Malaysian rapper Lil J and singer Ara Johari debuted “Keliru” yesterday (October 7), co-written by none other than Malaysian rap icon Malique, along with Siqma and Muhaimin under Rocketfuel Records.
“Keliru” (Confused) navigates the strain and dejection of paternal abandonment. Lil J shared his struggles with Malique, who articulated it through the song as co-writer and composer. “The song tells the story about a kid growing up without a father figure and why he is gone. Maybe many are not aware that I actually grew up without having a father figure in my life, and it has been a void that I can’t fill,” Lil J shares about the collaboration process in a press statement.
Lil J also expressed his excitement about working with the elusive hitmaker. “He understood what my feelings were, and he was able to capture them and turned it into a single which basically explains my on-and-off state of confusion,” he said.
Malique has long been a force in Malaysian hip hop. The veteran rapper, producer, lyricist and composer is highly regarded for his skillful lyricism and translated it to commercial success, making him one of Malaysia’s best-selling music artists of all time. As a member of the legendary musical hip hop duo Too Phat with Joe Flizzow, Malique is a widely respected fixture in the country’s musical landscape.
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Combined with strong, slow-rock vocal stylings by Ara Johari and heartfelt, evocative lyricism, the track is a haunting lamentation of neglect. The music video for “Keliru” is set to premiere tonight (October 8) at 9PM HKT on Rocketfuel Network’s YouTube channel. Of the music video, Lil J described it as a depiction of “a kid growing up without a father figure and not being able to speak about how empty he feels, because the world is gonna call him weak. I realize that there are so many people out there suffering from this.”
Stream the song below:
