Jah Lil - Can A Man Cry (Out Deh Records)

Like many other Jamaican artists, Jah Lil began his musical journey in church, where he served as the conductor of his Pentecostal church’s youth choir. In 2011, he won first place in a gospel competition, catching the attention of the renowned VP Records label.

Between 2014 and 2017, three singles - ‘One Wrong One Right’, ’Siren’, and ‘Smile’ - appeared on as much editions of VP’s ‘Strictly The Best’ compilations. However, Jah Lil then began to suffer from heart palpitations and fatigue, eventually being diagnosed with depression.

The medication he was prescribed only worsened his condition, and by the time sleep apnea was diagnosed, Jah Lil had nearly given up on his music career. However, the man decided to fight back and channelled that dark period into songs like ‘Step By Step’, ‘Above Water’ and ‘Rebirth’.

The afrobeats of ‘Location’ weren’t really our cup of tea, but tracks like the aforementioned ‘Above Water’ (produced by ZIAH .PUSH over a reworking of the Cuss Cuss riddim), ‘Among Monsters’, a track with the delightful refrain: “I’m living amongst monsters, who are you I wonder? Living amongst monsters, for my blood they hunger. I am living amongst monsters, who are you I wonder? Living amongst monsters, they kill, they plunder!”, or the very catchy ‘Step By Step’, certainly won us over.

The title track of this album, revealing Jah Lil’s most vulnerable side and urging his compatriots to be more open and expressive with their feelings, has already garnered considerable success in Jamaica, so we’d like to share the full lyrics of the song with you:

Can a man cry?
Can a man cry yeah? (x4)

I don’t think I should feel pain
I should never cry
Tell me who should get the blame
When I’m telling you a lie
Say me alright
When me know me nuh alright
Still a shut up my mouth and gwaan fight
It’s hard to show me weakness me a gwaan hide it
Cause me less than a man if me start show tears
Less than a man if me talk with me fears
Less than a man if me tell you how me feel
Less than a man if the pain feel real
Say me a gwaan suffer inna darkness
Don’t think that I’m selfish and heartless
Where me come from
If you’re not tough all the time you’re not a man

Can a man cry?
Can a man cry yeah? (x3)
Can a man cry?
I don’t think a man can die

And all those times I’m silent
How did you never hear me?
Not because I’m always strong
No mean I never get weary
Hey man you do strong
Acting like you don’t have no emotion
Who’s seeking, cause I’m good at hiding
You’ll never know what’s I side him cause
Me less than a man if me start show tears
Less than a man if me talk with me fears
Less than a man if me tell how me feel
Less than a man if me pain feel real
Say me a gwaan suffer inna darkness
Don’t think that I’m selfish and heartless
Where me come from
If you’re not tough all the time you’re not a man

Can a man cry?
Can a man cry yeah? (x3)
Can a man cry?
Every single man should cry

A man can pour out inside too
and you nuh judge him as soft soft soft
Me tears it’s serious
Do not bother laugh
No wan feel like me
Deh pon me own
Deh round so much people
And still feel alone
Fi bear the world pon me shoulders, heavy for me
Feel strong cause someone deh fi me
No feel like me less than a man
Less than a man if me talk with me fears
Less than a man if me tell how me feel
Less than a man if me pain feel real
I know I’m not selfish nor heartless
Being human it don’t mean being less than a man

So, can a man cry?
Can a man cry yeah?
Can a man cry?
Can a man cry yeah?
Can a man cry?
Can a man cry yeah?
Can a man cry?
Feels so good to cry

Jah Lil will present ‘Can A Man Cry’ live on Saturday, August 3rd at Reggae Geel!