“An ecosystem is a community of living organisms in conjunction with the non-living components of their environment, interacting as a system. These biotic and abiotic components are regarded as linked together through nutrient cycles and energy flows.” - Wikipedia.
First of all, let me start by saying that I have nothing but respect and admiration for Jovi. He has been a prime architect in building one of the biggest and accomplished independent music labels in Cameroon. You cannot attain that kind of feat without having a great measure of work ethic and resilience to go with a good amount of drive, passion and an ardent desire to succeed.
I say this because first of all we live in an environment where a contrary opinion is equivocated to “hating” and jealousy. And secondly, Jovi being the rabid dog that he is on Twitter will probably bite my ass anytime soon if he gets a hold of this article.
So, let the record reflect my objectivity which at the end of the day is springing from my own personal observations which have been reinforced by a number of social media comments; many of which are quite recent.
Ok. Let’s roll.
As you must know, New Bell Music is something of a close-knit family. The family has thinned with the departures of Pascal and Tilla. The reason for their departure is unknown to me and no concern of mine nor of this article. However, as it stands, New Bell Music has Shey, Tata, Jovi, and Reniss as its musical acts. Rachel Applewhite, an American lady from Arkansas serves as VP of the label and has recently released an album under the label. DJ Mathematik, a DJ in Switzerland (I think) was recently added to the label.
And there is Kiloh. He appears only on production credits. I suspect the name (like Jovi’s ‘Le Monstre’) is the producer name one of the other artists’s named above goes by.
New Bell Music as it is today has the familiar characteristics of an ecosystem as defined above. It is, like I said, a close-knit family. Jovi has really held up the strings (musically speaking) and he has produced all his albums as well as those of all the acts under him.
Now, while that has seemed to have worked in the past, it would appear that it is slowly chipping away what made him successful in the first place. There is already what appears to be some kind of redundancy. Not that the music isn’t good anymore. Far from that. But it is hard not to notice that the music isn’t really evolving and the versatility has thinned quite a lot.
Essentially, Jovi’s music (I am talking about his ‘beats’ here) is now recognisable. It has become what we can aptly call “the Jovi/mboko Sound”. The elements of that new-found sound are very evident on his last two albums notably with some heavy bass lines, and the ever-present hitting of a bottle -"Don for kwat" laid the groundwork for this signature style.
In a way, that is good. It shows the elements of a brand in his compositions. But it also points to an issue of redundancy and a disturbing similarity amongst a number of songs he has produced, pointing to a bigger problem - that New Bell Music acts never, if at all, collaborate out of their ecosystem.
Save for their collaboration with the clothing brand FrenchKind, New Bell Music has not been involved in any other high-profile collaboration of any sort. At least that I know of.
I don’t know if that is inscribed in the organisational culture or if the people at the helm of that ship are just plainly obtuse, but it is a fact and it is already showing signs of a contrary wind blowing into their faces -the first of which is the music videos.
All the videos (and I tread lightly here) of New Bell Music acts are done by February 16th who also happens to be Jovi’s younger brother. Now I don’t know much about video-making, I admit, but I can’t fail to notice that his videos are vaguely similar – in their plot, cinematography and the signature brownish filter.
Don’t believe me? - Look at the similarities between the “Devil no di sleep” and “20 BA” videos. Also, if you scroll through the comments on those videos and especially that of “Et p8 koi” a lot of people have voiced out their disappointments. Personally, I don’t like to criticise something that I cannot do and so I have always steered clear of typing my own dislike in the comment sections.
“Cash” and “Mongshung”, for me, are the two exceptions that really stood out from probably all Feb 16th videos. One could throw in “Dans la sauce” in there as well and definitely 'Big Vulture'. Even the video vixens (and I hate to use that term for I find it both pejorative and of poor taste) are usually the same. Tatapong Beyala (who has now become a video director under the New Bell label) has featured in most of the music videos in almost the same role starting from the “Bushfaller” video (if my memory serves me right).
Reniss is also another issue on her own. Personally, I’ve always adored Reniss when she sings in her native tongue. Her collaboration with Magasco and Tilla in “Na njara” with Daddy Black and Magasco (from her pre - New Bell Music days) shows how smooth she sounds when she sings in her native language. Other examples are on “Na you” ft Shey from her EP ‘Milkish’ and on Jovi’s “Mboko God – Positioning” and “Half,” which is the introductory song to her ‘Tendon’ album. Even her rendition of “Moto Benama” by Bebe Manga and “Sodade” by Cesaria Evora where she sings in Portuguese is a real delight. But where else have you heard Reniss other than on New Bell Music songs?
But as you must know, there was an article here sent to Poise by a Reniss fan expressing disappointment with her latest release.
If you ask me, I think it is because New Bell is taking her, musically, in a direction that is not really hers. Franchement, on dirait qu’elle se cherche encore. Et ca, depuis belle lurette.
But what do I know? I am not a musician.
It’s hard for me, today to imagine what Mavin Records would look like if Don Jazzy and co. only collaborated amongst the acts signed under the label. I doubt that Tiwa Savage would have achieved a quarter of the popularity she has achieved today.
Mais imaginez un peu what Salatiel could possibly do with Reniss.
I have nothing but great admiration for New Bell Music and I have made it a point to always buy any work they release, and I have done so unfailingly. But I sometimes masturbate with the idea of what they could achieve if they break the bounds of their musical ecosystem. Unfortunately I am yet to cum.
This taciturn habit of only doing everything amongst themselves, I feel, is only pulling them back. Jovi may be good, but he is no D’Angelo or Raphael Saadiq and his competence in production can only go so far. But I keep stroking, hoping to find that particular gift under my tree of wishes when I wake up one morning. For like old Latin adage says “varietas delectat.” FOR “Variety is the spice of life.”
- Wandji Wilfred