In Canada right now we're experiencing what we call our "Third Winter". This comes after two separate weeks in February and March (respectively called "Fool's Spring" and "Spring of Deception") where the temperatures usually rise to the double digits, before plunging below zero again. I'm crossing my fingers we won't see snow again, but there's no end in sight for our winter coats, hats and gloves.
So this week, we've got a track with some sun, courtesy of UK singer songwriter Shakka. With his father in a reggae band, Shakka spent much of his life growing up in the studio, watching how music gets made. He caught his first break in the industry in the mid 2000s when he was featured on "Blackout", a song by British rapper Wretch 32 that was one of the most popular in the country at the time. Since then, Shakka has racked up an impressive list of features, writing credits and awards, but has yet to break into the international mainstream as a solo act. That could change with his newest track: "Man Down".
Featuring AlunaGeorge, "Man Down" is the perfect summer tune. Put it on, close your eyes, and tell me you don't feel like you're at the beach. It blends British RnB with a strong pop hook and dash of Caribbean flavour. "Man Down" tells the old yet classic story of a girl trying to force her way into Shakka's life when he just wants to relax with his mates. He's calling up his friends to say "Man Down", but if the track gets as big as I think it will, he'll soon be calling them up to celebrate his newfound success.
You can learn more about Shakka here:
About the curator - Cormac McGee
Cormac McGee is a DJ, artist manager and concert promoter based in Toronto, Canada. He’s played in front of crowds from 10 – 1,000 people and has run concerts with some of today’s top hip hop artists, including Drake, Future, Mac Miller, 6lack, Ab-Soul and more. He also runs the Music Den at Ryerson University, a business incubator for entrepreneurs in the music industry.
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