Terence Miselo
Writes@SunZambia
They had been enjoying a huge following owing to their song ‘Oya Mpupu’ until few days ago when they became a centre of criticism after a controversial video about them went viral.
In the video, which is alleged to have been filmed some time back in 2017, the Dope Boys, rappers from Copperbelt, are seen riding in some vehicle with one of them boasting of how they have risen to fame. He is heard using vulgar language explaining how they have been enjoying life and women.
This video has been described by many who have seen it as disrespectful to women and to fans mostly young people that have considered the Dope Boys as role models and inspiration because of the use of the F word. Most of these fans had been sharing their displeasure on social media a thing that has prompted the crew’s management Ever moving Forward Media under Blackson Ezra Mwansa to issue a public apology and clear the air.
Mr Mwansa who started managing the boys just recently has explained that the video in question is regrettable and does not by any means represent what the Dope Boys and his firm believe in now because it was done in the past.
“Management has noted with disappointment the video circulating on social media platforms where our clients, ‘Dope Boys’ were in a compromising situation. We would like to highlight that this video has just circulated now and was taken in 2017 before Oya Mpumpu song was released,” stated Mwansa.
“The biggest reason we decided to work with the Dope Boys when they approached us is our realisation of that there was an urgent need of control for their publicity and because of they were being wrongly advised and influenced by peers.”
Mwansa revealed that the Dope Boys had have been victims of substance abuse of the drug called codeine which he suspects must have influenced them to do such videos they cannot do now as they are undergoing counselling and reformation.
“As Ever Moving Forward Enterprises, we are committed to fighting substance abuse which is rampant among young adults and we recently launched a campaign called ‘Codeine is Not Water’ which has been well received by the public. We hope the general public can accept our sincere apologies as we couldn’t control what the group(Dope Boys) did at the time they were ignorant of the dangers of substance abuse,” said Mwansa who has insisted that the group will make amends and conduct itself responsibly.
