How the Liberian Movie Union are using piracy as their scapegoat
Liberia are fighting off piracy in order to effect growth in their local movie industry; but piracy is not their only enemy
In August 2020, a task force from the Liberian Movie Union and Intellectual Property Office surrounded and stopped entry into numerous shops selling movies, seizing pirated movies and, in some instances, threatening violence if piracy was not stopped. Demanding that shops retailing movies must include Liberian films in their goods for sale, this incident was the latest in a series of local content drives by the Liberian Movie Union. In light of these events, Liberian-based writer, Dounard Bondo analyses why these actions might be redundant and where attention would be better served.
International films have always existed within the Liberian market. Ubiquitous and omnipresent, before the turn of the millennium, Hollywood movies were, of course, a feature, as well as successful movies from around the continent too. The Liberian movie market has always been diverse and welcoming to foreign films, but it was specifically at the end of the Liberian civil war in 2003 that a significant increase of Nigerian and Ghanaian movies in Liberia was recorded, as the post-war period collided with the golden age of Nigerian and Ghanaian movies of the early 2000s. At that time, movies from Nigeria and Ghana had massive reach and popularity in the sub-region of West Africa, and on the continent as a whole. In addition to the impact of these movie industries, after the Liberian civil war, Liberian refugees who fled to Nigeria and Ghana during the war returned back home, their return helping to further the spread and dominance of Nigerian and Ghanaian movies on the Liberian market.
With barely any time to digest the influx of Nigerian and Ghanaian cinema in the country, the mid-2000s saw the introduction of Mexican and Filipino movies on the Liberian market. Around the 2005 mark, telenovelas began dominating Liberian TV, joining the sect of the Nigerian movie industry commonly called the “Asaba market”, which places a particular emphasis on quantity. As the internet began to develop into the sprawling digital market we so often take for granted these days, both illegal and legal movies became even easier to access, leaving little room for domestic cinema to grow, let alone thrive. Currently, the Liberian movie market is dominated by Nigerian, Ghanaian Mexican, Pilipino and American movies. Liberian films have seen low consumer consumption and lesser reach on the Liberian market.
The Liberian Movie Union (a union of filmmakers and actors in Liberia) – led by its president, Frank Artus, a Liberian actor and filmmaker who gained popularity through Liberian and Ghanaian movies – blame piracy and movie marketers for the low consumption of Liberian movies. The union’s stance is that pirated movies are saturating the market and that this saturation is a reason for the low consumption rate of legal Liberian movies, as well as the fact that – as perceived by the union themselves – some marketers do not retail Liberian movies. The union’s ultimate position is that, with these factors causing low consumption of Liberian films, Liberian filmmakers are being derived from earning from their craft.
Movies sold on the Liberian market are mostly sold on discs, sometimes multiple movies can be sold on one disc. A movie disc is sold for 100 Liberian dollars (50 cents), and while, typically, Liberian movies are sold per disc, when it comes to foreign films, it is common to see multiple foreign movies burnt onto one disc on the Liberian market. Of course, an average Liberian consumer would much rather purchase a disc containing multiple foreign movies, rather than pay the same price for a disc containing one Liberian movie, further pushing domestic movies out of the market.
In 2019, the Liberian Movie Union (LIMU), Ministry of Information, Cultural Affairs and Tourism, and the Intellectual Property Office of Liberia put out a statement combating piracy. The statement banned the selling of discs with multiple movies, and held that pirated movies were illegal. The statement demanded that marketers phase out discs with movies by the second week of October 2019. This policy significantly affects foreign movies (especially, Nigerian, Ghanaian and Philipino), and it is being enforced in 2020.
Additionally, the statement reads “we encourage all marketers, distributors and those wanting to market films on the Liberian market both local and international must obtain Power of Attorney from the producer of the said film. Based on this, only legal films will be allowed on the market, beginning October 7, 2019”.
There are concerns about the applicability of the statement, however. Many questions begin to arise surrounding the efficiency of the Ministry and the Intellectual Property Office’s new drive to dismantle the complex system of pirated movies that currently sustains the Liberian film market.
Oftentimes, movies on the Liberian market pass through multiple distributors before reaching the marketers who sell it to the consumers, so when considering the above statement, it would be impracticable to demand that distributors and marketers obtain power of attorney before retailing multiple movies, because distributors and retailers down the supply chain would not be able to obtain power of attorney for the volume of movies they sell. If distributors were to demand a copy of the power of attorney from the wholesalers they buy movies from, they would find it difficult to verify the authenticity of the volume of documents they receive in relation to the volume of movies they sell.
