Welcome to another edition of Po Politickin. In this episode for BAMG Radio, we politick with Connecticut rapper Sikai. Sikai discusses how he survived two car accidents, battled through an addiction to pain medication, and turned the experience into the Painkilling Music Group.
Artist Bio:
Sikai is a 24-year old rap artist from Stamford, Connecticut currently building his reputation in
the Tri-State for his quick-fire cadences, genre-bending production, and most importantly his story.
The Painkilling Music Group’s frontman chooses to create organic music made to experience
through his live shows and unique visual concepts. Growing up during the 90’s, Sikai and his
older sibling experienced the culture which was dominated countless by avant-garde music
videos, hood comedies and cassette tapes though their mother wanted to shield them from the
common adult messages in the music.
Sikai began recording and sharing his music while still in middle school. The culture of rap
battles were popularized during the early 2000’s through SMACK dvds and 106 & Park’s
“Freestyle Fridays”. Though a teenager during that period, Sikai’s began to gain some traction
in his hometown for battling. When the digital era hit, and offered new do-it-yourself capabilities
Sikai choose to focus on releasing mixtapes. His early projects were released while he was still
in high school.
In the last days of 2009, DJ Rated-R hosted “Gooney Tunes Volume 1” mixtape which proved
to be a beneficial move in getting local attention for Sikai. “Shoulda Been An Album” was hosted
by DJ Ill Will, and resulted in regional shows and a fair amount of online press. While building
upon the success of these projects Sikai was involved in a serious car accident. Physically
injured from the collision, Sikai was forced to slow down on his music and rehabilitate. As with
many people going through rehabilitation periods Sikai became dependent on pain killers. Even
as Sikai began to heal, do more shows, and record new music his physical dependency of pills
became an addiction. This early stage in his extreme dependency was the inspiration for his
next project entitled, “Painkillers & Energy Drinks”. The mixtape was hosted by DJ Whoo Kid in
the Spring of 2011, and features collaborations with French Montana, Joe Budden, Dublin and
Rich Hil.
What happens when tragedy strikes twice? In the second-half 2011, Sikai was involved in
another car crash. This forced relapse took the rising artist’s addiction to a new level. Before he
could do serious damage to himself Sikai received a wake-up call, and began the never-ending
road to recovery. The formation of the Painkilling Music Group was the direct manifestation of
Sikai’s new direction. Sikai encourages people to use personal passions to combat the many
afflictions that life may bring. With a fresh mind and new purpose Sikai and the Painkilling Music
Group is set to capture more eyes and ears with his next concept mixtape, “Painkilling: 1500mg” which was released on KevinNottingham.com.
The chemical name for ecstasy is MDMA or 3,4 Methylenedioxymethylamphetamine. It is a member of a family of drugs that include amphetamine and mescalin. MDMA produces a relaxed, euphoric state without hallucinations. Ecstasy is not addictive. However, the drug can often take on great importance in people’s lives. Many users report they have had the best time they have ever had in their life. However, taken too often, it loses its special appeal and users may move onto other things. MDMA takes effect 20 to 40 minutes after taking a tablet with little rushes of exhilaration which can be accompanied by nausea. 60 to 90 minutes after taking the drug, the user feels the peak effects. Sensations are enhanced, music sounds better. The effects of `real’ ecstasy subside after 3-4 hours. Users report that the experience is very pleasant and highly controllable. Even at the peak of the drug’s effect, people can easily bring themselves down to deal with an important matter. The effect that makes MDMA different from other drugs is the sensation of understanding and accepting others. Users feel as though barriers disappear and people feel less inhibited.
The chemical name for ecstasy is MDMA or 3,4 Methylenedioxymethylamphetamine. It is a member of a family of drugs that include amphetamine and mescalin. MDMA produces a relaxed, euphoric state without hallucinations. Ecstasy is not addictive. However, the drug can often take on great importance in people’s lives. Many users report they have had the best time they have ever had in their life. However, taken too often, it loses its special appeal and users may move onto other things. MDMA takes effect 20 to 40 minutes after taking a tablet with little rushes of exhilaration which can be accompanied by nausea. 60 to 90 minutes after taking the drug, the user feels the peak effects. Sensations are enhanced, music sounds better. The effects of `real’ ecstasy subside after 3-4 hours. Users report that the experience is very pleasant and highly controllable. Even at the peak of the drug’s effect, people can easily bring themselves down to deal with an important matter. The effect that makes MDMA different from other drugs is the sensation of understanding and accepting others. Users feel as though barriers disappear and people feel less inhibited.
