Everything crash: recession, Obama and George Bush

Four topical reggae/dancehall tunes on the global economic and political situation.

MP3: Al Moodie - Everything Crash

Get the Flash Player to listen to this

The contrast between the joyful ska rhythm track and Al Moodie's pessimistic economic forecasts is almost unsettling. Similarly, the video juxtaposes synchonised line dancing with images of a family losing their home:

Perhaps this nicely sums up the tensions between the positivity surrounding Obama's victory ("Yes we can!") and the progressively worsening state of the global economy...

Beginning with chants of "Obama! Obama!" and ending with an echoing, dubbed out "Yes we can" from the man himself, Beniton The Menace's Recession explicitly references the political situation but concentrates more on the personal and practical consequences of an economic downturn:

MP3: Beniton The Menace - Recession

Get the Flash Player to listen to this

It's a recession but I'm still gonna party
Tell these bill collectors please don't call me
Cos it seems like they want me go the jail route
Finally we have a black man inna di White House

It's a recession yes I'm gonna have fun
And try my best not to pick up the gun
The people dem say dem want a better income
More funds, more funds

Dem can't stop the yout dem weh a hustle pon the street
Can't stop the yout dem cah dem need food fi eat
Can't trust nine to five cos the government a tief

Mavado, Cocoa Tea and Capleton expressed their support for Obama. Sizzla has offered his congratulations to the president-elect. Now Beenie Man chips in with the imaginatively-titled Obama, a song of upliftment:

MP3: Beenie Man - Obama

Get the Flash Player to listen to this

No more ghetto youth fi a wipe no car window
Every youth fi try turn president like obama
Every ghetto youth fi wise up
Every youth fi rise up
Open unno eyes up

Lee Scratch Perry, as ever, has his own esoteric take on the whole thing, focusing on the lame duck president George Bush and former prime minister Tony Blair.

MP3: Lee Scratch Perry - Chase The Devil (Special)

Get the Flash Player to listen to this

This dubplate special recorded for reggae sound Sideways Outernational also has Perry ranting inexplicably about the British royal family, which despite his rather lacklustre delivery is nonetheless pretty entertaining.

Stupid George Bush - your days are numbered in office
George Bush - you are the devil
Tony Blair - you are satan

Queen Elizabeth - you are a old whore
Prince Philip - you're the Nazi
Prince Charles - you can see you killed Diana...you couldn't stand Diana power

George Bush - you're a Freemason
Tony Blair - you're a Freemason

Posted by Gabriel | Wednesday 19 November 2008