Additionally, the inflow and sale of foreign movies on the Liberian market is largely unregulated, thus curtailing the spread of piracy is a herculean task. When I spoke to a Liberian movie producer who chose to be anonymous, he said “while approval is required to put a Liberian Movie on the market, it is unclear as to whether foreign movies are subject to the same standards”. Furthermore, Retailers and distributors are not required to get a permit to sell movies. It then raises the question. What happens when a retailer buys pirated movies from a distributor? Would he be made to carry the loss of his goods when it is seized by the LIMU Taskforce?
Of course, piracy negatively affects the Liberian movie market, but Liberian filmmakers have several more dragons to slay on the road to increasing local consumption of Liberian movies. Prior to the war, Liberia had a thriving cinema culture, with multiple cinemas running in the country. Today, Silverbird cinemas is the only operating cinemas in Montserrado County, the most populous Liberian county and home of its capital city, Monrovia, alluding to the lack of distribution channels available to Liberian movies. Even at the few cinemas there are around the country, it is rare to see Liberian movies playing – in the last one year, no Liberian movie has been on the watch list of Silverbird cinemas – or even being shown on platforms like DSTV.
There are also concerns about the quality of Liberian movies. Most Liberian movies on the market are considered to be of lesser quality than their Nigerian and Ghanaian counterparts. With the internet facilitating easy access to movies online (both legal and illegal), foreign movies are more easily consumable – though it must be noted that with low internet penetration in the country, most Liberians in Liberia cannot afford to consume movies online. Still, for the Liberian diaspora, online streaming is a popular way of watching movies, and with virtually non-existent online databases for Liberian movies, and their absence from streaming giant, Netflix, it is all but impossible for these communities to access Liberian films.
In conclusion, while the fight against piracy is pivotal to the growth of the Liberian movie industry, the low consumption rate of Liberian movies is more about consumer choice, quality of the movies produced, and the lack of structures within the Liberian movie industry to properly market and distribute domestically made movies. If these factors are not addressed, the removal of pirated foreign movies on the Liberian market still won’t have the desired effect on increasing local consumption – the Liberian film industry must address all its structural shortcomings in its entirety if they really want to see Liberian movies given their fair dues.
NB: Liberia Movie Union officials on ground at their headquarters refused to make a statement or answer questions.
Dounard Bondo is a Liberian writer. His pieces cut across, politics, law and entertainment; and he also writes short stories.
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Shekhinah Returns With Surprise Album, ‘Less Trouble’
The South African R&B star is at her most assertive on her first album in four years.
South African R&B and Pop singer Shekhinah has released a new surprise album titled ‘Less Trouble.’ The Durban star, who had been quiet for most of the year, took to social media shortly before midnight to share the new album’s cover, synopsis, and tracklist, simply stating, ‘If you’re seeing this my album LESS TROUBLE is out now at Midnight,’ in an Instagram caption.
The soulful singer first began teasing ‘Less Trouble,’ her first album in over four years, about a year ago when she released its lead single “Risk,” a bouncy Afropop-inspired collab with Ghanaian star MOLIY. A few months after the release of “Risk,” she put out “Steady,” a dreamy pop number that suggested that something bigger was on the horizon. But then it was largely radio silence about a project until its surprise arrival at midnight.
If 2021’s ‘Trouble In Paradise’ represented a coming-of-age for Shekhinah, subsisting some of the dreamy, youthful exuberance of her debut album for more measured musings on themes like heartbreak and grief, ‘Less Trouble’ finds her at her most assertive, writing and singing with the acuity of someone who is grown, decisive and discerning. The delicate opener “Break Up Season” sets the tone for the rest of the album as she shows little tolerance for shady behaviour and toxic patterns.
Other standout cuts on the album like “Bare Minimum,” a sombre collab with fellow South African award-winning singer lordkez, the ethereal, in-your-face interlude “New Casanova,” and the percussive “What Are We,” where Shekhinah contemplates the nature of a relationship but ultimately demands all or nothing, all drive home a part of the album’s synopsis, which reads ‘A BOOK ON MORE HEARTBREAK BUT LESS HEARTACHE.’
Shekhinah invites a couple of new collaborators on ‘Less Trouble,’ featuring the aforementioned MOLIY and lordkez as well as multi-instrumentalist Mars Baby and Young Stunna across the album’s 11 tracks. Mpilo Shabangu handled the majority of the album’s production, while other producers like Michael Morare, her longtime collaborator, Mthintheki Mzizi, and Vuyo also contributed to the album.
Listen to ‘Less Trouble’ here.
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The NATIVE’s First Impressions Of Amaarae’s ‘Black Star’
‘Black Star’ marks another evolutionary arc for Amaarae, and The NATIVE team offer our thoughts after a...
Change has always been a constant theme in any discussion about the career of Ghanaian-American star, Amaarae. Since she emerged as a singular voice in the late 2010s, she has evolved from a sirenic Afropop-adjacent singer into a Punk-Pop firestarter with minimal fuss. ‘Fountain Baby,’ her 2023 sophomore album, was a sweeping departure from the lilting melodies and shapeshifing cadences of the hypnotic ‘The Angel You Don’t Know,’ emphasizing her commitment to charting new courses with her music.
