Louder Than The Music

LZ7 - Twenty Seven Million

Artist:

LZ7

Title:

Twenty Seven Million

Type:

Single

Released:

27 Feb 2012

Your Rating:

Review

Manchester based Hip Hop band LZ7 have joined forces with worship leader Matt Redman to write a song for the A21 Campaign. The track, 'Twenty Seven Million' is released today as a single aimed at the mainstream charts and looks at the shocking theme of human trafficking.  

The single is released in support of the A21 Campaign which aims to combat human trafficking and slavery. Christine Caine (founder of the A21 Campaign) comments: "A21 is beyond excited about the release of 'Twenty Seven Million'. With the help of Matt and Beth Redman and LZ7 we want this song to awaken people...
Read More Manchester based Hip Hop band LZ7 have joined forces with worship leader Matt Redman to write a song for the A21 Campaign. The track, 'Twenty Seven Million' is released today as a single aimed at the mainstream charts and looks at the shocking theme of human trafficking.  

The single is released in support of the A21 Campaign which aims to combat human trafficking and slavery. Christine Caine (founder of the A21 Campaign) comments: "A21 is beyond excited about the release of 'Twenty Seven Million'. With the help of Matt and Beth Redman and LZ7 we want this song to awaken people to the reality of human trafficking - and then inspire and empower them to rise up against injustice, and fight for freedom. It's been said that music creates culture. Our hope is that this song will help create and enact a culture to DO SOMETHING about trafficking."  

Some cynics will probably think, can one song really change people's view of slavery? The songwriters behind 'Twenty Seven Million' certainly think so. LTTM caught up with Matt & Beth Redman and Lindz West of LZ7 to find out what they hope to achieve. Matt told us, "If public attention and opinion is focussed on something, then those in positions of influence soon follow. Music has always had a great way of communicating, and we really hope this song will shine a light on this outrageous issue. How can it be that right now there are 27 million slaves on the earth. It's horrific." (full interview). Lindz went on to add "It's called twenty seven million as a representation of the estimated 27 million trafficked and enslaved people across the globe. I would love to see it really get this slavery issue out into the mainstream under the noses of people in power so they really have to do something about it." (full interview)

The song itself starts off with a simple piano that slowly makes space for Lindz to tell the story. He sings the verses with such heart and feeling that when you hear the lines "Trapped in the night, trafficked and beaten. All a part of an evil economy, Nothing more than someone's commodity. She's numb, she's dead from the inside out, Her heart is screaming but you don't hear the shout" it makes you realize that Twenty Seven Million isn't just a number, it's 27 million real people with the same feelings as everybody else. With the big inspiring chorus of "We got to rise up, open our eyes up, be her voice, be her freedom, come on stand up", it makes you want to do something about this. As a message, this song is heartbreaking but also inspiring.   All together this mix of hip hop groove with anthemic rock passion makes for a truly great song.

Who would have thought that the hip hop beats of Lindz and LZ7 would work so well with worship leader and guitarist Matt Redman? Can musical genres cross over? On this basis, yes they can! Can we work together as one church to change this world? Yes we can. Please take the time to download this track and then tell a friend to download it too. Not for the chart position, but to show the church, the media, people of the world, the people in power, that there are Twenty Seven Million people trapped and the least the church can do is be their voice. So let's rise up!

Review by Jono Davies