Is Babes Wodumo’s single ‘Mercedes’ a drug or her dream car? Many comments have blasted the internet, apparently allegations have been poured that the song refers to the killer drug from KZN (KwaZulu Natal) that has consumed many school kids’ lives. There is so much confusion and uncertainty surrounding this issue and it raises many eyebrows. The song has been rejected in a number of local radio stations after the revelation that it might be about the street drug.
Joining the Mercedes mania, SABC is said to have banned the song from playing.
The confusing bit is that recently a statement was released denying they banned the song.
“The term banning was used during Apartheid and the SABC has not banned any song since 1994,” – Kaizer Kganyago (timeslive.co.za)
Isn’t this suspicious? Regardless of whether the opinions of the powers that be have changed or they are just trying to save face social media was packed with claims that the South African broadcaster has double standards. Amongst the questions raised was why Babes Wodumo’s song was the only one suffering this Socially Responsible wrath. How is it strange that the SABC has played songs like ‘Roll up’ by Emtee which clearly talks about weed and even the famous ‘Puff N Pass’ by the late Brown Dash in the past.
On the other had confusion is the standard state of things in camp Babes Wodumo. There is so much confusion clouding the single that now it is hard to follow the story. There is a lot of back and forth from the Music label, Babes Wodumo and SABC. Babes Wodumo and her record label refuse claims of the song being an ode to the drug yet according to the copyright claim on YouTube the song acknowledges the song is about the drug.
Posted a month ago it read:
“NOTE: “Mercedes” is not a car as many would think but is famous drug that youth from KwaZulu-Natal especially from Durban use to dance and stay hyper through the night when they are partying. The killer drug comes as a white tablet the size of a Panado. Nearly 100 people, many of them schoolchildren, have been hospitalized when their organs failed after they consumed the drug (Sunday Times Newspaper). It goes by names such as “Mercedes”, “data”, “umgwinyo” and “mitsubishi”, and sells for R30.”
To make matters worse Babes Wodumo released a statement apologizing for the song and pledged to start an anti-drug campaign. Isn’t this an acceptance of guilt? C’mon, the majority of us never apologize for what we haven’t done! Starting a foundation, isn’t this a little drastic?
(Don’t get us wrong we want a clean generation of young Africans too but seriously?)
Is Babes Wodumo admitting that the song is about a drug because it is or because she just wants to make nice with the biggest media company in South Africa?
The question still remains, is the song ‘Mercedes’ about a drug or does it promote drug abuse? Here are some statistics from South African Radio Station Metro FM.
Listen to Mercedes
