Bath Rapper Joshua Luke Smith's Song 'Girl In Chains' Has Exploded Onto Facebook! .. Find Out More..
Last week music video 'The Girl In Chains' received a prolific number of hits. Featured on YouTube too, Bath based Joshua Luke Smith who penned the rap song and performed it with passion in a video filmed in the city, tells us why he wrote a fictional tale of the despicable agony of one girl sold into sexual slavery.. and why he is passionate about stopping the slavery of 27 million people and children sold into slavery - including sexual slavery today.
(PICTURES: THE GIRL IN CHAINS, VARIOUS OF JOSHUA LUKE SMITH)
Joshua please tell us a little about yourself?
Well, I'm 22 years old. Born in Croydon, and have spent most of my life moving around in with my family, we spent seven years in Pakistan and my teen years were in Bradford , West Yorkshire. I am married (as of November 2011!) to my 
gorgeous Canadian wife, Kara.
Your Youtube video 'The Girl In Chains' - features you singing and then an incredible rap about a fictional girl sold to be a sex slave - what inspired you to write this?
About a year ago I had a conversation with my big Sister, Hannah. She is incredibly well informed about the Sex Slave trade and what she said completely stunned, humbled and broke my heart for the cause.
By the next day I had written the narrative about the girl, the later verse I wrote close to filming. I wanted to go from the reality of the situation to the response we could have.
How did it feel performing this rap/song in front of a camera - knowing it would get coverage internationally - thanks to YouTube - potentially?
I felt like I was given a profound opportunity to stand on the modern day podium of YouTube and declare the horrors of the situation to an audience that generally knows little to nothing about the situation, as did I until a year ago!
I felt a responsibility to speak on the behalf of the girls, literaly chained in the bondage of mans lust and lack of honour.
Your passion regarding the injustice and horror of modern day slavery and particularly sexual slavery is obvious in your delivery - have you been involved in other anti-slavery campaigns?
Over the last year I have been learning more and more about it. Through incredible groups like LOVE146, The A21 Campaign and Mercy in Action all the information is out there! They are doing it, on the front line, they are in battle they are they one's changing the social climate of those places, its an honour to support them!
In your lyrics you use a powerful phrase about 'touching him like her husband' - has your Christian faith really inspired you in making this rap/video? Has your faith really informed how you've approached rapping on this issue?
Absolutely. To understand God's heart for them, both the enslaved and the traffickers is like an igniting of the flame! It pours a purpose a hope and a perspective into my lens that I would not have other wise. I want to communicate the love God has for these woman, the worth and the delight he sings over them and also the standard of manhood he holds, the honour, integrous character he wants for men!
What do you hope people will get from hearing this song and seeing you perform?
I hope it will make men question whether they ever want to log on to a porn site again, Whether they ever want to allow themselves to seek woman out like they have some manner of ownership over them to do so.
I want people to be educated and informed about the plight of the 27 million and 
also recognising the petrol that keeps this industry rolling is simply the heart of our society towards sex, relationship, worth and each other!
You have performed a lot at Bath City Church - have you performed anywhere else? What are your hopes and dreams for your rapping - do you want a career in the music industry ultimately?
I see my self as a messenger of sorts. I carry messages and I deliver them via my songs and poetry, I have played through out the UK and abroad and want to keep doing so, I'll be writing and recording tons this year, we'll see what happens!
What would you say to any men looking at pornography today? Is this something linked with sexual slave trade?
I would say its the same lust that logs onto a porn site as the lust that buys a thirteen year old girl to go to bed with. If we stop separating the two we'll see changes. You are responsible for your own heart, no one will change that for you but you. Your descision not to watch porn but set your heart, eyes and mind on righteousness, honour and purity will raise the standard for your self and men around you, it will take a critical link out of the chain of slavery!
Anything you want to add?
I am releasing a new EP in the near future, it will be available on iTUNES! It's 
called Sing Again.. its about standing on hope, looking forward and a celebration of our lives! The Girl in Chains audio and lyrics will be downloadable from my website very soon also (FOR FREE).
Watch The Video!
Watch A21's Campaign song 'Twenty Seven Million' by Matt Redman and LZ7
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April 2012