“Bad Ting”, the fresh single by Namibia based rapper Proklaim is an impressive addition to his discography. Birungi Alexander Kiremire known by his pseudonym Proklaim is a British-born rapper based in Namibia. The artist’s muted social media presence stands in juxtaposition with consistency with which he has dropped singles since 2018 which can only be a reflection of his work ethic and love for music.

“Bad Ting” infuses a chopper rap style that emphasizes speed of pronunciation with groovy afro-funk- like sampling. Words like ‘sunshine’, ‘life’ and progress in the beginning set a celebratory tone along with the simple bright synths that create an airy atmosphere. The heavy percussion and groovy bass that follow make a listener want to get up and dance with the ad-libs only adding to the energy of the track. The song’s catchy hook grasped me with the line “Only because it’s real we celebrate, only because it’s real we elevate” which emphasises its presence through repetition between the two wordy, pen-heavy verses.

The lyrics stand starkly in contrast to the sonic palette and bring up fairly unexpected themes like hard work, purpose, strength and vision. Like a true rap song “Bad Ting” has grandeur and self-praise in lines like “Never miss a beat” and “Saying things that are worthy of front page” while some lines like “Put it on the stove and it simmers till it burns” and “Micheal Jackson beat it” are clever and chuckle worthy adding much needed lightness to the single. At times, structurally, the words don’t sit on top of the music and one wonders if this is intentional.

The cover for the single is a great choice – detailed, captivating and futuristic. Proklaim’s potential makes me eagerly look forward to all that he has in store for us!