‘Online’ music in Ivory Coast

The free download, a useful sacrifice

‘Free single because of piracy’[i] - this message published beneath a song on Youtube sums up the approach of the new generation of singers in Ivory Coast. They mainly practice Coupé-Décalé[ii], an urban music trend that became very popular over the last 12 years. Unlike their predecessors who rejected its use at the time, present-day musicians try to adapt to the internet, now an unavoidable platform. They did not actually make the choice; piracy and successive socio-political crises have destroyed the Ivorian music market.

Pirated works are everywhere. Their producers expose them freely on several major roads in the country. Between 2000 and 2010, the major record companies (such as Showbiz, Emi Music Jat, CID, Tropic Music, King Production) closed down one after the other. Afraid of investing, the producers have also mostly stopped their activities. “The amount of money we invest in an album can build a house. Basically, it’s a lot of investment, with no prospects,” said Sylvain Sery, a renowned Ivorian producer, in an interview[iii]. The trend is to release singles on the market. The artists, mainly young people, forced to become producers themselves, are limited to meager means. After a few hours of studio time, the product is ready. Critics of Coupé-Décalé qualify this trend as poor-quality music, or simply as a cacophony.

Since record labels are absent, the artist-producer must organize himself to promote his production in the media and elsewhere (billboards, bars, nightclubs, etc). With such publicity campaigns being expensive, the internet is a much cheaper alternative.

Over the years, Ivorian websites specializing in music have grown. Some, like Abidjanshow.com (launched in 2004) and Ivoirmixdj.com (launched in 2009), have become almost indispensable in the dissemination of musical works. In addition to cultural events and disseminating video clips, these sites offer free song downloads. A reference in the field, the site Ivoirmixdj.com, offers about 2 000 songs. The most popular, ‘Chebeler’ by the star of Coupé-Décalé, DJ Arafat, has been downloaded some 180 000 times.

“It is a useful sacrifice,” said comedian-singer Alasco Gang.“The buzz on the internet allowed me to showcase what I can do without having to pay for promotional events.”Following the popular success of his song ‘Emergence’, in which he imitates the Ivorian president, the young artist has given several shows and become a presenter on national television.

Unlike blogs and other online platforms where works are made available without authorization, for these sites, the webmasters emphasize with pride that artists jostle at their doors. One of them says it is “royalty-free music”, even displaying a Creative Commons license. Recently, artists are required to pay on these sites to promote the free download of their songs.

The legal sale, a jealously guarded secret

There are also international downloading platforms like iTunes, MusicMe and Amazon, where artists can sell their music. Several albums of Ivorian singers are available on these platforms. “With the exception of the artists who are often in the West, there are very few who know they can make money with online music,” said Kassi Morrison, a journalist for Life magazine. “According to him, it is a jealously guarded secret by some local producers and distributors who want all the benefits of online sales to themselves.”

A related case had also hit the headlines in Ivory Coast in 2013. An artist’s manager posed as the producer of Ivorian rapper Billy Billy rapper and “for three years, kept the rights to download for himself”[iv] for an album on a specialist French website with which he signed a contract. The Abidjan court sentenced him to a fine.

“Artists associations and the BURIDA should sensitize artists on the opportunity that online music can offer them and even help control this reward that eludes them,” added Morrison Kassi.

Timid local initiatives

Some online initiatives for music sales are trying to fill the local deficit. For example, Wimboo.net[v] was launched in June 2014  by a group of Ivorian producers. Little known to the public, the site offers a catalog of 10 singers. Downloading a song costs 280 FCFA (West African CFA Franc) and FCFA 1500 for an album. Equally discreet is Rapivoire.net[vi], which specializes in hip-hop but has no songs available for sale. It rather promotes works to be downloaded. Costs vary between FCFA 5000 and 25000. A message on this site guarantees a “greater profit than the traditional network for artists” and “a transparent contract with the artist.”

Although music professionals’ fear of the unknown when facing the internet a few years ago has since faded (as elsewhere in the world), the subject remains complicated, especially as the cost of an internet connection remains high in Ivory Coast. One option would have been the sale of music through mobile telephone companies, but a few years ago such attempts with music tones ended in failure. A pan-African alternative would be welcome.

The actors of the Ivorian music industry who dream of living off the sales of their musical works online should be patient. The road still remains long, and an economic model adapted to local realities is yet to be found -one that will be supported by realistic actions from authorities regarding the operational legal framework and the fight against piracy.