Proklaim – POPPIN (2024)
Despite our team only discovering Proklaim in late 2023, the hip-hop artist has turned heads for several years. Reaching audiences on an international scale, Proklaim engages the essence of “carpe diem” inspiring people, intriguing people, and empowering people to reach their potential. Our Proklaim journey began with his single ‘REASON 2 BELIEVE’, continued with ‘THIEVES’ and most recently reached ‘STARFALL’; however, it is his latest single ‘POPPIN’ that catches our eyes (or rather our ears) in this review.
Following his well-received single ‘BUM’, Proklaim’s ‘POPPIN’ shifts from a softer hip hop meets Afrobeat sound to a hard-hitting pounding of rap simmering in a pool of South African Amapiano. A combination of kwaito and house music, Amapiano is characterised by keyboards, synths and percussion lilting toward a jazz backing. In ‘POPPIN’, it presents underlying beats smothered in kwaito synths, pierced by percussion and shrouded in an EDM vibe. For me, the use of Amapiano to bring traditional African vibes is sensational (potentially biased because I am South Africa); however, the single has a complex depth transcending a fusion of interesting sounds.
While the melody is toe-tapping and certain to have you dancing about the house clapping your hands and grinning, it is the melding of style and sound that has me intrigued. Brash and abrupt, a rap-inspired crudeness exists, but a soothing flow of warm, rich vocals smothers brashness with modest charm. Two towers which should collide run together in an exquisite sonic river. Proklaim explains:
“The song is a fusion of high energy South African Amapiano music and hip hop music… it is a high energy banger designed to get people excited about life while simultaneously enjoying the messages therein…”
Eager to see evolutions in hip-hop music, Proklaim constantly brings a new dimension to hip-hop with each melody. ‘POPPIN’ engages South African sounds while ‘STARFALL’ lilted at a stronger RnB meets rap tone. Inspired by a need to change or fall into stagnation, Proklaim is a trendsetter and pioneer within the hip-hop world. Whether you enjoy hip-hop or not, this artist is essential to your playlist.
Find out more about Proklaim on his Facebook, Instagram and Spotify.
This artist was discovered via Musosoup #sustainablecurator
Listen to more hip hop singles on The Other Side Reviews Hip Hop playlist:
