Back in May, when news of Ebola's latest outbreak was virtually unknown in the West, two music producers in Liberia were already working on spreading awareness about the virus. Samuel "Shadow" Morgan and Edwin "D-12" Tweh, who made music together as kids when they lived in refugee camps in Ghana, recorded the track "Ebola In Town" in their studio over the course of just one day, NPR reports.
Within three days, the song was reportedly playing throughout Liberia, the country that's been hardest hit by Ebola. Unlike the croons of classic aid songs like "We Are The World," this release is a dance track. In a segment on NPR Tuesday, the creators said they were initially worried the song was "too hot, too strong to be an awareness song."
The song offers instructions on how to avoid spreading the virus, with lyrics like "Don't touch your friend!/No Kissing!" and "Don't eat the meat." It also tries to dispel myths about the virus in a country where many distrust the government and think Ebola is a conspiracy. Just over the weekend, mobs raided a medical center, putting more people at risk of catching the virus.
The raid exposed the struggle of spreading awareness about Ebola, which has already killed more than 1,200 people this year. It's particularly challenging in Liberia, where literacy rates hover around 43 percent, making the radio an important medium for mass communication about the threat.
Listen to the track below: