Posted on: June 28, 2008 Posted by: James McQuiston Comments: 0

Shaya cuts to the chase in a serious way with “Fall Back,” bringing his signature flow to the table alongside a low-key yet highly memorable beat. The opening line, “Hit ’em with that critical hip-hop,” embodies Shaya’s philosophy when it comes to making hip-hop: no excess, no frills, just solid rhymes and beats and music that comes from the heart. Lines such as: “Your boy can rhyme, outta sight outta mind, guaranteed to shock deep, never there but right on time” re-affirm Shaya’s belief in genuine hip-hop music. The track’s beat grabs the listener right from the beginning with a walking bass line that kicks things off. With an ethereal synth line sitting on top of the mid-tempo beat, the track’s simplicity is reminiscent of hip-hop’s glory days back in the early 90s. A few other elements, including a sampled vocal line underlie the rhyming; the focus, still, is the lyrical content. “Fall Back” is a throwback to the days in hip-hop when rhymes and beats mattered more than jewelry and women. Shay’s debut album, Fallen Awake, will be released by Interdependent Media on July 29th, 2008

The Background:

Prior to signing with Interdependent Media, Shaya spent nearly ten years hitting the pavement in his native Bay Area slanging handmade CD’s and mixtapes at shows and on street corners. Shaya’s lyricism, determination, and charismatic personality caught the attention of many industry leaders but personal obstacles often prevented him from taking his craft to the next level. He did, however, perform regularly and opened up for Bay Area luminaries such as the Hieroglyphics and the Living Legends. Shaya is currently under the mentorship of iD, the same A&R guru who introduced the world to Little Brother. Now, backed with the support of Interdependent Media, home to Canibus, K’naan, Tanya Morgan, Eyezon, J*Davey, and other artists, Shaya and iD are proud to finally release the fulfillment of the potential that others in the industry have always seen in Shaya with Fallen Awake. The album features production from Jake One (50 Cent, Freeway) and The ARE (Lords of the Underground, K-Otix). Under the manifesto of resurrecting “thinking manÂ’s music,” Shaya considers Fallen Awake to be not only an open-palm to his listeners, but a chance to lay to rest the pains of his own life.

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