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Culture

Watch: Welsh rappers take aim at institutionalised racism in Wales

By David Owens
Sage Todz and Mace The Great perform 'Welcome To Wales' (Credit: Mace The Great / Sage Todz)

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.

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9 comments

George Thomas

Love Wales, hate racism. I thought this was thought provoking, challenging but hopeful for better future.

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Cathy Jones

Cymru is one of the few places on this archipelago where there is hope for a better future...

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Cathy Jones

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.

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Dai Rob

Great stuff Todz.....a oedd e'n yn gret i siarad i ti, yn Tafwyl, ar y pwenwythnos!!

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Gafyn

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.

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Rod Argent

can't say I'm into that track but I gave it a listen and hear he 'respects the [language] policy'. He's alright.

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Pascal Lafargue

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, with no voices, you will see them as a concept, a shadow, as depersonalized. Bring them to the light and such 'serious mistakes' will not happen. Can we imagine Jimmy Hendrix being mistaken with Martin Luther King or Nelson Mandela with Louis Armstrong...? Now, I would like to praise Sage Todz and Mace The Great for the way they are responding to this sensitive situation. It is not easy, and they show intelligence in the way they handle it. They certainly contribute to change Wales for the better.

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Nia James

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.

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Arthur Owen

Probably guilty as charged.

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