Tadi DJs mad over crate of eggs ‘payola’ by Praye Choirmaster
Disc Jockeys (DJs) in Sekondi-Takoradi have expressed anger over what they call contumely by Praye Choirmaster’s team as they shared crates of eggs as a form of ‘payola’ (motivation to promote song) to promote a new song titled ‘Double up.’
A DJ who spoke to www.233times.com on the basis of anonymity said “They called me that they have come to see me. I met them in town and I was given crate of eggs. I asked what that was for and they said it is a way to motivate us to play the new song of Choirmaster and Mercury Quaye. I told them I am ok and just took the CD. The guy said there is more vitamins in the eggs so I should take it. I didn’t take the eggs. What kind of disrespectful treatment is that? Will they give crate of eggs to DJs in Accra?”Another DJ who confirmed the crate of eggs payola by the team also said “I met them in front of my house and I was given a CD and the other person brought a crate of eggs from the car. Crate of eggs which is less than GHC18.00? To me I find that insulting.”
Speaking to www.233times.com on phone, Eugene Baah Boadu known in Showbiz as Choirmaster said “What happened was my guy was coming to Takoradi so I told him to do a couple of promo for me, to collect some of the DJs numbers so that as he gives them the songs when he comes back I will also get in touch with the DJs he gave the songs to. And apart from that I also do quail eggs business, I deal in quail eggs and the quail meat as well so I distribute across Ghana and outside Ghana. That person also does the same distribution for me so I think from his own will, I didn’t tell him to share eggs in addition to the promo. But I think from his own will he thought that oh let me just appreciate you guys before Choirmaster will even call you guys. And the quail eggs is not that regular eggs like chicken eggs, that is something different so he thought maybe he could just introduce it to the people there, have a taste and later on if the need the meat he will get in touch with them. So it wasn’t like I intentionally told the guy to share eggs for my payola or something.”
“And then again I was wondering what the problem will be if someone is appreciating with the eggs. I don’t know what the problem will be” Choirmaster quizzed.
According to Choirmaster, the DJs play the songs of the Nigerian Artistes without even getting any appreciation from them so he wonders why this will be a big issue that will arouse anger. “We don’t need this in the industry. They were asking if I would give this to DJ Black, let me tell you something DJ Black plays my songs without taking anything. These are the people we need in the industry” Choirmaster told www.233times.com.
“This is a business that itakes the two of us, DJs and Artistes to make it happen so if you are trying to create a relationship and someone thinks that way, its someway” Choirmaster said.
Author: Nana Kwesi Coomson (www.233times.com) @nkcoomson on Twitter