Ronald Herry is a man on a mission. He has dedicated his life to serving God and doing God’s will, using his talent now, to go beyond the walls of his ministry, and reach into the hearts of men. “‘Lucifer Puppet’ is a song that is made for a time such as this,” he says. The track, penned by the artiste himself and produced by Chinx Roots, seeks to revive consciousness, awaken right thinking, particularly since Minister is of the firm belief that much of what the world is presently experiencing goes beyond the physical realm. “With the crime situation as it is, and the way that our youths are involving themselves in gangs and violence, I believe this song is relevant. For those of us who believe in the spiritual side of things, we know there are forces behind it all, and I think the song will bring heightened consciousness to what is behind these things,” said the singer.
Trinidad and Tobago’s Prime Minister, reacting to a spate of violent attacks among school aged children recently, has threatened expulsion for those found violating the expected code of conduct. For the artiste, Minister, and the team of creatives dedicatedly pushing positivity, efforts are consistently being made to reach troubled youth on their level. “In marketing this song and its lyrics, our creative team will utilize social media to a great extent. We’ve also placed a lot of effort into the visuals for the single, which directly speaks the language of the youths,” said Stephon Gabriel – engineer at Gabriel Creative Studios. Together with Minister, he has given great consideration to the impact music has had on society. “The video for the song will show, in the simplest way, just how much people are being used in nefarious ways. Negativity has been glamorized, particularly on social media. The song will point out the ways in which society is being used and abused, and we’re confident it will awaken a sense of consciousness,” said Minister.
‘Lucifer’s Puppet’ isn’t the artiste’s first deliverable in the creative space. “I’ve worked alongside artistes like Blackie and Chucky in the past. I’ve been around the industry, but I never pursued it heavily. I didn’t really think it was for me,” explained Herry. He however believes in the power of evangelism and the importance of using one’s gifts with purpose. “As a minister in ministry and the leader of a youth group, I am heavily involved in evangelism. I understand the importance of reaching the youths on their level. I am privy to their stories and in dealing with them I understand what they are involved in,” he said, reiterating the importance of restoring sight to the blind. “Many of these youths are just children and they are more or less spiritually blinded or lacking knowledge and understanding, so you really can’t blame them. Many of them do not have the parental guidance needed.”
Minister believes parents are the first crime stoppers in any society and urges proper guidance. “Instilling positive values in our youth is still very important. Another important aspect of parenting is ensuring that children understand rules and adhering to them because this essentially trickles down into society. What we see happening across our communities is simply a reflection of what is happening in the home,” he said.
Optimistic in the power of positive music, Minister says he wants to deliver music that will stimulate the mind and spark a thought, bringing light into dark areas. He laments the popular culture that propagates negative expression, saying that while a song may seek to share one person’s story with the rest of the world, it may have an adverse effect on someone else. “If the music does not highlight solutions and encourage change, all that’s being shared is a negative narrative. If the song is speaking about the impact of a particular lifestyle, it’s important that the solutions be shared as well,” he argued, adding that while the world has glorified negativity, the truth is, those singing the negative lyrics are merely seeking a way out, unconscious of those they are leaving in the mess.
