Laze Makes an Anthem for Salaryman called “Mengerti”
Everybody has their own hustle, and nothing is wrong with trying to make ends meet. That’s what being a salaryman is all about and rapper Laze lashes it all out on his latest single called “Mengerti”. Taken from his recent album “Waktu Bicara”, “Mengerti” could be an anthem for those who worked the hardest despite various setbacks they might face in the process. Rhyming phrases in Indonesian over the beats from Riza Rinanto, Laze whose real name is Havie Prakarsya offers another perspective of a salaryman. He’s getting real and honest about the hardship to get paid. He cleverly put puns everywhere in the song and even goes as far as citing the upcoming presidential election. In “Mengerti”, Laze works with ONAR’s vocalist Ayub John who sings the main hook of the song. The lyrics plead people to understand that they are working very hard to get their families settled. Moreover, this theme does not only present on this lead single, Laze’s album “Waktu Bicara” spotlights the struggle of those who migrate to the urban area in order to work. The theme is pretty cohesive all the way through and the album is available on digital streaming services via Demajors.
Now, let’s talk about the music video for “Mengerti”. It is the literal visualization of the song and more. Both Laze and Ayub John took on the roles of various workers in the capital city of Indonesia. They act as a bus conductor, a street singer, minimarket clerks, an arrogant public figure, and construction worker. Director Agung Pambudi wants to represent all kind of jobs that we often see in our daily life. Taking up the roles a notch, these musicians also insert comedic actions in the video. Furthermore, Laze said that this video is unlike another hip-hop visual which often portray a glamorous lifestyle. There is a sense of humbleness and local pride as we dwell into Laze’s works. The video of “Mengerti” can be enjoyed in full on the link below.
