‘So Much to Give Thanks For’ a sign for Ginjah’s next move
Singer wants to follow through with Arif Cooper’s wishes
Published:Friday | March 10, 2023 | 12:16 AMStephanie Lyew/Gleaner Writer
Just three days before his untimely passing, popular disc jockey and producer Arif Cooper released the first single from a collection of reggae productions planned for 2023. The track, titled So Much to Give Thanks For, features the voice of Ginjah.
According to the veteran reggae singer, the song was one of three songs he recorded for Cooper 15 years ago.
“Only two songs were released back then, Guilty Conscience and Crisis. This new (but old) one I had forgotten everything about it … even the words and the melodies until he reached out to me to say he is going to release it March 3,” Ginjah told The Gleaner.
“I remember he said, ‘Something is telling me to release it now’, and I still kept asking myself why… why would Arif want to release this song after so many years? I also wanted to make changes because the recording was done so long ago,” he continued.
Ultimately, Cooper convinced Ginjah to keep the original recording, and both came to an agreement that the artwork, a pair of hands reaching out to the Almighty in prayer, was appropriate more than an image of the artiste.
Ginjah shared the screenshot of a conversation between himself and the late producer, where he expressed desires to have a message-filled music video to support the song, revealing that “he really wants the world to get the message”.
The story speaks of a man who is facing struggles but giving thanks for life and encouraging persons to keep on loving life even in the hardest of times, he said.
“Me feel like maybe me did a go through some things at the time of writing the song, but what it says makes me wonder if Arif knew or felt something deep inside that something was wrong, just wanted to make sure he left a positive message,” Ginjah said.
He added, “I want to follow through on what he and I last spoke about. He was a humble man. Meeting him in the early 2000s and knowing him and keeping that link until now is a blessing.”
For Ginjah’s next trip out of California, where he resides, he will meet with a video director to discuss the future of the production and possibly make it double as a tribute to Cooper.
“I’m still in shock and can’t really process that he’s not here. He was a force in the entertainment industry, and if he was here, So Much to Give Thanks For would be getting that unique strength. Arif can rest well and peacefully, knowing he has given me the strength to make the next move. I have not heard much since Sunday, but I want the family to know how much he has impacted me,” Ginjah said.