{"id":66492,"date":"2014-11-19T11:20:17","date_gmt":"2014-11-19T11:20:17","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/4cd.e16.myftpupload.com\/?p=66492"},"modified":"2014-11-19T11:22:38","modified_gmt":"2014-11-19T11:22:38","slug":"fuse-odg-explains-turn-band-aid","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/citifmonline.com\/2014\/11\/fuse-odg-explains-turn-band-aid\/","title":{"rendered":"Fuse ODG explains why he had to turn down Band Aid"},"content":{"rendered":"
Fuse ODG turned down a call by Bob Geldof to feature on the\u00a0new version of the Band Aid single\u00a0Do They Know It\u2019s Christmas?<\/a>. The single which has sold more than\u00a0200,000 copies, has become\u00a0the fastest-selling single of 2014.<\/p>\n The project seeks to raise funds to support the fight against the deadly Ebola Disease but has generated its fair share of controversy after some musicians turned down the call to feature on the project.<\/p>\n [contextly_sidebar id=”EDgpArLXgkdMoBs3dTMpadhqJPYhmTnU”]One musician who was expected to be a part of the project from the onset was Fuse ODG but he opted out\u00a0after reading the lyrics of the song.<\/p>\n According to him, “the message of the Band Aid 30 song absolutely did not reflect what Africa is truly about and I started to question whether this was something I wanted to be a part of.”<\/p>\n In an article published by the Guardian<\/strong>, Fuse says he is “not disputing Band Aid\u2019s good intentions. But the shock-factor strategy they have used since the 1980s has sparked a whole wave of \u201cgood cause\u201d organisations that have been irresponsible with regard to the images shown to the rest of the world. It\u2019s been totally one-sided. That\u2019s understandable in part, as they wouldn\u2019t raise much money if they showed the affluence, wealth, and happy lifestyles that exist in the continent. But in the process of doing all this \u201cgood work\u201d a huge imbalance has been created.”<\/p>\n Read the full article below:<\/strong><\/p>\n Saying no to Bob Geldof<\/a> is one of the hardest decisions I have had to make this year. However, seeing what looked like the corpse of an African woman being carried out of her home on primetime TV when the\u00a0video was premiered on X Factor<\/a> crystallised my concerns about this strategy to combat the Ebola crisis. For me it is ultimately flawed.<\/p>\n A week before the recording of Band Aid 30, I received a call from Geldof asking if I would take part. I was honoured to be asked and, connecting with his passion for wanting to tackle the Ebola crisis, said I wanted to offer my support.<\/p>\n\n