MONROVIA — Life isn’t just the awakening of a soul in a characterized body, whether that of a human or an animal. As much as we appreciate life with every heartbeat, we aim to measure it by the breadth of experiences we have. What we do with what life hands us becomes the essence of who we are.
A conversation with popular Liberian hitmaker Boifatty goes beyond his signature sound, rooted in merriment: clubbing, sex, and fast life. For once in his career, he has a more conscious message as a musician. On the sixteenth of July, Boifatty, like a thief in the night, surprised his fans who had written him off. He dropped a heartfelt tune that would redeem his career, delivering what would become the biggest collaboration of 2024 with Mr. Church.
The chemistry between Boifatty and Mr. Church is palpable. Their voices flow together over an Afro dancehall beat, reflecting deep self-awareness. Boifatty’s lyrics reveal a man who felt like he was buried alive during his darkest moments. He realized that he wasn’t being buried by his difficulties but was being planted by God to grow beautifully through the toughest situations. What seemed like death was actually a rebirth.
“I was addicted to being a hit artist. There was a time when every club in Liberia played my songs back-to-back. Literally, everyone knew me! Even a day-old child knew the lyrics of my songs. I was on every show promoter or event planner’s list. Then, all of a sudden, everything stopped! I couldn’t comprehend if I just got hit by a bus out of the fast lane of fame back to square one. I felt like a fallen angel knocked out of heaven. From being everyone’s favorite to a ghost no one remembered or cared about. The struggle was very similar or even worse than when I was still an underground artist. Saying goodbye to my superstar lifestyle was hard, but then I got hit by a harder reality: I lost my dad.”
As Boifatty spoke about his father, it was clear that if he could bring back any soul from the dead, it would be his father. He continued, his words inscribed on the walls of grief and echoes of joy lighting up his voice at certain points: “I almost ran mad trying to revive my music career. I didn’t know the way forward, so I became a drunk. Every day brought a hopeless feeling, and my nights were spent at the club slamming every bottle of alcohol I could find down my throat. The club became more comfortable than my bed, and my home was nothing but a prison of loneliness, which almost led me to commit suicide.”
Curious about his escape from torment, I asked him, “What was your turning point?” I expected a superhero narrative, but Boifatty refused to be the hero. He claimed he didn’t have enough faith in God or himself to perform any miracle, but God had faith in him and stood by him like a father should. God’s love inspired his most recent song, “To You I Pray,” which fans and critics consider his best song so far.
The superstar explained that when he got a new team, BluBlod Media, and decided to get back into the studio, he resolved to tell the story of his bitter struggle with depression and his redemption. It was important to ask Boifatty why he featured Mr. Church, especially since many musicians dissed him in his viral hit “Rest in Pieces.” Boifatty chose collaboration over conflict. This gentle act of maturity led to the biggest song of his career. Boifatty said, “I have known Mr. Church since our childhood days in Yekepa, Nimba County. The beef was nothing personal to me; I saw it as a brother shining his light into the dark tunnel I found myself in, so I could crawl out into higher consciousness and sanity. I was never angry with Church.”
There’s an adage that says, “A calm sea doesn’t make a skilled sailor.” Boifatty ended his interview with gratitude to God and appreciation for the storm he encountered because, without it, he wouldn’t be here celebrating a huge comeback in the music industry.
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