Asafo Anthems

4Cast

Dedicated to corrupt leadership; the track is self explanatory,  in my opinion just fun.  Its was recorded in 2006. Written by myself Shoko Blazeen aka (I- Rekshun) and engineered by Vyle-Che Da Vagabon.  The music was inspired by the Ruler.   There is a saying in my Akan culture,"EFUOM" meaning  the Bush, Wild, Unrefined.   This track  was created as a JAMA(a chant to get the spirits elevated and heightened for action) .. enjoy and kindly share.

In The Bush

I was asked to chop up a beat from a batman sound track.  The result is whats pumping through your eardrums at the moment.  I eventually wound up using it as the main theme song for my  Afrikan Gladiata album recorded in 2006-2007.  Enjoy and kindly share.

Take it easy

This track was inspired by the movie Amistad.  It was written in  2001 during the Star Afrique college years.  I was just getting comfortable with the MPC, refinning my writing and having fun on stage. In 2006, I remixed the track, gave it a new hook and recorded it with the Z boys in Parma Ohio.

Ear to the ground (instrumental)

I have always tried to combine sounds from multiple genres, I believe this track achieves that objective and serves as perfect example. Not sure how i managed to produce this track without using a kick or bass drum, but it seems to have worked.

Survivor(instrumental)

Originally written in 2001 during the  StarAfrique years, this track got a Refix /remix with new hook and some added basslines.
It was recorded in 2006 in Brooklyn Ohio with the Z boys in their home studio.  All final mixing however was done by yours truely.

Enjoy and Share.

Ear To The Ground 06 Remix

Quite an eclectic beat with  lyrics to keep  heads knodding and ears open for the next line. Written arranged and produced by yours truely , with recording assistance from Vyle Che Da Vagabon in Brooklyn Ohio, 2006.

Reel This Time

Instrumental for the track titiled CHANGES  off the Afrikan Gladiata Album in 2006.  Arranged and Produced by Yours truely.

Changestrackinst Clean.WAV

Its  Hip hop, its Reggae, its trip hop, its high life, its hip-life; Or none of the above.  Its an original piece composed arranged and recorded by yours truly.  I was experimenting with harmonies and multi-track recording, i recently eq'd it  a bit more to give a fresh feel.  Check it out, enjoy and please Share.   

moor fya

Written, arranged, recorded in Cleveland Ohio 2006.  I was inspired to take on creative process of producing an album from start to finish.
This is track one off African Gladiator ( 2007)

Unda Ground

Hailing from West Africa, Shoko Blazeen weaves a rich and complex tapestry of musical influences, genres, and partnerships. The ultimate result is his own brand of highly evolved hip hop-inspired, reggae-infused roots music, drawing on such a wide spectrum of musical ancestry (from Burning Spear to Roots Manuva) that it’s impossible to safely fit Shoko and his music into any one box.
This musical hybridity is a perfect suit for the 40-year old vocalist/producer, who grew up splitting time between the worlds of village and city in the developing nation of Ghana, soaking in the freshly imported Jamaican reggae, British dance, and local Ghanaian high life scenes of the post-colonial 1970s. When he immigrated with his father to New York in the late ‘80s, he landed smack in the middle of a burgeoning Black consciousness movement within the East Coast hip hop community. He also stumbled upon the soulful house music that would ultimately serve as the colorful backdrop for so much of the 1990s. Shoko’s family moved to Ohio and as consolation for the loss of night life, Shoko’s dad gifted him a simple beat machine to pass the time. The stage was set. 
A series of creative collaborations followed that would ultimately pave the way for Shoko’s evolution. At university outside of Detroit, Shoko partnered with Congolese pretty boy Abibo Ngandu to form the multilingual rap duo Star Afrique. The group gained modest popularity with club-friendly tracks such as “Crowd Control” and “Bottom Power.” After some local success and an appearance on the debut album by Toledo-based Common Ground, the duo disbanded and Shoko shifted his attention to a collaboration with Cleveland-based horror core rapper Vyle Che (“The Vagabond”). Soon thereafter, Shoko produced his own first solo work, African Gladiata, featuring the socially relevant singles “Throw Dem in Da Bush” and “Ear to the Ground.” After some time, his energy shifted again as he began to appear with the Akron-based reggae band Rhodes Street Rudeboys, organically mastering a range of roles from percussionist to bassist, keyboardist and background vocals. 
A move to Northern California in 2012 prompted yet another rebirth, with Shoko’s most recent work reflecting his more than 20 years in the world of music production and performance. Some of his Rastaman chants, reminiscent of works by Midnite, glide melodically over popular reggae riddims while others are backed by beats that sound more like Wu Tang has made a guest appearance. Shoko keeps listeners on their toes and never lets himself get pigeonholed, especially since his most recent partnership, with Ivorian producer Shabaz Debongs, results in some deliciously African drum and bass tracks that could only come from two U.S.-educated, reggae-inspired, house-infused, Afro-funk brewed, soul-steeped, hip hop heads from the Motherland. Check out ½ Shadows.
