Story Behind The Song
This song was inspired after I watched the movie "Trade". I wanted to do something to help spread awareness of this horrible epidemic, so I teamed-up with Chino XL and we wrote "Trade" (the song).
Part proceeds of the sale of this track will be donated to CATW (Coalition Against Trafficking In Women).
Song Description
The poignant song begins with Felicia describing two scenarios - one of a young girl from Mexico who is kidnapped from the street-side, and then sold for auction to the highest bidder; and one of a beautiful Filipina girl who is procured by sex-traffickers, posing as a "modeling agency". She is then smuggled from her homeland and sold into prostitution overseas.
Chino comes in after the second verse with a powerful 16 bars describing a young 16 year old girl who is enticed by an advertisement in a magazine for young women with hopes of Hollywood stardom. The girl runs away from home to pursue her dreams, only to be disillusioned, as the ad is a hoax. She is captured and held against her will, and is then forced into prostitution. After she is found pregnant, she is then murdered.
| Song Length |
3:54 |
Genre |
R & B - General, Latin - General |
| Lead Vocal |
Female Vocal |
Mood |
Poignant |
| Subject |
Murder, Rape, Prostitution |
Era |
2000 and later |
Lyrics
TRADE - FELICIA ALIMA FT. CHINO XL
Verse 1:
So young, so beautiful
With so much, to live for
Never would know, how to grow old
Without a, a care in the world
From a small town, in Mexico
She was born and raised
Unexpectedly, taken from the street
To be auctioned-off that day
Pre-chorus # 1:
Where are you hiding?
I need a miracle
I need a mir-a-cle
What's the use in crying?
Coz no matter how hard I try
These tears won't stop from, runnin' dry
Chorus:
Where is our integrity?
Are we fighting for freedom or security?
Where is our dignity?
Inhibition of our true vision
Are you still with me?
Verse 2:
Aspiring to be a model
Dreams to be in a commercial
Shipped from, the Philippines
By a so-called, "agency"
She's on locked-down, captivity
Forced to give up, her virginity
And there's no, there's no escape
Except for, an early grave
Pre-chorus # 2:
Where are you hiding?
I need a miracle
I need a mir-a-cle
What's the use in trying?
Coz no matter how hard I cry...
Rap - Chino XL:
Yeah,
It's sad but at this point she had accepted that this must be life
No more tossing and turning and staying up all night
In the beginning her strong-will was unbending
Her fight - was broken by drugs, lies, violent abuse and restraints that are tied too
tight
Her parents searched with all their might to find out where she was
Her father dying from his guilt, he lost his baby girl
But at 16, her dreams were consumed with being a Hollywood Queen, they found
a note inside of her bedroom
Dear dad and mom, I'm ready to be on my own, I've answered an ad in the back
of a mag from a man that has said that he could make me the next Angelina
Jolie, I'll see you when I'm a movie star, don't wait up for me
It's 3 years now, she's gone without a trace, her body bought and sold, till she
can't even recognize her own face
Beauty was a crime, in time, her enemy, her captors introduced her to death
when they found out she was pregnant
Pre-chorus # 1
Chorus (x2)