Yesterday I heard someone use the word Gbeco. I guess this LIB classic would fall into that category. K-Zee, Pepsi, and Skinny kill it with the Kountry Chicken track!
“Dumyarea” means “that’s my area” in Liberian English. It is a common phrase in the market where sellers yell it out to stake their place. Today, it is the most heard phrase on the streets of Monrovia, and the name of the song most played throughout the country. And when I say most played, I mean there is no escaping, any time of day.
Liberian singer, Junior Freeman has taken the country the storm this election season. So much so that the president used his hook in the launch of her re-election campaign. He performs a style called Gbema which is what happens when music from Liberia’s ethnically diverse interior meets computer-based music production software.
Beyond the infectious rhythm, the genius of the song is in the simple yet socially relevant lyrics, that speak to all walks of life. “Everybody got they’re own area… some people area is to be Senator… some people area is to go up and down the street.” It’s the kind of populist anthem that everyone can get down to, and whenever it comes on, people do. This unity through music and culture is really a sight to behold in a fairly divided society.
The first globally available commercial release of contemporary Liberian music album is now available for purchase and digital download.