Monrovia – Accountability Lab Liberia has awarded Hellen Smith, an emerging gospel musical artist, as the winner of this year Rap2Rep musical campaign – a special feature that places high emphasis on coronavirus awareness message.
Rap2Rep is a musical campaign program organized by the Accountability Lab Liberia that began 2015. It is a campaign that gives local artists an opportunity to use music as a tool for social change.
The campaign has built an accountability of Hipco (Liberian style of music) network that includes musician of social and conscious music, who are passionate about using their voices to advocate for the change they hope to see in Liberia.
Over the past five years, musicians in the Rap2Rep campaign have been able to use their powerful voices to address issues of corruption, civil engagement, voting rights and responsibilities, youths and women empowerment and national political leadership, electoral reform, and issues of social development and welfare.
But this year campaign styled Rep2Rep coronavirus music campaign, which is sponsored by the United States Embassy, places high emphasis on awareness against the novel Coronavirus and how to spread information to communities about preventing COVID-19.
Speaking at iCampus on Carey Street at weekend, Robert Tanookpuwah, the Educational and Cultural Affairs Assistant of the Public Affair Section at the US Embassy, lauded the creativity of Liberians artists – both established and emerging artists.
“You have done an impressive and a powerful work. So, on behalf of the US Mission, I would like to say thank you. Rising awareness effectively is a key principle for any public health mitigation strategy,” Tanookpuwah said.
Also speaking, the Country Director of Accountability Lab Liberia, Lawrence Yealue said he was happy that the competition has given the opportunity to young people to use their talents to transform the country and change social behavior.
“Accountability Lab is working with young people using their musical talents to preach consciousness and social change,” Yealue said, adding it was the first competition hosted online during the pandemic.
The online competition had 39 male entries and three female entries. Three judges – two in America and one in Liberia – voted unanimously for Hellen Smith as the first winner and Andrew Horton as the second winner.
“The musical industry is growing but Liberians need to stop buying piracy works. You are committing bad action against the artists. You are not helping the artists to grow,” Yealue stressed.
The first winner was given US$300 and the second winner was given US$200, while they were also rewarded with recording opportunities.
Miss Smith, the winner of this year Rap2Rep, said she was glad to be the winner of the competition. Smith told journalists after the event that she has produced many songs but because of lack finance, none of her music left the studio.
She said: “Actually, I wrote this song on the beach. It was very challenging. I sat down and became to put my mind to work. I started thinking that ‘we are writing about coronavirus, so what are those things like the cause, the effect and how we can prevent them’. I began to write down few things like washing your hands, using nose masks, avoiding social gathering, and base on these items, I began to write my music.”
