2023-04-18 17:27:43
It was his outing on the electric pyramids of the kingdom of Kush and the “Afropaeans” driven out of Europe by the Yamnayas that made an impression, arousing hilarity or consternation. But Gims, questioned by the youtuber LeChairman in his show “OuiHustle”, did not stop there. Speaking regarding his refusal to accompany French President Emmanuel Macron to Kinshasa in early March, the Congolese rapper claimed he declined for reasons “politics”.
« The invitation, you should know, I received it live, no [Emmanuel] Macron, but of Brigitte Macron”, confided the artist to the millions of subscribers on Facebook, YouTube, Twitter and Instagram. After this discussion, Gims, who says he is “very aware of what is happening in the Congo”, would have taken twenty-four hours of reflection before judging that it was ” too complicated “ et ” policy ” to appear alongside the French leader. “The Congo is a special country. Artists are politicians… [Accompagner Emmanuel Macron] wasn’t the best of things. I didn’t feel it”he said, stressing that he feared the reproaches of his compatriots.
A few days before the arrival of the French leader in Central Africa, several dozen people demonstrated in front of the French embassy in Kinshasa to oppose the arrival of the man they accuse of supporting Rwanda at the expense of their country in the conflict that is tearing the eastern provinces of the Democratic Republic of Congo apart.
Tribute to Congolese music
But Gims’ statements at the Chairman’s microphone surprised the organizers of the cultural part of the presidential trip, which was supposed to bring together local and diaspora artists for a concert in tribute to Congolese music.. According to several sources contacted by The worldthe absence of the former leader of Sexion d’Assault in Kinshasa would have more material than political reasons.
“A few days before Emmanuel Macron’s departure, we were still in talks with Gims because he had specific requests, recounts, on condition of anonymity, a good connoisseur of African music. He said he was in Saudi Arabia at the time, with a busy schedule, and felt he would have difficulty getting to Kinshasa unless a private plane was made available to him. » A request that was accompanied by another condition: Basically, his team said that if Gims were to take the microphone, his fee would amount to 100,000 euros. »
The Elysée confirmed this version. “Fally Ipupa and all the others [artistes] have never asked for a penny or any financial compensation for this concert. Gims was the only one to set financial conditions and ask for special treatment. It was not done because of the nature of the treatment he was asking for and which was not compatible with our criteria,” said, without going into details, a close friend of Emmanuel Macron.
Busy schedule
Contacted, Gims employees do not deny but qualify. A member of his team specifies that it is the Elysée which contacted them to inquire regarding the modalities of a possible performance of the singer in Kinshasa. “He already had a well-defined program. He was supposed to be in Dubai on March 3 and in Qatar from March 5-7, where a concert with Carla Bruni was originally scheduled. March 4 was his only free day,” he explains. In view of this busy schedule, to ensure his trip to Kinshasa and allow him to honor his other appointments, Gims had to travel by private jet.
“If it was possible for him to fly commercially, he would have done it. They are the ones [l’Elysée] also who asked for the amount of the Gims fee for a normal concert. This is how the team gave them an amount. They never spoke regarding it with Gims directly. » The collaborator of the rapper underlines that the latter was skeptical from the start and that he never confirmed his presence at this event. “When the team spoke to him regarding negotiations with the Elysée, Gims did not comment directly. He wanted to be clear regarding the real reasons for this visit, then he declined the invitation. It’s that simple “, he adds.
On the evening of April 13, Gims released a song titled Hernan Cortes, whose cover alludes to the buzz regarding electric pyramids. Without explaining or justifying his assertions, he responds to the controversy with sentences such as: “The truth: everyone has their own speech” or « I say nothing more, you like too much to take words out of their context”. The piece ends with voices of journalists who criticize it.
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