About Tears Muszk

Tears Muszk is a Texas-based record label, thriving for over 20 years under Johnny Kaikllo's leadership, nurturing talent and producing distinctive music.

Our Story

Tears Muszk: A Legacy of Resilience and Rhythmic Revolution

Founded by Johnny Kaikllo, Tears Muszk is more than just a record label—it is a movement, a symbol of resilience, and a testament to the power of music to heal, inspire, and transform. Emerging from the ashes of war, Tears Muszk became a beacon of hope in Sierra Leone and beyond, bridging the past with the future through sound, storytelling, and unshakable vision.

At its core, Tears Muszk embodies a charismatic vision, one deeply rooted in creativity, leadership, and cultural revolution. Johnny Kaikllo, a young musician who once played his guitar amid the chaos of war, has become a pioneer, shaping the music industry in ways that extend beyond mere entertainment. His leadership has redefined the role of music, turning it into a tool for social change, unity, and empowerment.

Through Tears Muszk, Johnny Kaikllo has nurtured a generation of artists who use their voices not just to sing, but to speak, to challenge, and to uplift. The label stands as a cultural powerhouse, giving artists the freedom to express their truths while carrying forward the legacy of a nation that refuses to be silenced.

With each beat, lyric, and melody, Tears Muszk will continues to influence the music industry, pushing creative boundaries while staying true to its origins. From the streets of Freetown to international stages, the label’s impact is felt far and wide, proving that even in the face of adversity, music remains the most powerful force to comfort, connect, and change the world.

Tears Muszk: A Symphony of Sorrow and Hope

The night was heavy with sorrow, the air thick with the acrid scent of gunpowder and fear. In the heart of Freetown, Sierra Leone, where war had turned streets into graveyards and dreams into echoes of pain, a young man sat on the steps of 19-B Bath Street, Brookfields. His fingers trembled over the strings of his worn-out guitar, his soul aching under the weight of what he had seen. His name was John VY Tarawalie, but to the world, he would come to be known as Johnny Kaikllo.

It was January 6th, 1998—J-6th, a day forever burned into Sierra Leone’s history as one of its darkest. Chaos reigned in the city as rebels pushed through the streets, their presence a storm of devastation. The people of Brookfields, like many others, had no choice but to flee, hide, or pray. The compound where Johnny and his neighbors had sought refuge was surrounded, sitting dangerously close to the Special Security Division Unit (SSD), a prime target for the rebels.

His fingers moved gently, his chords weaving sorrow and hope into a melody that cut through the silence. With every strum, his tears fell onto the wooden body of his guitar, mixing with the dried blood and dust that had settled there. His voice, raw and fragile, rose above the sounds of war, carrying with it a prayer disguised as a song.

"The night will pass,
The sun will rise,
And we will live to dream again."

The people in the compound listened, their sobs quieting as the music wrapped around them like a mother’s embrace. For a brief moment, the war outside did not exist—only the sound of hope, defiant and unwavering.

And that was when Tears Muszk was born.

The name came from the very thing he witnessed—the tears of a nation, of mothers, fathers, and children, of warriors and widows, of the lost and the survivors. But Johnny believed that tears were not only a symbol of pain, but also of resilience. Every tear shed was a story, a song waiting to be sung.

From that night on, Johnny Kaikllo vowed to use his music not as a weapon of war, but as a shield of peace. He became a voice for the unheard, a leader in the shadows of despair. His songs carried the grief of his people but also the promise of a new dawn. His name spread across Sierra Leone, and soon, the boy who had once played his guitar in the midst of war became a symbol of strength, unity, and change.

Years later, Tears Muszk would grow beyond the small compound in Brookfields. It would become a movement, a record label that stood for the broken but unbowed, for the survivors who turned their sorrow into songs. And at its heart, there would always be the memory of that night—J-6th—when a boy with a guitar chose music over silence, and hope over fear.

Because no matter how heavy the night, the sun always rises again.

"The night will pass,
The sun will rise,
And we will live to dream again.”

TEARS MUSZK

That night, Johnny listened—not to the gunfire, nor to the distant screams—but to the sound of weeping. Tears fell like rain in the dim light, soft prayers turned into final goodbyes as families clung to each other, uncertain if they would live to see the sunrise. It was in that moment, amid the overwhelming despair, that Johnny picked up his guitar.

He had nothing to offer but music. No words of comfort could erase the horrors they had endured. No promise could make the pain disappear. But music—music could reach the hearts of the broken without causing more wounds. And so, he played.