Diamond Platnumz to Tanzanian government – Not all my music is meant for your consumption

Like a lioness protecting its cubs, Diamond Platnumz a.k.a Simba has risen to defend his music after the Tanzanian government banned his new video Mwanza over explicit lyrics.

Mwanza, on which Diamond features fellow Wasafi singer Rayvanny, was released three days ago and despite it accumulating over 1.5 million views on YouTube, it was banned by BASATA.

BASATA (Baraza la Sanaa la Taifa) is the National Arts Council founded in 1984 by government legislation to serve as a regulator, facilitator, and promoter of Tanzanian arts, music and theatre arts.

Diamond’s new song was banned from playing on all radio and television stations citing that it evokes ‘sexual thrills’ embedded in its lyrics and visual content.

The singer disagrees with the body’s decision to ban his song becuase he believes the lyrics used are in promotion of Mwanza, a port in Tanzania.

He believes that it should be the country’s objective to support him as an artist who has generated the country so much income with his art that has exposed Tanzania to the rest of the world.

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Part 1:- KWA WAZEE WANGU WA BARAZA LA SANAA TANZANIA (BASATA) Kwanza kabisa niwapongeze kwa kazi nzito na nzuri Mnayoifanya….lakini pia niwape pole kwa changamoto mbalimbali mnazokutana nazo, maana najua ugumu mnaopitia katika kusimamia sanaa yetu Nchini…..Ujumbe wenu kuhusu Kufungiwa wimbo wa #Mwanza almaarufu kama #NYEGEZI wakuu nimeupata ila tu kwabahati mbaya mtoto wenu niko Canada katika harakati za kutafta rizki ili kuendelea kulijenga taifa na kuendelea kutangaza sanaa zetu, ila laiti ningelikuwa nchini ningekujamara moja kama mnavyonijuaga pindi mniitapo basi hufika haraka bila ukaidi….. Tuki wama Wasani ambao tumesajiliwa tuna kila haki ya kuheshimu na kutii baraza letu la sanaa BASATA pindi linapotoa tamko…..kwasababu wao ndio wazazi na walezi wetu kwenye hii sanaa….na kwakutambua kuwa Sanaa ni kazi ya Ubunifu, na kwenye kubuni wakati mwingine kuna kuwa na usawa na wakati mwingine kutokuwa sawa ndiomaana mliteuliwa Nyinyi wazee wetu maalum kwa jili ya kuhakikisha wasanii wanapotoka nje ya Mstari mnawarudisha ili tuwe na sanaa ilio bora, tuzidi kufanikiwa, na kukua vyema na hata wasanii, mashabiki pamoja na taifa kwa ujumla lijivunie na linufaike na sanaa….. ila Kwenye UFUNGIWAJI huu nami nilikuwa nina OMBI ama PENDEKEZO kwa balaza letu pendwa la sanaa Tanzania (BASATA)…. Licha ya kuwa ni kweli #NYEGEZI ni eneo na kituo cha Mabasi kilichopo MWANZA, lakini pia ni vyema Kama balaza letu pendwa la sanaa kutambua pia kuwa sio kila Nyimbo ni kwajili ya watoto wadogo….Hivyo kusema isipigwe kwenye TV na Radio tumekubali, lakini iwe Kwenye Ule muda ambao serikali uliuweka wa kuwa watoto wako macho, ila pale wanapolala, basi uruhusiwe ili walengwa wautazame…. PILI:- kusema tuifute Mitandaoni pia, naomba pia Baraza letu pendwa litutazame pia na hapo…. kwasababu mtoto mdogo tunaemlenga kumlinda asiharibikiwe kimaadili hapa, sizani kama mzazi wake anaweza kumruhusu akaperuziperuzi bila mipaka mitandaoni maana kama kweli ana uwezo wa kufanya hivyo basi anauwezo wa kwenda kuangalia hata Video za utupu, na vitu vingine ambayo wote tunafahamu ndio hatari na Madhara zaidi kwa watoto, kuliko hichi kinyimbo chetu cha #MWANZA NYEGEZI

A post shared by Chibu Dangote (@diamondplatnumz) on Nov 12, 2018 at 11:32pm PST

He also argues that he is one of the biggest exports through which Tanzania generates so much income because he pays taxes.

Furthermore, he points out that not every project he releases is suitable for Tanzania’s consumption because his music has managed to cross international borders.

It is for the same reason he feels the need to make sure his fans from allover the world get what they desire from him.

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PART 2:- TATU:- Wazee wetu, vijana wenu ama wasanii wenu sasahivi tumefanikiwa kuingia kwenye masoko mbalimbali hivyo sio kila nyimbo ni kwajili ya soko la nyumbani Tanzania tu, mfano: UGANDA kuna Tamasha Linaitwa NYEGE FESTIVAL….na kwa nafasi niliyonayo UGANDA na kwajinsi nyimbo hii ilivyovuma kwa kishindo kila kona ndani ya siku tatu tu Viewers 1.5+ Millions Youtube, basi naamini kabisa Mwakani lazima NYEGE FETIVAL waniite kutumbuiza…na kama mnavyofahamu bei zangu huwaga si chini dola elf Sabini za kimarekani ( $70,000) kwa show sawa na milioni (160,300,000 za kitanzania)….mbazo kwa show moja tu ningeweza kuchangia pato la kodi si chini ya milioni (48,090,000 ya kitanzania)…hivyo naomba mlitazame na hapo Balaza letu Pendwa…. NNE:- Pia ikija Upande wa Kuitumbwiza stejini naomba pia mlitazame zaidi…Maana show zetu zote ni za Usiku wa manane ambapo watoto wamelala majumbani Tunaowaimbia ni Watu wazima… na hata #WasafiFestival2018 pia ifikapo saa 12 jioni ni wenye Umri wa zaidi ya miaka 18 tu….hivyo tutaowaimbia ni watu wazima tu TANO:- Wazee wangu wa Balaza la sanaa BASATA nilikuwa naomba Muipe sikio tena Nyimbo pale kwenye kipande cha Amber Rutty.. kwasababu Ujumbe wangu pale ni kupingana na kile kitendo, na ndiomaana nikasema "kananivuta ghetto nikapige Bunduki,… ila naogopa Centro Michezo ya Amber Rutty" ….sasa hapo ubaya wake uko sehem gani…maana naamini kupitia mstari huo utakuwa ni kama Kumbusho kwa kijana ama mtuyoyote kuwa "usidiriki kufanya, Utapelekwa jela…" sasa hapo wapi ubaya wake wazee wetu…. SITA:- wazee wangu wa Basata ni siku tatu tu Tangu kutoka kwa wimbo huu, lakini kika Mwana Africa na hata asiekuwa Mwana Africa Ashapajua Nyegezi Mwanza….na naamini kulikuwa na wengi pengine hawapajui lakini kupitia wimbo Huu sasa wamepajua..na naamini wengi wanatamani hata wafike, Wapigepicha , wakapashangae kuwa kumbe #NYEGEZI kwenyewe ndio hapa….na hio ndio miongoni mwa faida ya kazi ya sanaa wazee wetu…. . Mie yangu yalikuwa ni hayo tu, naamini Kwa Uelewa wenu na Upendo wenu mlionao kwa sanaa na wasanii wenu, mtatusaidia kwa hayo maombi yetu vijana wenu…Shukran Ni mimi kijana wenu Nasibu Abdul Juma (Diamond Platnumz)

A post shared by Chibu Dangote (@diamondplatnumz) on Nov 12, 2018 at 11:42pm PST

What do you think of Diamond’s explanations?

Related Story: Tanzania bans Diamond Platnumz’s ‘Mwanza’ video