Namibian artist Jericho released “As Men We Can” in his album The Recovery in December 2020. In the song, Jericho makes a call to his Namibian brothers to end violence against women and children. Through his lyrics, Jericho condemns the surge in violence and calls for men to join together and protect women. The artist sympathizes with women and children who have fallen victim to abuse when he sings in his chorus, “I cry, for all of the women, and all of the children.” This song was released shortly after anti-femicide protestors called for a state of emergency in Namibia in October. A series of protests were held in Namibia against sexual and gender based violence after multiple gruesome attacks were conducted on women and children. Jericho brings light to these issues through his lyrics and by relating to his male listeners. In his first verse, he criticizes the actions of men who target and abuse women who are weaker than them. As he does this, the artist advocates for an end in drug and alcohol abuse, which are contributors to male aggression. In the lyrics, “Violence is not an option to take you back, “he directly denounces domestic violence. According to The Conversation, Namibia has seen an increase in intimate partner violence due to poor coping mechanisms in men. Jericho calls for his listeners to stop using aggression and pushes for better means of communication. In the song’s second verse, Jericho brings awareness to the surge in domestic violence attacks against women again in his lyrics, “They say that pain is a hurtful thing, especially if it comes from someone close to you.” Jericho uses compassion to reach the hearts of his mainly male audience, and makes them look through the eyes of women. By advocating for unity and pushing for male support, Jericho is able to successfully bring awareness to this issue that plagues women in Africa.
Timestamp: 14:08 – 17:58
Melber, Henning. “#ShutItAllDown in Namibia – the Fight against Gender-Based Violence.” The Conversation, 29 Oct. 2020, theconversation.com/shutitalldown-in-namibia-the-fight-against-gender-based-violence-148809.