Sheen Skaiz, a Durban rapper and producer, has teamed up with Cape Town producer Jaydon Lewis for his latest single, “Boomslang”.
Known for his trademark wordplay, rap bars and melodic delivery, Skaiz said he always stayed true to his Durban roots by weaving in local lingo.
“The track is as sultry as it is catchy, with its irresistible beat and sensual lyrics. This naughty song is about putting someone you respect and care about on a pedestal. It’s about the perfect playful relationship that everyone seems to crave and it’s inspired by ‘the one that got away’. The one you should never have left. The one who is thriving and that you’re proud of. She is holding it down and handling her business.
“While it’s light-hearted at its core, the track is packed with deeper meaning. There are creative and comedic bars here and there, but there is also a lot of respect and appreciation going on when you read between the lines.”
Skaiz said the song was written in 2022.
“I ended up building a studio, a creative outlet, to design and record music. I was just locked in writing and recording. The original producer had lost the work file, so I was forced to find new producers. I did not stop until the sound was right.
“The main challenge was making sure the new producer believed in my vocals and the song just like I did. Most producers were excited to work with me and my vocals. All replied with, you killed this! Happy to be apart of it.
“But I also reached out to Jaydon, who I had known for years, and we instantly connected over the track. Within three days of sending Jaydon the vocals, I had the song back. When I heard his production, what he had done with my vocals, sampling a bit of the original beat and sampling my intro vocal and pitching up, I was blown away.
“I was sold on the first play. Jaydon’s production hit the mark. What I like about his style is that he is versatile and calculated. He picks creative sounds that make a track stand out from a mile away. He knows what is going to get people moving and keep them moving.”
Skaiz said he hoped the song connected people to each other and themselves.
“I want women to feel a sense of appreciation with or without their partners when vibing to this. I want men to play this with the woman they are into, or women who they are in long-term relationships with, and feel a sense of pride. I know they are going to crack a smile together while listening to this.”
“Boomslang” can be streamed or downloaded at https://push.fm/fl/sheenskaizboomslang.
Skaiz first became interested in pursuing music after musician Sketchy Bongo invited him to his studio. In 2014, he won the Jägermeister Back the Artist, an annual competition that searches for South Africa’s musical talent.
In 2016, he released “Get Right”, which charted at number one on 5FM’s hip hop charts for 10 weeks, making the Top 100 songs of 2016 on the station.