The dropping (release) of the controversial song “Photo” that has spread across the country like wild fire is creating serious division among Liberian artists both at home and abroad.Since the release of the song, several artists mainly DenG and D12, amongst others whose names were not mentioned, felt offended, on grounds that the lyrics in the song is an indirect talk at them for their association with the President of Liberia. They then came with a remix song to get back at those who released the first effort.
The original song lyric reads: “I posed for the photo, but I’m not seeing myself in the photo, people that were not in the photo, that them we’re seeing in the photo.”
But remix by D12, DenG and others, goes like this: “I didn’t pose for the photo, but I’m seeing myself shining in the photo.”
Long time Lib record artist Colorful, a self-proclaimed king of Hipco Jonathan Koffa a.k.a “Takun J” and long time comedian Pokopala just released their latest single of “Photo” that has been greeted with lots of mixed reactions from the entertainment industry, political sector and the public.
The song, which according to the artists, is not meant for politics, is also being greeted by some disenchanted members of the ruling Coalition for Democratic Change (CDC) who feel they have suffered with the party for over 12 years, but after its ascendency to power, they are left out.
It is based on these various shades of interpretations the song has become very popular. Liberians all around the world that heard the song had one or two posts on social media, either expressing their disenchantment or making fun of the lyrics.
While the song was still pending its release date, Liberian artist based in America D12, who released “Born to Win” received huge attention when President George Weah danced to the song during launch of his party campaign in the recent Montserrado County Senatorial and Representative by-elections at the CDC headquarters in Congo Town, Monrovia.
Right after the President danced to D12’s “Born to Win” and the video went vibe, the song automatically became street anthem, with organizations, political parties, clubs, and radio stations playing the song.
D12 was later invited to the Country to perform the President’s favorite song. But after his return to America, a leaked Ecobank check of US$30,000 from the National Port Authority (NPA) to D12 surfaced on social media.
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Again, it became a huge debate on social media, as other artists took to their social media pages, congratulation D12 because it was first of its kind that a Liberian artist will bag US$30,000 for performing a song. While others were politicizing it, Colorful and Takun J dropped their effort of ‘Photo.’
DenG who has been very silent for some time now since he was allegedly accused of rape by a Liberian female artist in America Sweetiz, joins force with D12 and some underground artists in America to produce the remix to Photo titled “Selfis.”
After releasing the remix, lot of gurus within the music industry took to their social media pages, condemning the action by D12, DenG and others who felt offended by the Photo song.
Others noted that those artists (D12, DenG and others) who remix the song of their colleague are unfair to Takun J and Colorful, and the music industry at large, pointing that the song or the lyrics did not in any way refer to anyone, not even politicians that are now playing the song more.
While the debate is ongoing, another group of artists have come in defend of Takun J and Colorful, using the same song to get back at D12, DenG and others for remixing and making mockery out of artists who went through a lot to put Liberian music on par with other countries.Read our next edition for reason behind the Photo song.
