A few years have passed since singer Shacky Rhymes made her entry on the Ugandan music scene.
She has a couple of songs to her name which have spread her wings far and wide, garnering her a fan base that is growing healthily.
Late last year, she gave her fans a sweet dose of Reggae vibes when she first gave a shot to the genre that originates from Jamaica, with a song titled ‘Bad Gal’ which has since then proven to be a fans’ favourite without forgetting an encouraging TV airplay it is receiving.
Her fans didn’t have to wait longer for yet another Reggae dose as she dropped yet another tune titled ‘Ghetto Life’, and just like the title, this one takes you to an imaginary trip to the ghetto, and it is irresistibly sweet to the ear.
Only a few singers who Shacky is part of can bring the fun side as well as the trials, tribulations, and the challenging life in general which ghetto people go through day in, day out like she did in the 3-minute song which she sings in Luganda language mixed with a few English and Jamaican Patois lines.
The soothing brief intro which she follows with a charming chorus, sparks off an instant bond between the listener and the song which is one you will want to listen to over and over again. A round of applause to Herbert Skills, the producer who gives the song an authentic Reggae vibe that any Reggae lover wouldn’t afford to ignore.
Shacky paints nothing but a clear picture of what the ghetto life experience is in the song’s two verses – for example the hardships they go through to get water and food among other things.
Lines like yadde yala zikuba obudde bukya buziba twetetenkanya kuba eno bwebiba which is loosely translated as although we are broke, we still see new days and nights and thrive because that’s how life runs this side is utter proof that it’s not an easy life in the ghetto but they are still resilient.
Away from the challenges, in the final verse, the singer brings the fun side of the ghetto life in a vivid picture she paints in the lyrics where she sings about the enkoola (khat) which are leaves of some plant that most ghetto youth chew to pass time while conversing.
For a long time, khat and the ghetto have been inseparable. A big number of ghetto dwellers, especially youth, chew it or have chewed it before or simply have a story to tell about it.
There is a belief that it keeps one active and also relieves their stress, and that’s what Shacky tries to stress.
Her ability to sing her heart out telling the listener about the ghetto life, with sweet melodic vocals that sit properly on the riddim (rhythm) is a style other singers who plan to sing about the ghetto should borrow a leaf from. For now we can only say Kudos to the budding artiste.
Listen to the song below.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=slmLLsHZ6aU
