Human trafficking continues to plague nations of the world and is a serious problem that governments around the world are actively fighting. With this in mind, VP Records has partnered with Jamaica’s National Task Force Against Trafficking in Persons (NATFATIP) to raise awareness about the issue.
The campaign has a reggae medley called “Shadows After Dark,” which pleads with people to be aware of those around them and who they should trust. It was produced by legendary Reggae veteran Alborosie and has many well-known Dancehall names attached to the project. They include Kabaka Pyramid, Morgan Heritage, Etana, Tarrus Riley, Christopher Martin, Romain Virgo, and others.
Jamaica’s Minister of National Security, Dr. Horace Chang, explained the serious nature of the offense. In a statement, he said that the problem is a growing one and added that it compounds their efforts to deal with the illegal drugs and firearms trades. He said he believes that human trafficking, sadly, has been increasing because “criminal organizations are losing money, and they will look to other areas; and clearly, one of those areas is human trafficking.”
The director of business affairs for VP Records, Richard Lue added that he believed that music could make a difference in the fight against trafficking. He added, “music is one of the best ways to communicate. We felt it important to work with NATFATIP to make sure as many people are aware of human trafficking and the perils it brings”.
The song’s chorus, “Trust no shadows after dark,” aptly describes the precautions that Jamaicans have to take to start tackling this global problem. The video, which is on YouTube, premiered on TVJ yesterday, November 24, during the national news broadcast. It will also become available on all digital platforms on Friday, November 27.
An international poster competition will also be launched on December 1 to raise awareness against human trafficking and will end next May.
