Doloquee
In the voice of popular English writer – Alen More: “People shouldn’t be afraid of their government. Governments should be afraid of their people.” This quotation is the opposite of leadership in Liberia and most parts of the world.
Background
Soul Fresh, one of Liberia’s best and most consistent hipco duo, team up with Casimoney, Liberia’s sensational Belleh musician, to produce a song that sends a strong message to our leaders about injustice and other social vices.
Stone Luckshine produced “Pain” in 2017 before the presidential and general elections that brought into power Africa’s only Ballon D’or winner – George Manneh Weah.
When the music was out to the public, it sent a powerful message about situations that were then hampering and confronting the citizens’ livelihood. Soul Fresh and Casimoney made the music to reflect the “pain” of the Liberian people to national leaders and brainwash their fellow citizens on how to vote new leaders into power.
Almost five years since the song was produced, the wordings in the music still resonant with the present-day realities in Liberia and the world at large. “Societal ills’ writers” consider “pain” as one of the best-collaborated songs from Liberian artists.
The Message
The music started with a voice recording of people talking from diverse backgrounds. In the recording:
- An uneducated guy complained of city police seizing their business, thereby obstructing their hustle.
- A “fresh graduate” is being asked for 10 years’ experience.
- Government apparent refusal of paying “AFL widows” benefits.
- Complain of the poor education system, bad roads, and poor health facilities.
- The recorded voices were in complete loss of hope.
Who to trust? In fact, who are we giving these complaints to? Will they listen to us while they’re in power? It’s only elections time these people know our important; When we talk after election, they call us noisy minority.
Excerp from the recording
JB De General
JB De General enters the track with a famous quote from Marc Anthony. “The evil that men do lives after them, but the good is often interred with their bones. So, let it be with Caesar.”
The rapper started by acknowledging the fact in the voice recording of the people. He said his people don’t even need to complain because he knows what happened already by looking into their eyes.
JB, who has been acquainted with speaking realities in his songs, even went further by having compassion on the citizens for the loss of their loved ones during the nation’s 14 years of civil conflict.
The famous rapper got me emotional when he talked about a family head sitting home without a job – this is a harsh truth of parents these days. JB also said Ellen’s government failed with their “poverty reduction strategy:” and their purported “Vision 2030”.
JB ended his lines by saying that he wouldn’t be like others when he became a millionaire. Instead of joining politics, he would build houses and give loans to the poor people to pay taxes.
Shinning Man, The Sergeant
Shinning Man, The Sergeant – After Cassimoney’s emotional chorus, Shinning Man came through very touching with his lines. The sergeant first explained the pain of being a human who can’t see or walk while hated because of your disabilities.
Shinning Man sadly notified that there isn’t any facility for people living with disabilities in various communities.
The big rapper blasted the government for misapplying its priorities. He said rather than national leaders focusing on providing jobs and hope for the jobless & hopeless; they are manipulating the system – making things worse that the ordinary man can’t afford food to eat.
The popular musician noted that the ruling establishment doesn’t practice what they preached in opposition – thus leaving the poor without peace and justice.
You have to engage yourself with some devilish act in other to be with the country’s elite – by selling your soul to the devil, said the star.
Shinning Man concluded by offering prayers for the upliftment of his people.
u know, when I see my country blessed with all the natural resources, and yet them still I see my people living in abject poverty then I questioned myself, where have we gone wronged? I just wish I had the power to share the national cake, so everybody can have a taste.
JB of Soul Fresh
PS: Sorry we couldn’t fully explain Cassimoney’s unique chorus because we didn’t find an interpreter for his dialect.
