The Hip Hop African

Shane Eagle born in South Africa to the name Shane Patrick Hughes is a well-known rapper and songwriter. He first caught the attention of his fan base during his appearance on ”The Hustle”, a Vuzu rapping competition. Yielding him an amplitude of opportunities nationally and internationally. One of them was touring Europe with Dreamville musician, Abbas Hamad or “Bas”. Ironically Shane’s flow has similar poetic undertones as the famous American rapper J. Cole who is also the founder of Dreamville Records. His fans adore him for his unique lyricism and down-to-earth persona, allowing him to accumulate 91,631 monthly Spotify listeners.

Shane Eagle’s “Julia” confronts prevailing social norms and addresses the political climate of his environment. It acknowledges this generation’s fixation on material wealth and exposes the harmful mentality of embracing hardship, even among those who possess ample resources.

Eagle’s lyrics vividly depict individuals with means opting for detrimental paths, emphasizing society’s overwhelming desire to prioritize material symbols while ignoring struggles. He writes “I know niggas that have got it, they’re still chilling on the corner. They rap about the diamonds and never about the violence, and always about the jewels and never about the pools, that my people still drowning in.” This concept is not exclusive to Shane’s surroundings. There is a cool factor associated with living a life of struggle popularized by hip-hop culture. Both the subliminal and blatant messages within a large percentage of rap music today encourage a dishonest/violent lifestyle, influencing privileged individuals to adopt unnecessary hardships. “Julia” acknowledges this reality and openly disapproves of it while eliciting an emotional reaction from listeners. 

The emotional potency of Shane’s lyrics lies in their raw honesty. By confronting societal norms and challenging the glorification of struggle, he invites listeners to reflect on their own values and choices. Through his critique of materialism and the allure of a “cool” but ultimately destructive lifestyle, Shane encourages listeners to reconsider the narratives they consume and feed into. In doing so, “Julia” becomes more than just a song but a medium for critical thought and social change.