Fast-rising musician, Kelly Hansome last week told fans in Lagos that contrary to what many may think, his hit single Maga don pay is not a glorification of internet scam popularly called yahoo yahoo.
The Kennis Music act, who has abandoned his base in Texas, USA for a promising career in Nigeria, took time to explain himself, before performing the song for an anxious crowd inside Fantasyland, Ikoyi-Lagos. ”It depends on how you want to look at it. Maga is an acronymn for Man And God Always. God will use man to bless you; so that man is your maga. And when they say I talked about ‘system’ in the song; the world we live in is an ecosystem; and na magas dey control the system”.
He then went on to give a brief performance of the song, as the crowd, made up of mostly young people, sang along and joined him on stage.
The likes of Hansome and Olu Maintin have often been criticized for glorifying internet crime and misleading millions of their young followers. But the acts continue to argue that as artistes, they are only attempting to mirror society, while creating entertainment with issues that capture everyone’s attention.
And, with many young people now preferring to live life on the fast lane; with society now placing enormous value on material acquisition, the get-rich-quick syndrome has already become an epidemic; so it is not surprising that these kind of music, and those that explore themes like sex and flamboyance, are finding favour with the populace.
Meanwhile, Kelly Hansome has recorded a gospel version of Maga don pay. “The chorus says Jesus Don win shout halleluyah/Satan don loose shout halleluyah,” says Kenny CEO, Keke Ogungbe.
