Diamond Platnumz
Tanzania’s Ministry of Information has banned several songs by the country’s top artistes for breaching broadcasting laws, the BBC reported on Thursday.
The list includes ‘Hallelujah’ and ‘Waka Waka’ by Diamond Platnumz, the country’s top musician and an international star.
Some of the music videos feature suggestive dancing and sexual innuendo.
In a statement, the ministry listed a number of other banned songs compiled by the state’s body in charge of arts and culture.
The ban follows recent viral false reports that Diamond Platnumz was dead.
Born Naseeb Abdul Juma, Diamond Platnumz is a Tanzanian bongo flava recording artiste and a dancer.
He has had several hit songs, including ‘Number One’, which he featured Nigerian artiste Davido. Diamond Platnumz won numerous awards at Channel O and the HiPipo Music Awards.
He performed at the Big Brother Africa 7 eviction show in May 2012. Diamond was considered influential among his fans, and is said to be the most loved and decorated Tanzanian artiste at the moment.
He was believed to be the highest selling Tanzanian artiste of ringtones by mobile phone companies in 2013, as well as being among the artistes earning the highest income in the African Great Lakes region’s music industry. But he is not bigger than the laws in his country. Hence, his songs were banned as well.