Takun J
Jonathan Koffa, known professionally as Takun J, is a Liberian rapper, singer, songwriter, and activist. He is regarded as one of the pioneers of hipco, a politically charged music genre. The Liberian Gender Ministry designated him as one of its anti-rape ambassadors. Takun J's music addresses socio-political issues in Liberia. He is best known for the singles "Who Make You Cry", "Police Man", "Gbagba is Corruption", and "A Song for Hawa". Takun J's debut studio album, The Time, was released in 2007. His second studio album, My Way, was released in December 2012. Takun J is the recipient of several accolades, including Male Artist of the Year and Hipco Artist of the Year at the 2014 Liberia Music Awards.
Life and music career
1981–2005: Early life, career beginnings, ''The Time'', and ''My Way''
Takun J was born on May 14, 1981, in Monrovia, Liberia. He grew up with his mother and three siblings. His father relocated to the United States when he was four years old. While growing up in Monrovia, he played soccer and participated in dancing and talent show competitions. He became passionate about music and decided to pursue a professional career after graduating from high school. When he was 17 years old, he joined a music group called Magnetic. Takun J released his debut single, "We'll Spay You", in 2005. His second single, "You Meaning Me", was released the following year. Having lived through most of his country's 14-year civil conflict, he briefly relocated to refugee camps in Ghana and Ivory Coast with his family.He returned to Liberia and released his debut studio album, The Time, in 2007. The album's lead single, "Police Man", is a politically charged song that exposes corruption by officers of the Liberian National Police, and includes a plea to then-president Ellen Johnson Sirleaf to repress corruption. The song's release prompted two police arrests and a beating. Unfazed by the incident, Takun J performed on the day he was released from jail. In an interview with the Liberian Listener, Takun J said he released "Police Man" in order to create awareness about police negligence. Takun J performs at the annual two-day Hipco festival in Monrovia. On July 27, 2012, he shared the stage with Nasseman, David Mell, Nozi and Mr. Smith at the Lonestar Cell musical concert. Takun J was one of the acts featured on the remix of Xpolay's critically acclaimed 2012 single "Pot Not Bolling", which was produced by Yor-EL Francis. Takun J told the Liberian Listener that the song was well received because of its positive messages. His second studio album, My Way, was released in December 2012. It features high-BPM dance tracks, Liberian reggae music, and political rap songs. Recorded at Studio 57 and Red Eyez studios, the album was produced by Stone Gray, AB Swaray, King Brian, and Rawlo. My Way features guest contributions from Nasseman, Santos, Soul Smiter, Bentman tha Don, Scientific, Marvalous, and Ice Princess. Takun J addresses his daily struggles on the album and said the songs on it are relatable.
2013–present: "A Song for Hawa", Hipco Accountability Network, and performances
In February 2013, Takun J released the solemn track "A Song for Hawa", which was produced by PCI-Media Impact and addresses violence against Liberian girls and women. Takun J wrote the song after visiting a home sheltering victimized young girls. He explained to Mae Azango that it tells the tale of Hawa, a girl who was raped by her uncle after her mother died. The music video for "A Song for Hawa" premiered at the UN Commission on the Status of Women. Takun J has cited Tupac Shakur, Bob Marley and Akon as his key musical influences. He is part of the Hipco Accountability Network, an organization that strengthens copyright laws and establishes minimum play laws in Liberia. The network includes several musical personalities, including Nasseman, JD Donzo, Shining Man, and JB of Soul Fresh. On December 7, 2013, Takun J performed at the second annual Liberia Music Festival, which took place at Slipway Sports Pitch.In March 2014, the Daily Observer newspaper reported that Takun J signed a two-year endorsement deal with Lonestar Cell. As part of the deal, he is expected to perform at events sponsored by Lonestar Cell and MTN. Together with J. Martins, R2Bees, Scientific, Cypha D'King, Sweetz, and F.A., Takun J played at the Holiday Beach Jam in Congo Town on March 15, 2014. He works with UNICEF as an ambassador of music. In 2020, Takun J collaborated with DenG, Sundaygar Dearboy, Tan Tan, Soul Smiter, Odemz, and Amaze to produce the hipco song "Sanitize". The artists released the song in order to raise awareness about COVID-19 and encourage Liberians to practice good hygiene.
Humanitarian work
Anti-rape campaign
Takun J became an ambassador for the Liberian Gender Ministry's anti-rape campaign, and was responsible for highlighting rape issues in the country. In order to galvanize communities to take action against violence towards children, UNICEF and PCI-Media Impact organized a series of six concerts, which was part of an expansive campaign to halt the abuse and exploitation of children in Liberia. The first concert in the capital of Grand Bassa County was headlined by Takun J on June 14, 2014. The event featured additional performances from Peaches, Nasseman, and comedian Kpakala Kpokolo. It also included a poignant video highlighting the issue of child rape.Anti-corruption campaign
On May 19, 2014, Takun J released "Gbagba is Corruption", a conscious song that is based on the children's book Gbagba. The book was written by Robtel Neajai Pailey, a former doctoral student at SOAS, University of London. Pailey was inspired to write the book in order to give children the verbal tools to question the ethical and moral values of adults around them. The book received critical acclaim and has been adopted as an anti-corruption children's primer by the Liberian Ministry of Education.Physical altercation with Edwin Snowe
On June 17, 2013, Takun J had an encounter with Edwin Snowe after narrowly escaping a head-on collision with Snowe's vehicle. The incident between the two individuals occurred near the Mamba Point diplomatic community. Takun J said Snowe pulled him out of his car and punched him several times. Snowe confirmed the occurrence of the incident and admitted to punching Takun J. After the incident had died down, Takun J wrote a formal complaint to the House of Representatives of Liberia about the punches he received from Snowe.Discography
Studio albums- The Time
- My Way
| Year | Title | Album |
| 2005 | "We'll Spay You" | rowspan="2" |
| 2006 | "You Meaning Me" | - |
| 2007 | "Police Man" | The Time |
| 2007 | "Who Made You Cry" | The Time |
| 2007 | "Six Jue" | The Time |
| 2013 | "Song for Hawa" | rowspan="2" |
| 2014 | "Gbagba is Corruption" | - |
Guest appearances
| Title | Year | Other artist | Album |
| "Down in Africa" | 2012 | Nasseman | Redemption Time |
| "Pro Poor Agenda" | 2018 | Bucky Raw | Cs2 |
| "Come Down" | 2021 | Kpanto | Sound from the Xtreetz |
| "White Man Say" | 2020 | Eric Geso | New Sound |