By Daniel D.
The fervent promoter of the 80-20 campaign in the Cameroonian entertainment sector, Cyprian Egomang Tayong, aka CY International, says music is now removed from the advocacy.
In an exclusive interview with Mimi Mefo Info on February 19, the controversial comedian and content creator said the move is caused by “ingratitude” from some Cameroonian artists.
“This is something that I have been crying for 10 years, but none of the people that are the most beneficiaries of this 80-20 have ever made a statement, that is, the artists,” he told MMI over a telephone interview.
CY International said DJs and bloggers should now oblige artists to pay for their music to get promoted. He also clarified that encouraging DJs and bloggers to promote content of their choice does not negate the broader 80-20 campaign.
He said he will now focus only on promoting other aspects of Cameroonian entertainment such as home videos and comedy but not music.
CY International, also called Old Pancho, has been a vocal and fervent promoter of 80-20, a concept that preaches an 80 percent consumption of local entertainment content and 20 percent of foreign content.
In his previous outings, he has often decried that Cameroonians consume more foreign music, movies and other creative content at the detriment of local content.
CY believes that the local entertainment industry can only grow if Cameroonians made a deliberate effort to “support your own”.
ALSO READ: 80-20 Guarantees A Better Cameroon For All – CY International
In the recent interview with MMI, CY International passionately recounted the state of the Cameroonian entertainment industry before the 80-20 campaign, citing zero awareness for local artists and content while foreign music dominated the scene.
He claimed to have single-handedly championed the cause, influencing big companies in the country to start including Anglophone artists in brand ambassador deals.
“One man stood for it. Since 2013, the same gospel, the same energy, and right now, the awareness is there. Remember, the French companies, Orange and the rest hardly used Anglophone artists and comedians for any brand ambassador deals. I stretched my face with those companies by shouting and influencing them to start using Anglophone entertainers for brand ambassador deals. The same entertainers and the artists themselves are always quiet,” he added.
GENESIS OF CONFLICT WITH ARTISTS
The recent friction between CY International and Cameroonian artists escalated when popular musician Asaba purportedly criticized him publicly.
She reportedly said CY was suffering from “bipolar disorder”.
When asked why Asaba could talk about him in that manner, CY suggested that she might have been suffering from depression.
“I never attacked, mocked, insulted, downgraded, or belittled her; I never made any statement that prompted this; I have supported Asaba’s career 100%. I played at least 40% of who she is today through promoting her songs; for her to just wake up and disrespect me this way, I think she is depressed. I suggest she be given more attention, most depression.” he said.
CY International said artists claim his campaign is xenophobic. Based on that, he said he had asked DJs and bloggers not to promote Cameroonian music for free.
“Let’s allow the DJs to do things of their choice, and you artists will pay them. You have to pay them before they promote your songs now,” he said.
“They suddenly say that it is wrong that I can’t say that. Who is fooling who?”
Despite the stand-off online, some music lovers hold that Cameroonian music still needs substantial investment to compete with the stream of foreign content pouring daily, especially from neighboring Nigeria.
