I’m not Seropositive!

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Reggae DJ “Daddy” Alain Murengerantwari is a bitter man. In his 10 by 5m room he recounts how rumors and misfortune have turned around his once flamboyant lifestyle of Reggae parties.

Born to a Burundi diplomat in New York, Alain spent his life traveling around the world with his family. A marketing management graduate from University of Burundi, there is little to show his flamboyant past. “Life can take you round” he says in a sad but defiant voice.

I came to Belgium in 1997 from Kampala, Uganda, hounded by political and economic hardships. Well, that’s Africa. Mismanagement, corruption and wars. But there is absolute hope and that’s why I am a reggae DJ. “That’s the music that gives hope to the world” It’s the only music I understand and many people under estimate the power of music. There is very clear message from Jamaican Reggae pioneers like Bob Marley and Peter Tosh. Love and hope.

Alain started his DJ career at Don Quichotte in Antwerp before he got fame and rubbed shoulders with other DJs on the international scene. He is however quick to reckon that there is too much confusion and racism in the Belgian Reggae scene. Everybody is egoistic he says. Reggae is a community music with unifying message but here in Belgium, it is very unfortunate there is too much division among Reggae lovers.

Reggae Clash
There is little respect among DJs. They spend so much “clashing” (terminology used when DJ’s insult and dare each other with music) that they even forget the patrons who pay to listen to their music. And they’re very vicious. Can you imagine? A Jamaican DJ would intentionally put a degrading song about Africa when I attend his party and so DJs spend a lot of time trying to find out how many DJs are at his party so that he can play insulting music. And they also spread rumors at parties and after

Seropositive
A DJ started rumors that I had aids. I was so much hurt that I went for a full medical test and as you can see, (document shown to our journalist) I have no aids. But psychologically, Alain shows clear signs of a devastated man. Yes, I am disturbed, he adds, how can someone live with such rumors? There was a time I didn’t dare to go to parties anymore, and after this rumor, another Kenyan girl was quick to claim that I had unsolicited intercourse with her and without protection, so she is seropositive because of me. Gosh, this came as a double catastrophe, so I stopped going out all together, breaking my contact with the outside world for a while.

Yes, I had sex with her and luckily I used the condom. But she’s the one who asked for it after we spent all night long at a pub. She just asked for it like that and now she claims that I rapped her. I am now out of this and that’s why I can openly talk about it, because I know there are many people out there who would not survive such nasty accusations.
We live in the world where education itself needs to be educated, he adds. People and especially role models, teachers, parents and all other leaders need to say the truth instead of indulging in unnecessary lies because lies will destroy this world.

DJ Daddy asked his old fans to listen to these songs.
Bard card (Bob Marley), I’am The Toughest (Peter Tosh), Born To Win (Jimmy Cliff), A man Is Just A Man (Garnett Silk), Together (Dennis Brown), Dread Prophesy (Leonard Dillon), Revelation Time (Ninjaman), Falling Angels (Israel Vibration), Gal Wine (Chaka Demus & Pliers) and Reggae Grammy (King Yellowman)

For all victims of HIV, DJ Daddy believes AIDS drug is on its way, Just hang on he says, soon, you’ll not have to live in nightmares. And for those who’re seropositive he says “Don’t take chances”.