Hip Hop has become flooded with minimally talented artists who brag about the magnitude & uniqueness of their material. Of course those same artists then fail to deliver the goods. Rising lyricist/producer, Sheik aka SK, is a sonic visionary who doesn’t have to make bold statements about his creative output. Instead he lets his music do all the talking! Originally from Freetown, Sierra Leone & currently residing in Alexandra, VA, Sheik mixes elements of afro punk, hip hop, jazz, soul & blues into a powerful brand dubbed “New School Poetry” for his latest single “The Breather” and the end result is phenomenal!
From the first moment the wah-wah guitar riff kicks in, you’ll realize you’re in for a major treat. Sheik’s smooth, agile flow wraps itself around the track & massages the groove until it succumbs to the emcee’s superior command of the mic. Caribbean drums & sultry background vocals soon permeate through the speakers before the laid back gem transforms into an uptempo soul-fueled jam that conjures images of a sweaty, late-night adventure at one of the hottest clubs. There are so many dramatic chord changes & progressions that your head will start spinning…yet SK makes them all work in expert fashion! To say I “liked” the song would only belittle the material. It’s all or nothing with a track of this quality and I straight up LOVED it!
Brilliance like the kind displayed on “The Breather” is rare to find in today’s cookie cutter industry. If Sheik’s forthcoming project, “The Speakeasy” LP is half as good as this joint, the accolades will catapult the artist to a level of superstardom. Justice will then be served because it’s an esteemed position of status he truly deserves.
– Kevin Keith
