Tuesday 21 January 2014

Nigerian Rapper, Lyrikal Behind Bars


Talks about prison life, freedom, oppression, success and religion


Lyrikal (real name, Jesse James), has released some photos of himself behind prison bars. The concept driven photos are part of the rapper's personal campaign to communicate the challenges of the average young person living in Nigeria today.
According to Lyrikal; "Hip Hop is a form of self-expression that tries to challenge or merely evoke the mood of the circumstances of an environment. The bars are a metaphorical play on the musical jargon; where they represent a point in a verse which contains the punchline for a rap - this is why we used sixteen photos. But most importantly, the bars represent the physical oppression, mental captivity and creative limitations facing the Nigerian youth today"
 
Lyrikal borrows quotes from William Glasser, Musiq Soulchild and Nelson Mandela in the expression of his call to freedom.
 
 I am a victim of my time;  A product of my age, There was no choosing my direction. I was a holy man but now, with all my trials behind me, I am weak in my conviction - Musiq Soulchild (Nothing At All)
The shadow lurking in the dark is your own. The unknown is the knowledge that you have refused to own.

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