MONROVIA — I enjoy writing in the dark. Words pop out of the void like stars, and as you stare deeper, you see more than letters. It’s like an astrologer being guided by the mystery of celestial diamonds (stars). These letters start to create the story they want to tell. As I followed the formation of these letters into words that finally made sense, the crystallization solidified the powerful genius and character of “King Jafar.” I smiled, realizing that my story would be about the most underrated Liberian music executive ever. I softly uttered to myself, “beautiful things are indeed birthed from the dark.” This statement reflects both my process of finding inspiration to write and the reality of the story I’m telling.
By Edwin Elic-Jaleiba, Lifestyle & Entertainment Editor
Liberia is a very poor nation; investing in music or entertainment seems like a pipe dream if you’re trying to become financially stable. Yet, through the darkness and void, much like his Creator, King Jafar said, “let there be light!” And there was light through his record label, SOG.
Do you think I’m saying that King Jafar is solely responsible for the urbanization of music in Liberia? Or does it sound more appealing to say he is one of the powerful minds that transformed the industry? If we had other managers on King Jafar’s level, why don’t they have a better record than him? Let’s break it down.
Damage control is essential in human behavioral management, and in music, it is the heartbeat. In Liberia, many managers are careless when handling setbacks. In entertainment, the more stumbling blocks you encounter, the higher your tendency to become the greatest of all time—or one of the greats. Talent managers in this country still see controversial stories as bad public relations, whereas, in reality, there’s no such thing as negative news as long as the artist’s name and face aren’t snubbed.
Can we remember March 3rd, 2017? No lover of Liberian music would ever forget this day! We lost the legendary musician Quincy B in a ghastly car accident that also involved CIC, who was signed to King Jafar’s label back then. This incident gave birth to controversial blogging in Liberia. Despite CIC almost losing his leg due to the life-threatening injury, he was also masked as the villain. Prophecies about how he killed Quincy B to replace him as the Lonestar MTN Brand Ambassador flooded the media. The question is, how did King Jafar transform his artist from the most hated celebrity to the most loved?
CIC battled with trauma, depression, and self-doubt. King Jafar’s emotional therapy skills should be studied, as CIC could not have overcome all that negativity without his manager’s understanding of psychological healing.
King Jafar didn’t fight bloggers or stop fans and critics from voicing their opinions. Instead, he supported freedom of speech. Despite heavy criticism, CIC’s music career thrived, making him the most relevant celebrity. When people talk about you, it’s obvious you’re not a nobody—you have substance and value. When you’re valuable, people pay for your services or presence, making it easier for King Jafar to sell his artist’s music and fill event centers. Yes, we miss Quincy B, but King Jafar ensured QB’s legacy lived on. Music in Liberia reached where it could have been if QB were still alive, thanks to God and CIC.
How many of QB’s friends are as focused on music as when he was alive? Yet, CIC, who wasn’t even that close to QB, has made a significant impact under his manager’s guidance, achieving legendary status. Whether you like it or not, CIC is a legend. Is CIC King Jafar’s greatest achievement?
It’s a shame that Jaredo is a shadow of the light King Jafar created him to be. But we all remember when Jaredo was Jaredo, during his time under King Jafar’s firm and productive management. Some say Jaredo’s career ended because of SOG. I disagree. His PR team didn’t help matters, especially before his exit from the label with that false feature announcement of Wizkid on the “Prince of Africa” album that we’ve been waiting ages for. Kizzy W, another rare gem introduced by the King, could have achieved more at the label if he had been calmer and less egoistic. LDrez, an unrivaled artist in Liberia, couldn’t thrive at the label. This wasn’t King Jafar’s fault. LDrez didn’t understand his role in marketing and PR, making his brand lukewarm and tasteless, though his music is world-class.
Now that King Jafar is back with the label, is he doing as he should with new artist Will Flash? Will Flash is very talented, but is talent enough? Absolutely not. He seems like another LDrez—an artist who doesn’t know how to market and brand his art properly. His music is good, and with King Jafar’s mind-blowing A&R skills, it will get better. The concern is how fast this newcomer can adapt to King Jafar’s wisdom because this is the music business, not child’s play. King Jafar’s return is a saving grace for the industry. It would be a lie to say his powerful comeback is as good as beating a dead horse.
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