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Sheik Kargbo – The Speakeasy Experience (Album)

blame it on JES7 May 12, 2017

The talent in Virginia runs deep. That, we can be sure about. That same notion also excludes artists from the neighboring Washington, D.C. and Maryland, affectionately known as the DMV. We’d gladly list the artists who fall into this pool, but you already know the major players.

Alexandria, Virginia’s Sheik Kargbo has recently been turning heads following his debut appearance at the DopeHouse with his “New Neighbors” visual. The Virginian emcee, who moved to the United States from his home country of Sierra Leone, cites artists like Captain Beefheart, The Neptunes and Thelonious Monk as sources of inspiration — all of which are apparent on his new album, The Speakeasy Experience.

“I wanted to create something like an audio movie where the instrumental would serve as the score and the lyrics would narrate whatever subject matter I choose to tackle,” Sheik told us in a statement. Sheik’s keen ear for choosing the perfect samples to compliment his unique story telling is apparent throughout the 20-track outing, which also features the previous single “Trapped (Buck Feeva),” and continues on songs like “My Quirky Valentine” and “Breakaway.”

“With this album I wanted the listener to hear it from me, my experiences. Like a one-stop shop of Hip-Hop, where the instrumental and the lyrics would develop from the same mind.”

Hit play on the album below and purchase your copy on iTunes.