His father, a guitarist and producer of the Reggae band “The Foreigners Crew”, made sure he was immersed into music as a child. So he played keys and ended up singing a few songs for the band.
After studying Music Production and Theory, Classical Piano, Percussion and Vocals at CYM (Centre for Young Musicians), working closely with fellow rapper Incisive, he released his first EP entitled Foolishness Vol.1, and The Shakka Crown Affair, his widely received Concept Mixtape taking influence from The Thomas Crown Affair, where he experiments with Hip-Hop, Jazz, Indie Rock, and Electronic music.
Alongside his latest Shakkapella video-series, where he covers popular songs recreating the music in a beat-box fashion, he is promoting his Mixtape and other songs at shows across the UK (Loughborough, Lincoln, and Brighton to name a few).
Pain
Shakka Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Promise me you'll be yourself
Promise me you′ll take things on the chin
Like Tyson showing off his health
Promise me you'll be the-
Be the man you wish they were
With patience to take you 'round the world
Promise me you′ll always try to understand
I know it's hard to handle
I know it′s hard to take
Your love is hard to channel
It seems so far
But they seem to love
Pain
Oh, ohhh
Promise me you'll talk and talk for days
Know ′em like the back o' your hand
Promise me you won′t be bound by rage
Like a lion defending its stand
Promise me you'll own up
When you know deep down you're wrong
With the patience to try to make things right
Promise me you′ll never raise your hand
Promise me you′ll always try to understand
I know it's hard to handle
I know it′s hard to take
Your love is hard to channel
It seems so far
But they seem to love
Pain
You get a text saying "He broke the mic in the studio"
E-mail from a lawyer he don't even know
Some phone calls cause a friend had a episode
So the phone′s glued to his hand like a ten year old
And he's kicking himself just like Fight Club
Cause his parents don′t see him much and he knows
But he ain't even got to turn the mic up
To hear the voices raised in the household
Past beefs that their hearts can't let go
Come right back around like "May We Go?"
Dad′s blood pressure takes hold real quick
Then its like Uh-oh Spaghetti-O′s
Daddy takes the chopping board with his hands raised
Son runs to take his Mum's place
"Do that again, Dad and i′ll break your face"
Daddy stares at his little boy's face
As the boy screams "TRY ME! TRY ME!"
"I ain′t really fighting for much of a family
You and mom fight like there's gonna be winners but after the fight tell me what you both see?"
The boy′s phone rings, he don't answer
The ref can't leave ′til the round′s up
Hour later and they're watching X-Factor
Giggling and laughing like they weren′t about to end stuff
Even reggae's(?) squashed though, it′s a rain check
Boy takes the phone out, tapping all vexed
He's looking for the sex and desperado
Two drinks he knows makes the pain go
Instead he runs to his friend with the episode
All the unread texts says, "Look,"
She says, "I′m close to blowing my head-top"
So he hugs, light kiss and head locks
Singing
"I know it's hard to handle
I know it's hard to take
If you fall you′ve got hands to catch you
I′ve got you love
We'll rise above
Pain"
I know it′s hard to handle
I know it's hard to take
Your love is hard to channel
It seems so far
But they seem to love
Pain
The song Pain by Shakka is a heartfelt plea to a loved one, urging them to stay true to themselves and to never give up. It begins with a series of promises – promises to be true to oneself, to be patient and understanding, and to never resort to violence. Shakka's lyrics emphasize the importance of communication and honesty in relationships, urging his loved one to talk things out and to be honest with themselves and their partner.
As the song progresses, Shakka tells a story about a family who struggles with communication and anger management. He paints a vivid picture of a young boy caught in the middle of his parents' fighting, yearning for a happier family life. The boy's phone rings, but he doesn't answer – instead, he takes comfort in the love of his friends. The song ends on a hopeful note, with Shakka singing that he knows it's hard to handle, but that he and his loved one will rise above the pain.
Overall, Pain is a powerful and emotional song that urges listeners to stay true to themselves and to never give up in the face of adversity. Shakka's lyrics are both insightful and deeply moving, and his voice is full of passion and emotion.
Line by Line Meaning
Promise me you won′t end like them
Don't become someone who loses themselves in the pain.
Promise me you'll be yourself
Be true to yourself and stay true to who you are.
Promise me you′ll take things on the chin
Get through tough times with grace and resilience.
Like Tyson showing off his health
Be strong like a boxer in his prime, don't let pain bring you down.
Promise me you'll be the-
Be the one who stands up and endures pain with patience and strength.
Be the man you wish they were
Be a role model for those around you, the one you always wished to have.
With patience to take you 'round the world
Patience will take you far in life and allow you to see the world.
Promise me you′ll never raise your hand
Never resort to violence, control your anger and use your words.