Sikai began recording and sharing his music while still in middle school. The culture of rap battles were popularized during the early 2000’s through SMACK dvds and 106 & Park’s “Freestyle Fridays”. Though a teenager during that period, Sikai’s began to gain some traction in his hometown for battling. When the digital era hit, and offered new do-it-yourself capabilities Sikai choose to focus on releasing mixtapes. His early projects were released while he was still in high school.
As with many people going through rehabilitation periods Sikai became dependent on pain killers. Even as Sikai began to heal, do more shows, and record new music his physical dependency of pills became an addiction. This early stage in his extreme dependency was the inspiration for his next project entitled, “Painkillers & Energy Drinks”. The mixtape was hosted by DJ Whoo Kid in the Spring of 2011, and features collaborations with French Montana, Joe Budden, Dublin and Rich Hill.
April 7, 2010 Sikai experienced a car accident that left him hospitalized and bed-ridden for weeks. Prescribed painkillers, a back brace, and heating pads to deal with the injuries sustained; Sikai was able to get back on his feet and complete some of his show bookings. Becoming very dependent on the painkillers prescribed to get through performances, Sikai also developed a habit for energy drinks to tolerate the usual occurrence of feeling drowsy from drugs such as vicodin, ibuprofen, and percocet. \ It became noticeable around the release of his “Shoulda Been An Album” Mixtape in September 2010 that his special mixture of painkillers and energy drinks would turn into a project title as Sikai continued more shows and promotion with each of these items present. He then created the Painkilling Music Group to show a relationship between what he had been through in his personal life directly with his music. The word “painkilling” became a phrase to describe anything a person did in order to fight pain physically or mentally. Whether they did poetry, artwork, music, or actually took painkillers. The meaning was not to promote illegal usage. With that being clear to the fans Sikai Released “Painkillers & Energy Drinks” May 24th 2011.
With each new mixtape released I’d wait for the day the right people hear his music so it can spread to the masses. Sikai’s passion will drive him to whatever performance he has that night as well as to his place among many great rappers that really had something to say. I believe Sikai’s car accident is what turned things around. He was physically injured from the collision and was forced to slow down his life, including his music. During his rehabilitation period he became dependent on painkillers. Sikai began his healing process and started to do more shows and record more music. At this point the painkillers had become an addiction. I listened to my cousin as he explained his troubles and went into detail about the next concept for his mixtape, “Painkillers and Energy Drinks.” It was an ingenious and somehow funny idea that all came from a place of truth. The concept was about his life and balancing rehabilitation with his music. The mixtape demonstrated this through description about his life with prescription. The songs themselves serve as examples about the outcome of the events. Anyone who listens will love the tape, with collaborations from the likes of French Montana, Joe Budden, Dublin and Rich Hil.
With each new mixtape released I’d wait for the day the right people hear his music so it can spread to the masses. Sikai’s passion will drive him to whatever performance he has that night as well as to his place among many great rappers that really had something to say. I believe Sikai’s car accident is what turned things around. He was physically injured from the collision and was forced to slow down his life, including his music. During his rehabilitation period he became dependent on painkillers. Sikai began his healing process and started to do more shows and record more music. At this point the painkillers had become an addiction. I listened to my cousin as he explained his troubles and went into detail about the next concept for his mixtape, “Painkillers and Energy Drinks.” It was an ingenious and somehow funny idea that all came from a place of truth. The concept was about his life and balancing rehabilitation with his music. The mixtape demonstrated this through description about his life with prescription. The songs themselves serve as examples about the outcome of the events. Anyone who listens will love the tape, with collaborations from the likes of French Montana, Joe Budden, Dublin and Rich Hil.