I’m A Lyrical Prophet For The Government And Masses--Wailing Stone

In the 1980s, the Nigerian music industry saw the likes of Ras Kimono, Sony Okosuns among few others, who used their music to preach to both the government and the masses. Joining the league of these music prophets, Wailing Stone, a reggae exponent is set to use music to correct abnormalities that in our environments.

In this interview, ‘Wailing Stone,’ real name Kenneth Aniputa revealed how his sojourn into the music industry started, his many challenges that got him bedridden for over a decade and the things that shaped his life.

Many years ago there we heard that you wanted to release an album and the next thing you disappear into thin air, where have you been?

Thank you so much, it shows you are keeping a tab on me then. Well, I started my music career professionally in 1985. I have this band that put everything together and we got an album that was supposed to be released in 1990 both in Nigeria and the UK. We got all the travelling documents to embark on the journey for the first release in the UK, but at that point, I fell sick. I was on the sick bed for 12years with an ailment that couldn’t be diagnosed.

That sickness suspended all my musical ambition until recently that God said its the right time for me to come back as a music prophet. I’m a lyrical prophet for the government and the masses. I find it more comfortable to express my feelings. It is not about jumping and dancing, but it is a medium you can use to express your feelings about the ills of the society and human rights. There are about one hundred and one types of African music, but I chose reggae because I feel it suits me best to reach out to people easily. Great musicians like Bob Marley and others promoted reggae internationally and used it as an instrument to fight injustice worldwide.

What has that condition done to you

It has made me to be so determined; nobody can deter the plan of God. Also, it has really opened my eyes to what is obtainable in the Nigerian music industry. I have a motto that says ‘positive impact with music’. I am not a baby in the industry and my motive is to open people’s eyes to many odds in the country in all categories be it political, religious even in the music industry.

It’s unfortunate that the Nigeria music industry is littered with mediocres. When you watch our music videos or listen to some CDs, if you are a professional, you will feel sorry for the industry. It’s sad that there are no messages of any sort in our music today and video only sell sexuality. Though we are developing very fast musically, the music industry in this country is not attracting positive attention of listeners.

In those days, before any recording company could sign you, they will want to see the message in your music, which means they are particular about content. But it is no longer like that now, not even with this trend of people saying they are musicians and they cannot play the simplest music instrument.

However, I am very happy with the way the industry has grown, even though the structure is not yet in place. How I wish it is the companies that are churning out all the music in the market like in the days of Polygram, CBS, EMI Music and others. It would have been very wonderful. Back in the days, those companies were involved and the artistes made it. But now, it is a different ball game.

In the 80s and 90s, reggae music used to be the genre that dominated the musical scene. But in recent times, Reggae seems to have gone to bed, so to say. What do you think is responsible for this?

The truth is that the country has been under pressure economically. If you remember vividly, from about 1995 to 2000, it was like everything was going down the drain. The economy was so bad that if you released an album, nobody was ready to buy it. Many people were finding it difficult to make ends meet. So, music was the least in order of people’s preferences. You have to get shelter, food, medication and other basic necessities of life. You don’t expect people to listen to music with empty stomach. So, the economic downturn of the country affected the fortunes of the artistes who live on album sales, stage performances and concerts.

Now that hip-hop, rap and other kinds of music have virtually taken over the dance hall, are you sure that reggae music is still relevant

I have been to shows and concerts in recent times and their reaction to reggae is still laudable. So, believe it or not, reggae music has come to stay. It has no competition and no rival. What people are playing now is just one-way style. Nobody is touching reggae because it is too hot to handle. For now, just give me a little time to find the fire and come out with my throw. You would find that everybody is going to follow suit.

Tell us more about your latest album

Yes, the album is titled ‘Better Generation.’ It’s a seven track album with two video already. The album is filled with messages that can ginger you to do the right thing at the right time. Our society is getting eroded with negative tendencies and the musicians ought to be like prophets of our time, telling both the government and the masses the best to way to go about what we face in life.

If you remember, there were some musicians years back in this county, who had songs that affect our hearts and we still sing them today. We had people like Sony Okosuns with an album like; ‘Which Way Nigeria’ and that of Ras Kimono titled; ‘Under Pressure’. These songs are evergreen. The message is that we should harness our natural resources and make the masses live a better life.

Where do you get you inspiration from

Music is spiritual and if the spirit is in you, it flows. Now, it depends on which spirit flows in you, may be that of God to win souls or others that lead to destruction. Do you know that music can motivate you to do something bad? So it depends on the spirit that leads you. There is a track that talks about our leaders looting the treasury and smiling to banks in foreign land, while the masses suffer, the spirit that flows in them is what is obvious to us all. In a simple word, the spirit of God that inspires me is that which seeks peace. My music is not the type that will make people carry placards and get involved in riot, but the type that you will listen to and have a change of heart if you are not the type that has the spirit of God.

Who is marketing the album

With my able team headed by Baba Alli, we have the best marketer and distributor working on this album. We made researches and arrived on those that have been chosen, you will get to see everything soonest.

How soon will ‘Wailing Stone become a household name

I am a reggae musician with a difference, I believe in telling the truth. That is why I use my music to fight the ills of the society. It has become part of my philosophy. To those who love the truth, ‘Wailing Stone and the Heralds' is a household name already.