Sauti Sol´s Polycarp, Vanessa Mdee and Victoria Kimani speak against the exclusion of East Africa in Beyonce´s Lion King debut album

Beyoncé new track album dubbed ¨The Lion King¨ is set to feature a couple of Africa´s artistes but with the exclusion of East Africa.

It features top brass International artistes the likes of Kendrick Lamar, Pharrell Williams, Childish Gambino, Beyonce´s daughter Blue Ivy among others.

Additionally, it is to feature Africa´s very own artistes but keeps off the East African region.

Africa

Nigeria´s Tiwa Savage, Mr Eazi perform ¨Keys to the Kingdom¨ song, while Tekno and Yemi Alade feature on ¨Don´t Jealous Me¨.

Burna Boy on the other hand does a solo track ¨Ja Ara E¨ as Cameroon´s Salatiel appears alongside Beyoncé and Pharell on ¨Water¨.

Wizkid from Nigeria, Shatta Wale from Ghana; Busiswa and Moonchild Sanelly both from South Africa feature in the album too.

Origin

Funny thing is fact that the movie´s entire concept is in reference to the Kenyan and Tanzanian scenery yet none of the top East African artistes is featured.

Polycarp

Artistes from the East Africa region come out to shun such a move with Sauti Sol´s Polycarp airing:

This is the Lion King ´New Africa´ Album with soundtracks of the new Lion King movie.

For a movie who´s concept is fully based on the Kenyan and Tanzanian scenery, use of Swahili phrases and references,

you would think they would at least consider artists from this region and not focus on artists from one country/region.

Believe me I have nothing against the artists picked, if anything I´m happy for them.

It´s a lifetime opportunity that you can´t pass by!

I am very much against the people who decide to present Africa with artists from one country or region.

#kunamatata #lionking or maybe am being petty. Would love to hear your thoughts on this!

https://www.instagram.com/p/BDlfsQxmE2p/

Vicky

Kenyan Nigeria-based music sensation, Victoria Kimani from her end aired:

As much as we celebrate with our fellow Africans the obvious exclusion of Kenyans and East Africans on this soundtrack is depressing.

The movie was based on Kenya.

Y´all could at least had Lupita or Barack on the outro Kenya since we don´t have artists in. Rafiki, Simba and Nala are Kenyan.

https://www.instagram.com/p/B0IqeuWn80T/

Mdee

Meanwhile, bongo flava songbird, Vanessa Mdee expresses:

Hii kitu ni biashara Poly, na waPopo wako na interests zao.

Wote wanajua filamu iko set in East Africa na kihalali tungestahili kupata kanafasi,

lakini hatuna wanaotuwakilisha huko kwa maExec wa Disney au kwa team ya Beyoncé.

Isitoshe wakipiga mahesabu kihalali watu wa magharibi wanatuzidi kibiashara kwenye ununuzi wa bidha na mziki ndani na nje ya bara la Afrika.

Kihalali kabisa ingepaswa hii album ijae Kiswahili na masound ya pande zetu

lakini kwenye soko la kimataifa bado sisi sio wazito in comparison to watu wa magharibi.

Wangepaswa kufanya research to fully embody the essence of Simba.

Lakini ndio hivyo. Na kiukweli ni misrepresentation na kuna matata lakini ndio hivyo soko linavamiwa.

Shikeni la kwenu. Ownership.

https://www.instagram.com/p/Bz8pdvIJcCl/