Watch: Welsh rappers take aim at institutionalised racism in Wales
David Owens
Welsh rappers Mace The Great and Sage Todz have teamed up to release ‘Welcome To Wales’ – a track that addresses the issue of racism in Wales – and more particularly the prejudice the performers have faced.
The blistering collaboration was born out of the frustrations the pair felt after S4C was forced to apologise for what they described as a ‘serious mistake’ when instead of a picture of Sage Todz, a photo of Welsh rapper Mace The Great was used on the Prynhawn Da programme.
When the incorrect artist’s picture was shown on the screen the presenters referred to him as Sage Todz.
In a tweet on social media after being made aware of the error, Sage Todz posted: “We have to do better than this” and that “I was in the studio last week” after he recently appeared on Heno’s sofa as a guest.
The collaboration between the rappers also includes a reference to the debate that was opened up when Sage Todz hit the headlines after he revealed he was pulling out of his appearance at the National Eisteddfod due to its Welsh language policy – and the racist comments he was subjected to on social media that followed.
Mace The Great invited Sage Todz to collaborate on the track, while the official music video sees the pair performing ‘Welcome To Wales’ outside the BBC Wales building in Central Square in Cardiff.
The track also sees the duo turning their sights on music promoters and organisations in Wales – and the hypocrisy of two artists who have played on some of the biggest stages still being treated with double standards.
Support our Nation today
For the price of a cup of coffee a month you can help us create an independent, not-for-profit, national news service for the people of Wales, by the people of Wales.
Love Wales, hate racism. I thought this was thought provoking, challenging but hopeful for better future.
Cymru is one of the few places on this archipelago where there is hope for a better future…
YES!…. Love this.
Love Cymru and despise racism. Racism is an invention by the rich to stop those they ponce off coming together and giving them the boots. It’s a Saesneg import and we don’t need it in our beautiful country.
Great stuff Todz…..a oedd e’n yn gret i siarad i ti, yn Tafwyl, ar y pwenwythnos!!
I thought Sage Todz was very measured in his response to the Eisteddfod language policy and saw it as it is, a language issue and not a race issue.
As usual the myriad hoard were on hand to turn it into a race issue. I genuinely feel sorry that he became a lightening rod for racist abuse because of this.
can’t say I’m into that track but I gave it a listen and hear he ‘respects the [language] policy’. He’s alright.
The ‘serious mistake’ which has occurred on S4C last month reminds me of what we used to hear in the 80/90’s: “all black people look alike”. I really don’t think that the ones responsible for the ‘serious mistake’ were racists, but despite them they were influenced by this old racist tradition which dictated that all black people are alike. And we can trust the ones who told that, that they really thought it. In fact, if you don’t see black individuals on TV, in politics, on the highest ranks of businesses, etc. but always as a crowd, in the background,… Read more »
Brilliant duet. It is great to hear insightful political music in this day and age of soft, radio-orientated pop. More of this is what our country needs to foster debate on a range of topics.
Probably guilty as charged.