“Those Who Compare Artists Don’t Understand Art” Makanyaga Abdul Responds to Music Comparisons
As debates comparing musicians continue to circulate in the media and across social platforms, Rwandan music legend Makanyaga Abdul has offered a sharp response, emphasizing that many of those making such comparisons simply don’t understand what art truly means.
According to Makanyaga, art is not a competition or ranking where one artist is deemed “better” than another; rather, it is a unique gift from God bestowed upon each individual in their own way.
Speaking to local media, Makanyaga stated: “Not everyone is an artist. Those who talk like that are not artists. They don’t understand what art is. When you tell me that I’m better than someone else, what exactly do you mean? God created people differently. There are those who are better than me, and there are those I’m better than but we are all human.”
In recent years particularly with the rise of social media discussions comparing artists have become common, appearing on YouTube talk shows, radio programs, and fan pages.
In the music industry, such conversations often fuel unnecessary divisions and rivalries among fans, with some taking sides and sparking conflicts that add no value to the art itself.
With over 50 years in music, Makanyaga believes this behavior stems from a lack of understanding of what music truly represents. “Songs are meant to be listened to,” he explained. “Music theory teaches that songs are built on seven notes and some people even multiply those seven. We won’t all enjoy the same songs equally. Just as we’re different as human beings, so are our tastes in music.”
Makanyaga likens art to life itself each person has their own way of expressing emotion and creativity. For that reason, he says, it’s misguided to compare one person’s talent to another’s. “Those who speak like that are often motivated by fandom,” he continued. “No one is greater than another. You might dislike a song, yet someone else loves it. It’s fine to praise a song, but don’t despise the one who sang it because that artist sang the same seven notes, multiplied by passion.”
With his characteristic humility and wisdom, Makanyaga reminded the public that music mirrors the diversity of human life, and that every artist adds something valuable to the industry.
A pioneer of Rwandan music since the 1970s, Makanyaga Abdul is celebrated for timeless classics such as Urukundo, Hashize Iminsi, Ibitekerezo, and Indwara y’Umuntima. For him, the true essence of music lies in its message and meaning not in comparing artists, but in appreciating the beauty of artistic expression.
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