Papa I-ston releases song in celebration of Obama

Omesha Spence 30.JAN.09

The election of Barack Obama as President of the United States has impacted many regions around the world, and in this small island Reggae artiste Papa I-Ston has recorded a song to celebrate the historic occasion.{{more}}

“Obama 1”, a song written by the Reggae artiste, expresses the struggles of Martin Luther King, Nelson Mandela and Malcolm X, in the fight for black people, and how Obama has emerged as the ‘man of the day.’

Like many others, I-Ston said he got his inspirtion from watching Obama during the Presidential race. “I saw this man from a distance doing his politics, and what I heard coming out of him inspired me,” I-Ston, who once lived in Chicago where Obama lived, remembers the man before his elevation, and the hope gave to for all. “I had the feeling that one day he would be the man of the day in America,” I-Ston said.

With lyrics like “They never vote Jesse Jackson, all black folks learn a lesson,” and “…they never vote Malcolm X, they say he is a gangster to the test”, I-Ston recounts the hardships black men faced in fighting for the rights of black people.

The Reggae artiste is, however, confident that Obama, who he says reminds him of Nelson Mandela, will change all that. “I am looking forward to the great man being in office and seeing the United States becomes a peaceful country,” he said.

The Music video for “Obama 1” is currently on YouTube.com and has already received five-star rating twice. The video, which was produced by K45, was shot in St. Vincent and features a mixture of Caribbean and African images.

I-Ston also expressed how he thinks Obama has influenced the Caribbean: “Obama has had a great impact on Caribbean people,” I-Ston said. “Caribbean people, who as Africans knew and felt the struggle of where we came from and where we are today.

I-Ston is urging persons to view the video on YouTube.com under the name “Papa I-Ston Obama 1.”