In the Spirit of High John De Conquer: Johnniqua Charles
Written and copyrighted by Angela Chamblee
February 3, 2021
If you have not seen the video of Johnniqua Charles singing and dancing while being arrested in 2020 then look it up now. Google: Johniqua Charles, iMarkkeez and remix by DJSuede.
In February 2020, Johniqua Charles came out of a nightclub, but she forgot her purse. When she tried to return to get it, the security guard would not let her come back into the club. In fact, he handcuffed her, and called the police. Charles made up an impromptu rap song:
You about to lose your job!
You’re detaining me.
You about to lose your job!
You’re detaining me.
You about to lose your job!
You are detaining me,. . .
for nothing.
Charles just started singing the song and although handcuffed, she started dancing. Other people outside took out their cell phones and started recording what was happening. Some one put the recording on Instagram, and the video went viral. Today, almost a year later the video has approximately 1 million viewers, who have watched her singing and dancing. The little rap song became an anthem for Black Lives Matter protests, and efforts to register African-Americans to vote. Professional rappers added rhythms and sounds. Film makers splashed film footage of Bugs Bunny and Elmo, from Sesame Street,dancing in the midst of regular African-Americans, who were dancing to the rap song too.
High John must have been talking to the Democratic Party because in 2020, African-Americans came out to vote in droves for early voting, and on Election Day. The Democratic Party got an African-American college marching band to play music in Louisiana. They got a DJ to play music and have people dancing to the Cha-Cha Slide in Philadelphia. All over America they got people to sing or do some kind of music at the polls. The Democratic Party got people to do something besides waiting hours on end to vote. They made voting a joyous celebration, and President Donald Trump lost his J.O.B.
Johniqua Charles could have ended up arrested or mysteriously dead like so many young African-Americans in the Civil Rights movement, for no good reason. Yes, we know she was taunting the White officer, but she did not need to be arrested, or get the death penalty either. Maybe nothing happened to Charles because she was singing and dancing so joyously and the song was so infectious, it made people smile and give a chuckle. It made a security guard laugh. It made God smile too. So when Charles arrived at the precinct, whatever the charges were, they were immediately dropped.
Charles’ sister, Andrea, saw the rap song had gone viral, and she wanted her sister to at least get some money for creating the song, so she made a Go Fund Me page. So far, Charles has made approximately $55,000.00. She had been a poor African-American woman, addicted to drugs, and living in poverty, with her 4-year-old son. Today, she is off of drugs and she and her son have moved into a better living situation. May she continue to make a better life for herself. An addiction to drugs can sometimes be hard to get over. For those who believe in prayer, please pray for Johniqua Charles. Don’t forget her.
THANK YOU to Johniqua Charles for doing something important for African-American people, all over America, and the World. Thank you for giving us a good song that helped give us the strength and fortitude to deal with voter suppression and White Supremacy, in the spirit of High John De Conquer.
Works Cited
IMarkkeyz. “Lose your job girl,” and Remixgodsuede.Instagram.com. Viewed on Feb.27, 2021.
Pendleton, Tonya. “South Carolina Woman’s Life Changed by Viral ‘Lose Yo Job’ The Grio.com. Uploaded June 9, 2020. Viewed on Feb. 27, 2021.
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