The Cuban reggaeton artist Chocolate MC delivered a powerful message to the Italian businessman and producer Roberto Ferrante, owner of the record label Planet Record, accusing him of manipulating musical trends on YouTube and deceiving the new generation of artists from the Cuban music scene.
In a video posted to the stories of his Instagram account, Chocolate MC directly called out Ferrante, claiming that the view counts on the YouTube songs of the label's artists are not genuine.
“Ferrante continues to try to play with the mindset of the new generation in my country, the reposters. You and I both know that trends can be bought. If not, look at what just happened to El Alfa, who had to pay a million dollars to YouTube for so much advertising and ended up with more numbers than he was getting before,” the singer expressed.
Chocolate MC criticized the fact that the songs promoted by Planet Record reach unbelievable numbers, comparing the phenomenon to that of internationally renowned artists
“It’s impossible for Offset, Cardi B’s ex-husband, to release a song and for you to get more views in a day than that guy, who is a super star. Obviously, you’re trending because you’re inflating the views beyond reality, just like they did with El Alfa. You’re fooling yourself.”
The singer also hinted that Ferrante and Planet Record were colluding with the Cuban government, whom he accused of influencing the careers of local artists to manipulate their popularity
“You are a freeloader. You came to the community to sabotage it. You are a tool of the revolution. The Cuban government and you are manipulating the careers of Cuban delivery workers, making them seem larger than they really are.”
Chocolate reported that fake views and advertising campaigns are misleading the audience in Cuba, a country where, according to him, the population lacks a true "culture of numbers" to interpret the authenticity of the figures.
“No one is foolish here. A song is released on the same day and gets more views than Offset. Those views are not real; they're making people in Cuba believe things that aren't true,” he asserted.
The self-proclaimed King of Reparto concluded his message by lamenting the times when music would organically catch on without the need to “buy numbers”. He stated that no song from Planet Record achieves success naturally, accusing Ferrante of inflating the statistics with paid campaigns:
“Ferrante, you dedicate money to that, to the campaigns, and you have people confused. Here you won't fool anyone. You're buying views that are the ones that put you in the spotlight.”
Chocolate MC's controversial statement has sparked mixed reactions on social media, where many fans of the cast debate the legitimacy of the success of the artists associated with Planet Record. Meanwhile, Roberto Ferrante has not released any statements in response to these accusations.
Frequently Asked Questions about Chocolate MC, Roberto Ferrante, and Cuban Urban Music
Why does Chocolate MC accuse Roberto Ferrante of manipulating musical trends?
Chocolate MC accuses Roberto Ferrante of inflating the play counts on the songs of the artists under the record label Planet Record. According to Chocolate, these figures are not real and are used to manipulate the perception of success of Cuban rappers, which may also be linked to interests of the Cuban government.
What is the relationship between Roberto Ferrante and the Cuban government according to Chocolate MC?
Chocolate MC suggests that Roberto Ferrante and his record label Planet Record act as instruments of the Cuban government to manipulate the popularity of local artists. According to him, this is done to project an inflated image of success that does not correspond with reality.
What impact does the use of inflated figures have on the perception of Cuban artists?
The use of inflated figures on platforms like YouTube can confuse the audience, especially in countries like Cuba, where Chocolate MC argues that the population lacks a number culture needed to interpret the authenticity of the figures. This can lead to a misperception of the true success of the artists.
How has the Cuban urban music community reacted to the accusations against Chocolate MC?
The accusations by Chocolate MC have generated mixed reactions and controversy on social media. Some fans of the cast debate the legitimacy of the success of the artists associated with Planet Record, while others believe it is a marketing strategy by the reggaeton artist to remain relevant.
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