Ottawa group HalfSizeGiants are ending a turbulent and tragedy-filled 2019 with a new video.
It’s been a bit more than half a year since both the murder of group member Markland Campbell aka Jahiant Jahh, and the release of their album, Life Moves Fast. It was the group’s first project in 15 years after a long hiatus as a group, and Jahiant was killed just before the project was officially released. The group had actually released their Danny Fernandes-assisted comeback single, “Girl U Know,” the same night as Jahiant’s death. An 18-year-old Ottawa man was subsequently charged with second-degree murder.
Scene from the “State of Emergency” video
Today, Jahiant’s group mates, Christopher Wiens aka Ironic and Memo Moreno, release a new video for “State of Emergency” in support of the album. The video is already getting a lot of local coverage. Daily paper Le Droit mentioned the video a couple of days ago and the Ottawa Citizen did the same earlier today.
You can find “State of Emergency” and Life Moves Fast on various digital streaming platforms including Apple Music and Spotify.
Check out the new video and accompanying press release below.
June 2019 is a time period forever entrenched into the hearts and mind of the members of H.S.G (HalfSizeGiants).
Friday night, June 7th. One third of the hip-hop/dancehall trio was gunned down senselessly. Markland Campbell aka Jahiant has rushed to the Ottawa’s downtown market after receiving a call from his daughter say she had been assaulted by two young men. When he arrived to defend and protect his daughter he was subsequently shot multiple times in the chest and neck. He was rushed to hospital and died in surgery. The entire city was in disbelief.
Jahiant along with his bandmates Christopher Wiens aka Ironic and William Moreno Memo had just released their comeback single “Girl U Know” featuring Danny Fernandes, the same night. The song had smash hit written all over it. A major commercial radio campaign was already in the works. Jahiant himself made an appearance on CHUO to express his excitement that night. Now the single had to be promoted to radio stations with an obituary.
Scene from the “State of Emergency” video
Between mourning, confusion and funeral arrangements the remaining members of HalfSizeGiants and family alike were put to the test. But about 3 months before Jahiant was gunned down on that dreadful evening, he wrote another single and shot another video with his bandmates.
The song title was “State Of Emergency.” This single has an entirely different tone than the single previously released this past summer. It is an outcry to the state of humanity, the environment along with social injustice around the globe. Now with the events that have transpired this past June and July, Jahiant’s words in the single seem eerily prophetic.
“How long dem teach the wrong philosophy?
Well see dem know the world’s in a state of emergency.”
Scene from the “State of Emergency” video
The Irony of Jahiant’s senseless murder lies in the fact that he was trying to give a voice to the same marginalized youth he was gunned down by. These were the kids Jahiant was trying to reach.
Clips of actual news footage from Jahiant’s murder have been included in the video as well. It seems that this single “State Of Emergency”—along with being a wake up call to the world—has also become a farewell letter of endearment for Ironic and Memo to their fallen brother Jahiant. Hip-hop needs a single like this. The youth need to know what matters.
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