By Beatrice Materu Journalist Mwananchi Communication Limited What you need to know: The industry loves to pretend it’s fair, but if it were a football match, men would have the whole field while women play barefoot on gravel. Being a female artiste in Africa is like playing chess, except your opponent moves freely while you have to submit a written request before making a move. Work twice as hard, prove yourself five times over, and still someone, somewhere, will whisper, “She must have a sponsor!” Meanwhile, a male artiste buys a yacht, and the world erupts in applause: “The grind never stops!” The industry loves to pretend it’s fair, but if it were a football match, men would have the whole field while women play barefoot on gravel. Record labels
