Kesi Asher, Staff Reporter
( left - right )Shanika Anderson and Racquel Sellars. - CONTRIBUTED PHOTOS
YOUNG, BUDDING artiste Racquel 'Rakki' Sellars and manager/producer Claude Sinclair of Big Stone Productions, were deeply touched by the gruesome death of Shanika Anderson, and were moved to write Ghetto Lullaby.
Six-year-old Shanika Anderson was raped and murdered on May 1, 2005, a few weeks short of her seventh birthday. Her naked body was found along with her bloody clothes and a used condom in an open lot at Manley Meadows in Rae Town, a day after she disappeared from the Coronation Market in downtown Kingston.
"We were watching television one evening and heard the news. We felt compelled to do something about it. Nothing was happening in that the monster who did it was not found, so we went and did a video with Leo Big Daddy O'Reggio," Racquel said.
LOVE, PROTECTION
The video and song, in memory of young Shanika, appeal for love, protection and care to be extended to our children. Ghetto Lullaby calls on the nation to "save our children" and questions "how can a child offend you?" In the song, Racquel comforts victimised children with the phrase "hush little baby don't you cry, mama's gonna sing you a lullaby, a ghetto lullaby". She appeals to the parents by asking "it's ten o'clock, do you know where your children are ... are they in bed, are they asleep on the tar?"
The song raises the issue of the harsh conditions faced by some children, especially those from the ghetto. Murdered children, such as Shanika, are seen in Ghetto Lullaby as "fallen stars", but Racquel comforts the bereaved parents by singing "put our trust in the Almighty God".
WHERE IS YOUR CHILD?
"The song touches the issues of our children. 'It's 10 o'clock, do you know where your children are' comes from an American Public Service Announcement and we used it in the song to send a message to parents," Claude Sinclair said.
The song was released last week and the video has been shown on both TVJ and CVM.
Racquel's other songs are Are You Better Than Me, which was done with Lukie D, Jah Love is Divine, produced by Black Scorpio, Season to Season with Sony Records in Miami, Go on and Cry on the Ant-Boom label from Miami and Stay Far, Quite Like Me and Prayers, all produced by her manager Claude Sinclair on the Big Stone Label.
Big Stone Productions also launched and funded the Shanika Anderson Foundation on September 27. The foundation caters to victimised children who need help, and other children who need medical and other kinds of assistance. The foundation is aiming to start the 'Shanika Anderson Alert', which will immediately notify media and police of missing children, who now by law have to be gone for 24 hours before they are declared 'missing'. There will be benefit concerts to provide additional income for the fund.
"It is a honour to do a song that contributes to shedding light and promote children's safety. That was the focus of the song. It gets people thinking of ways to help with the violence campaign. It's just a push, a start that I hope will continue," said Racquel. She explained that Ruth Green, Shanika's mother, felt alone and helpless after the ordeal.
HARDLY COPING
Ruth Green told The Gleaner that she is hardly coping now, but it is not too bad as she receives comfort and support from her family. "Mi really feel positive 'bout this, 'cause a whole heepa interviews me do and nothing like this that really continue her memory. There was none to remind people that Shanika was just a likkle six year-old girl who was brutally murdered," Ms. Green said.
She also feels that the song will reach out to parents. "True parents on a whole will really see this as a good thing. This is like sending a message to parents who have small children and big children to say that they are not safe out there," said Ms. Green.
"Out of all this I hope that all children not only be the responsibility of the biological parents, but the responsibility of the whole nation," Racquel said.
Big Stone Production is giving a $100,000 reward for the arrest and conviction of the person or persons who raped and killed Shanika.