In the lead-up to her new album, ‘Black Star,’ she has wholly embraced a Pop aesthetic and sheen that was reflected on the album’s promotional singles, “S.M.O.” and “Girlie-Pop!.” Now that the album has arrived, the singer has advised listeners not to go in expecting a continuation of the soundscape on ‘Fountain Baby.’ As keen followers of Amaarae’s career from its start, we are sure that ‘Black Star’ marks another evolutionary arc for her, and we offer our thoughts after a few listens.
WHAT WERE YOUR EXPECTATIONS OF AMAARAE GOING INTO THIS ALBUM?
Kemnachi: I had zero doubts that she would impress me again. Amaarae always comes correct. She is audacious with her choices, taking creative risks most artists would not dare to imagine, and somehow rendering them seamless, deliberate, and effortless. Her music has a way of enveloping me: it’s fluid, slightly dangerous, and yet irresistibly sensual. Every project feels like an immersive world she has curated down to the finest detail. With ‘Black Star,’ I knew it was not going to be a mere collection of songs but another meticulously constructed realm.
Bamise: I expected something fun, genre-bending, and sonically diverse in the fashion that Amaarae’s music typically is. I may have taken the album title a bit too literally, though, because listening made me realise I had an eye out for some Pan-African statements or something to spark discourse on African identity, but I didn’t quite catch any of that.
Boluwatife: Amaarae has largely delivered throughout her career, so I knew she was going to come correct again. She’s one of those forward-thinking artists who take the kind of risks most others wouldn’t, but she always manages to make it work. She’s proven to be a musical omnivore who constantly meshes her wide-ranging influences into something new, fluid, icy, and more often than not, sensual. I knew ‘Black Star’ wasn’t going to be any different.
WHAT SONGS STOOD OUT ON THE FIRST LISTEN?
Wale: I liked “Girlie-Pop!.” I feel like it captures Amaarae’s vision of pushing Afropop into the future. She’s also really grown comfortable with music and lyricism and will not dumb down her message for anybody. The instrumental for “Girlie-Pop!” is also a wonder; it’s so dense, but there are pockets for Amaarae to be emotive about her feelings. Top song!
Daniel Akins: I need to hear “B2B” at the next rave I’m at. Amaarae is in her Dance era, and I’m here for it. Kiss Me Thru The Phone pt 2” with PinkPantheress is the collaboration I knew I needed, and I’m glad they finally linked up. It’s a clear standout on the project; their ethereal style complements each other.
Shina: “B2B” was the one that did it for me. That is my favourite track on the project. The number of times I ran it back was unhealthy for a first listen. It was also really fun to catch the Don Toliver “Best You Had” sample. I need to hear this outside!
HOW WELL YOU THINK THE GUEST APPEARANCES ENHANCED THE LISTENING EXPERIENCE?
Israel: The guest features on Black Star aren’t mere flexes. They’re strategic, theatrical, and sometimes emotionally resonant. They enhance, yes, but they do so on Amaarae’s terms. A standout for me was PinkPantheress on “Kiss Me Thru The Phone pt 2.” The tradeoff is that a few songs feel like dazzling cameos rather than an integrated conversation, yet overall they enhance the album’s drama, texture, and bravado with precision.
Daniel Banjoko: Everyone showed up and delivered, no weak links here. Instead of just guest spots, they felt like vital pieces of a bigger puzzle. Charlie Wilson on “Dream Scenario” nailed his part especially, making the track sound exactly like its name promises.
Moore: The guest appearances on ‘Black Star’ feel very intentional; each one enhances the album’s world without overshadowing Amaarae’s vision. PinkPantheress’s signature airy delivery meshes with Amaarae’s experimental pop sound. Naomi Campbell’s commanding voice on “ms60” is an unexpected but powerful addition, adding drama to the track. Each feature feels carefully chosen.
WHAT SONG IS THE BIGGEST SKIP?
Bamise: Not to be a party pooper, but I don’t get the PinkPantheress collab, “Kiss Me Thru The Phone pt 2.” It feels like a PinkPantheress song with less pop in it, and just borrows the title of the iconic Soulja Boy song but has no other similarities. It’s between that and “ms60.” For me, the chorus of that sounds like something I’ve heard from Amaarae before, and I doubt its absence would have diminished the album.
Shina: I feel like biggest skip is a strong word for a solid project, but if I have to pick a song to skip, it’ll be “ms60.” I think it’s easily forgettable.
Wale: It’s hard to single out a song that stuck out to me, but hearing Naomi Campbell on “ms60” threw me off. It’s just too contrived to bear for me.
WHAT SONG HAS THE BIGGEST HIT POTENTIAL?
Boluwatife: My gut answer would probably be “She Is My Drug,” just because of how she beautifully reworks the melodies from Cher’s “Believe.” DJ remixes of this song could go crazy. But if I were to think a bit more logically, TikTok would probably lap up “Kiss Me Thru The Phone pt 2.”
Daniel Banjoko: “Kiss Me Thru the Phone pt 2” goes crazy. Amaarae and PinkPantheress are the perfect match. This collab feels like it was destined to happen, and it delivers in full. Honestly, I can’t believe it took this long, and now I just need more tracks from these two, ASAP.
Moore: “Kiss Me Thru The Phone pt 2” has the biggest hit potential on the album. The song has a nostalgic, sad party girl vibe that makes it appealing, and it’s also catchy and well-produced. PinkPantheress consistently performs well on platforms like TikTok, and her fanbase overlaps in a really interesting way with Amaarae’s. The collaboration feels organic and exciting, and will likely create a lot of buzz.
OVERALL FIRST IMPRESSIONS
Wale: There is a very visceral quality to how Amaarae expresses desire that I don’t hear very often in a lot of music. It’s abstracted and warped in futuristic textures, but it’s very profoundly human, and it’s always great to hear that even as she advances the sonics of her delivery. I do, however, have an issue with the thematic scope of ‘Black Star.’ I thought there would be overt references to her experiences of navigating her Ghanaian identity, but those references are limited to samples and interpolations. It’s still an incisive listen and a triumph for finding ways to advance music from Africa.
Bamise: It’s Amaarae; she can never go wrong. But for me, this is the album that excites me the least from her catalogue. Other than how bass-heavy some songs on the album are, like “S.M.O.” and “She Is My Drug” among others, it feels similar to other projects I’ve heard from her in a way that’s not exactly refreshing or mind-bending. I may have gotten spoiled by how diverse and eclectic Amaarae’s music tends to be, but I wanted more from her. I expected more gangster, Hip-Hop Amaarae. Thematically, I didn’t get anything that gives the Black Star of Ghana, or black stars are ruling the world. Will I listen again and enjoy every bit of it still, though? Yes, I will.
Shina: So first off, this is a solid body of work. I love the fact that Amaarae stuck with the Dance, Electro-Pop route she was going with throughout the album. The features also played their part, adding their unique touches to each record. I would say, though, a feature I would’ve loved to hear on this project is 070Shake. I think she would have been perfect on “100DRUM,” but we don’t always get what we want, do we? Thematically, I think Amaarae could’ve leaned heavily on her Ghanaian heritage, seeing as the title and cover of the album are a nod to that. Maybe Amaarae just wants us to dance, and that’s what I’m just gonna do, and you should too.
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Tems Partners With Hennessy For Leading Vibe Initiative
Launching in Lagos, Nigeria, this event pioneered by Tems marks the beginning of a continent-wide movement to...
In July, Tems announced the Leading Vibe Initiative (LVI) to support women in music and the creative space on their journey to make a mark in their fields and create space for other women in those industries. Born from Tems’ journey as a self-taught artist with a focus on driving change, the initiative offers training, mentorship, industry access, and community for women in music in Africa.
After a rigorous selection process for its inaugural cohort, Hennessy will join the two-time Grammy Award-winning star to celebrate the launch of the Leading Vibe (LVI) Initiative in Lagos, Nigeria. Held from August 8 to 9, 2025, the two-day event is the beginning of a bold new chapter in Hennessy’s long-standing commitment to music and culture in Africa.
“I’m excited to partner with Hennessy in bringing this initiative to life, supporting talented young women in music as they find their voices, embrace their power, and shape the future of the industry across Africa and beyond,” Tems said about the partnership.
The Leading Vibe Initiative aims to champion the next generation of female artists, producers, songwriters, and music professionals, increasing representation within all areas of music across the continent and beyond.
With Hennessy as lead partner, this ambitious program kicks off with an immersive event in Lagos featuring curated workshops, networking moments, and panel discussions led by top-tier talent from across the global and African music industries.
“Her vision, talent, and purpose align deeply with Hennessy’s legacy of championing those who push boundaries and redefine the world around them. We’re honored to support the Leading Vibe Initiative and to continue empowering African communities and cultures,” said Vincent Montalescot, Hennessy Global Chief Marketing Officer.
Hennessy’s partnership with Tems builds on the brand’s decades-long history of supporting music and artistic expression globally and on the continent. From Hip-Hop to Afrobeats, Hennessy continues to stand beside the artists and communities that shape culture.
In Africa, the Maison has deepened its commitment through meaningful initiatives like In the Paint and now, with the Leading Vibe Initiative, is taking a focused step toward amplifying women’s voices in music. With the Lagos launch as a powerful first step, the Leading Vibe Initiative will expand across Africa and globally, creating a cross-continental network of empowered women ready to shape the future of African music.
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