( l - r ) Tarrus Riley, Konshens Busy - file photos

Since the unrest in the Corporate Area and Spanish Town, many songs which speak to the situation have hit the airwaves.

Having done No Guns To Town years ago, Natty King recorded Country Under Siege last Saturday, only days after intense shooting in sections of Kingston and Spanish Town, which left many dead or injured.

In the song, Natty King says: "Country under siege, bad bwoy soldier and police inna shoot-out/ Hear corn a beat and baby inna house, grandma can't peep out/ Guns and bombs, do you see those signs/ It wussa than Judas time/ So much people dead and just a few guns find/ Mi nuh love how dem a use mankind."

He said he was not planning to do a song about the incidents but was pressured to do so.

social commentary

"Social commentary a Natty King thing. Mi know the whole vibe seh most artistes a guh come sing 'bout it and mi neva really plan fi do no song 'bout it. But people a come to me and a ask if mi nuh do no song yet," said Natty King, while noting that he arrived in the island on Monday in the heart of the intense battle between the security forces and thugs.

He also said he would be doing a monthlong promotional tour in Europe for his new album Born To Be Free.

Tarrus Riley has also penned songs about the issues facing the country in recent times. He did Sweet Jamaica for Jon Jon, Mi Homeland for Shane Brown and Wildfire for Don Corleon, which was done a day before the security forces entered West Kingston. In Wildfire, he sings: "Protect di people Jah/ Nuh mek dem get caught inna di crossfire."

When THE STAR spoke with Riley in a previous interview, he said: "Jamaica nuh need no song right yah now, we need some solutions. We have nuff songs long time from Marley dem days. We need a collective effort from everybody - the singers, di taxi man, di Government, everybody."

Upcoming artiste, Smokie Benz, also recorded a song about the state of emergency last Saturday called Tell Me Why. "Mi decide fi the whole world hear it. It's not a song weh mi write, mi just go inna the studio and it come natural. It full of pain and everything," he said.

Another song that is appropriate for the times is Busy Signal's Peace Reigns. His manager, Shane Brown, explained that the song will be appearing on the artiste's album, D.O.B, which will be released on July 13 through VP Records. However, a decision was made to send the song out to a few disc jocks last week after the unrest.

"I just think seh with what's going on now people need something soothing. It's just acoustic guitar," Brown told THE STAR.

"It's been great. People like it, even the Broadcasting Commission called and say they were moved and surprised at the same time."

He also said Busy Signal did not do the song for any hype, he was speaking his mind.

Though not a recent track, Konshens also released the fitting No More Tears. Producer Russian has also released Kurupt and GD Up's What A Gwaan as a tribute to Tivoli Gardens.