Abstract
This chapter aims to discuss how urban music fits into the narratives of drug addiction and sex addiction, especially as it relates to young people. The chapter will specifically discuss such narratives in the music of Mafo, who is a ‘celebrated’ producer of urban music, especially among youth. From the early 2000s, a new genre of music commonly called ‘urban music’ started commanding a huge influence among Malawian youth. As of now, it is a celebrated genre with dedicated programmes, concerts that are full of people and celebrated producers. Much as the themes of urban music have been varying, key themes have come to be based on drugs and sex. Urban music has mostly glamorised drugs and sex in its narratives.
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Notes
- 1.
MBC Radio 2 has a programme, Made on Monday, specifically dedicated to urban music. The contents of the programme generate a healthy discussion on social media (mostly driven by hashtags).
- 2.
Usually, parts of a city in which the most economically disadvantaged families live.
- 3.
Malawi-music.com is the major website distributing Malawian music. Most of its uploads are of urban music and its major consumers are young people with access to the internet.
- 4.
Arguably one of the most renowned Malawian pastors, Bushiri is assumed to be the richest pastor in Malawi. He claims to own businesses and personal jets and does a good number of charity works in Malawi and beyond. He is based in South Africa.
- 5.
Together with Legnz boy and Nyasa B, Mafo formed the group which in traditional English would be ironically called ‘Good Children’. They usually sing in a religious choral fashion although the themes they sing of are divorced from religious messages.
- 6.
The original Sufuna song is about a Christian leader asking a colleague/congregation if they want to join him on the journey to Paradise.
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Namusanya, D.M. (2019). Popular Culture and Representations of Addiction: Understanding Malawi Urban Music in the Narratives of Drugs and Sex. In: Ndasauka, Y., Kayange, G. (eds) Addiction in South and East Africa . Palgrave Macmillan, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-13593-5_8
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