Artist bio

I'm Jerely Browne, a freelance cinematographer and photographer who founded a service that provides the mentioned skillset for those in need. My Service is called, "Cinephou", a word mixture of the two services provided. Our motto is, “Capture the Moment. Tell a Story,” Member 2 - Allen Mullings Allen Mullings is deeply interested in pursuing after God by all means necessary. He enjoys using his talents in music, mathematics, philosophy and art to bring glory to his Creator. Keenly interested in self-improvement, he devotes much time into examining his own mind and helping others who show similar interests.

Title

Stripped

Medium/Genre

Hip-Hop / Rap

Artist Statement

A thief reflects on his life, the state of the world and his relationship with the lord as he makes his way to the cross after being sentenced to crucifixion.

How it fits into contest

The music video, "Stripped" showcases the dramatised walk of the penitent thief up to his cross. As he struggles upwards, bleeding profusely from previous beatings, he faces an internal struggle as he tries to understand the fate of the Messiah ahead of him. This, in a sense, is the original spiritual battle faced by the early Christians in the first century, who had to struggle with the common conception of the Messiah as a predominantly political saviour, and not one who came to save people from their sins.

The thief overcomes his doubts and secures the helmet of salvation, so to speak, by moving beyond Jesus' fate on the cross to address the possibility that Jesus is indeed no mere man, and thus may serve as a mediator between him as a thief and God as Judge. Thus he says, "You're either crazed or amazing, either fake or the Son of David", and later, "But if your smile is for the Lord, then I'll end this monologue, with a little plea that you'll remember me, or put a word in, cuz my sins need purging, my soul is hurting, I need your help for certain,..."

Though there is no verbatim quotation of Ephesians 6:10-20 in "Stripped", it vividly showcases the nature of the spiritual battle before salvation - where the sinner must surrender to Christ the Victor, and thereby receive the gift of eternal life, through faith in Christ as Lord.

Credits

Artist
Allen Mullings

Director/Editor
Jerely Browne

Cast
Thief Allen Mullings
Executioner Akeem Rowe

Camera A
Jerely Browne

Camera B
Carlon Braithwaite

Makeup Artist A
Aurora Osborne

Makeup Artist B
Zenoushka Meade

Beat Producer
Beats By Con

Recording/Mixing/Mastering
Roydenn Silcott

Props
Allen Mullings
Lincoln “Quan” Joseph

Artist Idea Advisory
Szjohn Griffith

Transcript / Lyrics

Why?

Why do you look at me?
Staring and smiling so stupidly?
Who are we?
Crookedly bent and sent to this hill
How can you feel like cracking a grin?
Why are you still, pushing to live?
Will you escape the birds?
Huh (chuckle)
But I guess their beaks won't hurt,
Dead flesh can't feel no worse
Cursed - blood spurts
Don't search for mercy
You see, we're worthy to bleed - for dirt seeks to drink - it's thirsty

Earth reeks with innocent blood,
Poured from veins of the wrongly judged
But I'm not one, guilty as charged, my fate will not budge
But you, you preached love.

Poor soul, the world's cold,
I was told, you'd control
The whole land,
But plans changed hands
And now fate stands clear
You're just a man, or so it appears,
But why would you smile?
Bleeding up here?

Why?

Spit on these wicked men, use your tongue to mix in blood and spit on them!
Or get rid of them!
Can't you send
A plague to end
These sinner men?!

You're riddled with
Cuts and bruises
Blood is oozing
Who you fooling?
You're a human...
And your movement
Didn't amuse the Jews who choose who live their lives or lose it!
You're my equal now..
Just a beaten hero how, are you still praying??

I don't believe what you're saying!
Forgive who? You must be fading, they know what they doing - they were losing grip of people's lips!
You're a hit!
They were sick, of your script, they missed the protagonist role that slipped from their robes when you got going.

They overdosed on
they emotions,
Soaked in jealousy and roasted
Boasting bout they know the most of God but choke the throats of those who trod

the lonely road of being odd...

In a world of wickedness
You're a misfit, stripped, whipped, robes ripped, holes in wrists, lifted on a pole, let them know how you feel, that smile cannot be real,

But if it is it will heal
Every gash,

Every lash

Every last one of my mistakes, Imma thief but now they take my life on this stake, I'm raised - arms splayed, I'm ashamed, I've blamed
Every soul but myself,

But now there's nobody else,
Ain't no help in this world can bring a smile to my face,

So you?

You're either crazed or amazing, either fake or the Son of David

I've been a slave in my life to my vice, started light, now I'm rightfully wronged on this cross.

Forgive me, I've drifted far from the Law,
I'm lifted up to die as you are,
But if your smile is for
the Lord then I'll end this monologue with a little plea that you'll remember me or, put a word in cuz my sins need purging, my soul is hurting, I need your help for certain,

I have little strength to part my lips, I'll make it quick before your spirit lifts,

But there's one last thing I do not get:

Why?

Why would you look at me?
Staring and smiling so beautifully?
Who is me?
Crookedly bent and sent to this hill
How can you feel like taking me in
to paradise, I'm so full of sin?

How?

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