucyeye ("cleansed heart"). It was not much of a success, though, because people did not understand it. However, I currently have two albums in the pipeline, so people should watch out for them.
Your song "Umutima Ukunda" was very popular. What inspired you? Well, my songs are not so much inspired by personal experience; rather, I sing from what I see around me in the society.
Which musicians have inspired you? Wow, there are really a lot of musicians I like in music. Jimmy Doloudoulou from South Africa is one of them, he plays Afro-Jazz. I'm also a fan of Cassandra Wilson, Miles Davis and Quincy Jones. As for Rwanda, I like Ben Ngabo a lot.
How do you see the music industry in the country? I believe that we have a lot of talent here, and thanks to the private radio stations their work is now being exposed to the public, unlike before when there was only the national radio. Yet there are still a lot of challenges.
One of the biggest is music piracy, this is really discouraging us. We put a lot of time and energy in making an album, but even before it is released from the studios, people are already playing it on the radio.
So we don't get back a lot from what we invested. It's a pity that people don't follow the regulations in music. We desperately need a law on copyright.
What do you do besides music? I enjoy writing and am currently working on three novels, which I hope to publish at some time. I think Rwandans should adopt the spirit of writing their own books.
In this respect, I am grateful for the construction of the new national library, because I believe it will encourage Rwandans not only to read, but also to write books.
What advice do you give to youth who look up to you and want to be like you? I would say that they should keep having that passion, work on it and compose their music.
It's a pity though that we lack a music school, that would help them a lot. Also, I know that some parents are discouraging their children to go into music, but people should know that being a musician is also a profession, and they should abandon this bad image of musicians.
Can we expect something new from Papy John soon? Yes, I have recently worked on a single together with Kelly from Contact FM, and we expect to release it soon. I don't want to rush to release a new album, exactly because of the problem of piracy. People first have to change their minds and give music the respect it deserves.
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