OffBeat readers may remember not so long ago we debuted “Mask Up,” the double single put out of Louisiana Red Hot Records. Featuring Lili Lewis, Corey J the Rapper, and Kirk Joseph’s Backyard Groove, the song has amassed over 10,000 YouTube views to date, encouraging people to simply: mask up. The “infectious groove” (pun intended, excuse us) debuted this summer and in partnership with Masks For America, Dr. MarkAlain Déry and the team at Louisiana Red Hot Records. The label and Dr. Déry are now pushing a new track and campaign.

Dr. Déry, renowned epidemiologist, is convinced that 28 days of simply wearing protective face coverings is what America needs to fight the remaining remnants of coronavirus. He has enlisted the help of Roland Guerin to produce the track “28 Days.” In an open letter from June 2020, the doctor stated: “The virus crosses national borders, so our response must do the same. We need a global mobilization for everyone on our planet to wear masks for 28 days, two cycles of the viral incubation period of 14 days. Alongside physical distancing and frequent handwashing, this is the fastest way to eliminate COVID-19. While the entire world is experiencing the COVID-19 pandemic, not every country’s experience is the same. Some countries have far lower transmission and death rates per capita than others. These countries have one very important thing in common: nearly universal adoption of mask-wearing.”

Motivated by Dr. Déry’s message, the team at Red Hot Records paired bassist-singer-songwriter-producer Roland Guerin with the epidemiologist’s idea to create a catchy track that would catch attention. Hence: “28 Days.” Guerin, who has performed with Allen Toussaint and was Dr. John’s music director, sings, “28 days now if you wanna bring it down…Corona, you get outta my town.” The theme especially will hit home with New Orleans residents who have been grappling with the City’s urge for tourists to come visit while pandemic cases remain high within the state.

To the Louisiana Red Hot Records team, Dr Déry, and Guerin, the message is still as important as it was over the summer. Dery is no stranger to epidemics and is the first to note that Louisiana has the highest AIDS rate in the entire United States. Public health is an important cause to all parties involved.

 

 

The idea of making videos to increase the public’s health awareness is nothing new. The Federal Theatre Project which operated between 1935-39 was a theater program established during the Great Depression as part of the New Deal to fund live artistic performances and entertainment programs in the United States. Much of its programming, such as the film Spirochete targeted at syphilis prevention, was aimed at improving public health.

Such is the aim of the Roland Guerin song “28 Days.”

The song has firstly been released exclusively via Bandcamp with the social media #28DayChallenge kicking off on November 1 followed by wide release on all streaming platforms November 6. Since it’s an uphill battle for awareness, a second 28 Day Challenge for universal masking will kick off on December 1.

Purchases of Mask Up! masks via Dirty Coast are still available here. And tees are available right here at OffBeat.