Fast-rising Afrobeats artiste SGM, also known as Sam George Mac, has bounced back, with his latest track PARASITISM which expresses a sentiment for symbiotic relationships. On this tune, he is joined by another developing artiste, Controversial Success, who doubles as the producer.
PARASITISM is backed by instrumentals that are rooted in the Reggae dancehall genre which contains elements of pop music. The artiste considers his style in the song “Afrolit”, a nonce word for the combination of Afrobeats and literature. While the foundation of the hit is clearly Afrobeats , the lyrics are poetically constructed.
Thematically, the song deals with the stark, self-centered nature of humans and exposes the myth of unconditional love. “I’m with you because I love your body/You’re with me because you love this money,” the lead singer croons. It’s a silent acknowledgment that most human relationships are transactional, with almost everyone having a stake of personal interest.
“At a point in my life, it felt like everybody wanted to exploit me, use me and take advantage of me. I became very paranoid, fierce and defensive in human relationships,” says SGM as he shares the inspiration behind the tune. “The time I wrote PARASITISM in 2023, I’d stopped experiencing all that, especially because I was no longer my younger innocent self. Perhaps that knowledge of exploitation from people that was registered in my mind some three or four years ago spurred me to write the song.”
SGM describes the decision to feature Controversial Success as “a sort of symbiosis as against the parasitic nature of many human relationships characterized by selfishness and exploitation”.
SGM’s music journey began unofficially from home. His father literally fed him music, while his mother leisurely sang in the home. He joined the church choir, where he spent five years before leaving. In those years, he dabbled in poetry, often writing poems and trying to sing them. Following a series of quasi-professional attempts, he eventually took music as serious business, exploring different soundscapes and consistently honing his talent.
“It took me efforts, criticisms and constantly questioning myself to identify the standard that was needed to sound professional,” SGM recalls. “The phases are climactic and I near the top with every piece of music made. It’s very fulfilling too; you know reflecting on your life as an upcoming musician and knowing yeah I did this and that.”
SGM released his debut album, Music Is A Therapy, in 2023 and is currently working on his sophomore project, IN A WORLD WHERE EVERYONE IS MAD.
Controversial Success, who has been slowly building a name for himself in the music industry in the past few years, has to his credit songs like Bathsheba, Not the Ones, Touchable Nothing and most recently Me and the Devil. In April 2023, he collaborated with SGM for the production of Knoe (Remix)
PARASITISM is more than just a sleek combo of two aesthetes. It’s a toast to the spirit of teamwork and symbiotism.
Released on January 9, 2023, PARASITISM is available on streaming platforms.
Listen now.