Promise me you'll always try to understand
Be empathetic and understanding of others, even in difficult times.
I know it's hard to handle
Life can be overwhelming and difficult to manage.
I know it′s hard to take
Pain is not easy to accept and can be damaging to one's well-being.
Your love is hard to channel
It can be difficult to direct your emotions constructively.
It seems so far
The road to a better life can feel long, arduous, and challenging.
But they seem to love
Pain has a strange way of gripping people's lives and earning affection.
Pain
The title of the song refers to the impact that pain has on our lives.
Promise me you'll talk and talk for days
Open communication is important in any relationship, knowing someone inside and out.
Know ′em like the back o' your hand
Being familiar and intimate with someone's emotions and thoughts.
Promise me you won′t be bound by rage
Anger poisons and chains people, one must strive to rise above.
Like a lion defending its stand
Assertive in one's goals and staying grounded in the face of challenges.
Promise me you'll own up
Taking responsibility for one's actions, being accountable for one's mistakes.
When you know deep down you're wrong
Accepting when one is incorrect and take steps to rectify it.
With the patience to try to make things right
It takes time to fix things, but a patient and persistent approach is important.
You get a text saying "He broke the mic in the studio"
Unexpected events like this can cause intense reaction and pain.
E-mail from a lawyer he don't even know
Legal troubles like these can add to one's burden and pain.
Some phone calls cause a friend had a episode
External events of trauma that are difficult to handle can cause pain.
So the phone′s glued to his hand like a ten year old
The constant barrage of stimuli can be overwhelming, causing one to remain in a state of high-alert.
And he's kicking himself just like Fight Club
The mental anguish caused by pain can often manifest itself physically.
Cause his parents don′t see him much and he knows
The isolation caused by pain can have terrible implications on one's self-esteem and mental well-being.
But he ain't even got to turn the mic up
The tension is always there, even if not directly addressed.
To hear the voices raised in the household
Argument and conflict in the home can be painful and disruptive.
Past beefs that their hearts can't let go
Previous issues can linger and not allow individuals to move on from pain.
Come right back around like "May We Go?"
The past can rear its ugly head again and again.
Dad′s blood pressure takes hold real quick
The physical symptoms of pain can be intense.
Then its like Uh-oh Spaghetti-O′s
The feeling of overwhelm can cause panic and disorientation.
Daddy takes the chopping board with his hands raised
Violence as a response to pain and anger only perpetuates further pain and suffering.
Son runs to take his Mum's place
The cycle of violence can lead to others being hurt unintentionally.
"Do that again, Dad and i′ll break your face"
Frustration and anger often lead to more violence if not managed correctly.
Daddy stares at his little boy's face
The realization of what anger does to oneself and one's family can be devastating.
As the boy screams "TRY ME! TRY ME!"
The pain that one experiences can manifest itself in dangerous ways, hurting others as well.
"I ain′t really fighting for much of a family
The realization may occur for those in pain that the family isn't conducive to their reality.
You and mom fight like there's gonna be winners but after the fight tell me what you both see?"
Conflict is often destructive and detrimental to the family unit.
The boy′s phone rings, he don't answer
Avoidance and disconnection are common coping mechanisms for those in pain.
The ref can't leave ′til the round′s up
The pain may be present in every aspect of one's life and hard to overcome.
Hour later and they're watching X-Factor
The detachment from the pain can happen only for a brief moment.
Giggling and laughing like they weren′t about to end stuff
The pain may seem larger than life in one moment and insignificant the next.
Even reggae's(?) squashed though, it′s a rain check
The overriding pain may even prevent for the enjoyment of simple pleasures.
Boy takes the phone out, tapping all vexed
The pain remains lurking, waiting for the appropriate moment to reemerge.
He's looking for the sex and desperado
The transience of pleasure may be a coping mechanism for those in pain.
Two drinks he knows makes the pain go
Alcohol as self-medication is often used in order to cope with the pain.
Instead he runs to his friend with the episode
Finding comfort in friends as support is essential when dealing with pain.
All the unread texts says, "Look,"
The overwhelming nature of communication can exacerbate one's pain and stress.
She says, "I′m close to blowing my head-top"
The feeling of overwhelm is shared by others, and talking about it can help in coping with the pain.
So he hugs, light kiss and headlocks
Physical touch and displays of affection can be a form of soothing pain.
Singing
The singer is using his voice to communicate and connect with others.
"I know it's hard to handle
Pain is not easy to deal with
If you fall you′ve got hands to catch you
There is always someone or something there to support and help one rise above the pain.
I′ve got you love
The love for others and oneself is the antidote to pain.
We'll rise above
Through love and patience, we can endure pain and overcome it.
Writer(s): Shakka Philip
Contributed by Carter C. Suggest a correction in the comments below.