Twenty-four-year-old Shoka Sunflower, an artist hailing from Johannesburg, South Africa, crafts his music around raw emotional honesty, deep self-reflection, and a burning desire to inspire authenticity in others. His journey took flight at age 12 when his older brother introduced him to the transformative power of music, sparking a creative fire that would forever shape his path. By 16, Shoka committed himself to music, not just as an art form, but as a powerful vehicle for self-discovery and genuine human connection.
That commitment shines through in his new album, For Now Keep Dancing—a project entirely produced by Moo Latte, a name you might recognize from his work with heavy hitters like G-Eazy, Method Man, Jadakiss, Freddie Gibbs, and Cordae. Written during a challenging period in his childhood bedroom, the album fearlessly dives into themes of emotional avoidance, a fractured sense of self, and the ever-present uncertainty that defines our early twenties. Shoka describes the album as a raw reflection of his own internal battles: “The biggest thing I realised about myself was my inability to confront things directly. So I made a project that mirrors that.”
The record’s focus track, “Never Miss A Step,” beautifully embodies this vulnerability. Shoka describes its creation as instinctive and almost mystical — something that arrived unbidden, like a flash of creative inspiration. Across its non-linear story arc, the album tells the story of The Fighter, a character embodied by Shoka and visually represented as Baby Hake, a boxer whose name pays homage to South African champion Baby Jake. The narrative unfolds in three fragmented stages — Purposeful Ignorance, Realisation, and Breakthrough — yet intentionally avoids a neatly tied resolution. Instead, the central message is one of unwavering persistence: to “keep dancing, for now,” even when the answers remain elusive.
Extending this powerful vision beyond the realm of music, Shoka created a companion short film, Still Kicking: A Baby Hake Character Study. The film drops viewers right into Baby Hake’s psyche, following the newly minted pro boxer as he navigates the treacherous landscape of pain, exhaustion, and the relentless pursuit of greatness. Still sporting bruises from a recent fight, he pushes himself through grueling training, fueled by the unwavering mantra that “Greats don’t rest.” The film serves as a visual echo of the album’s core theme — the importance of continuing to move forward, even when weighed down by struggle.
Baby Hake represents the beautiful contradictions within us all: ambitious yet weary, resilient yet fragile, hungry for greatness while simultaneously haunted by pain and the specter of perfectionism. For Shoka, Baby Hake isn’t a traditional hero, but rather an anti-hero, a mirror reflecting not only himself but countless others who continue to strive despite fatigue and doubt.
Sonically, For Now Keep Dancing draws inspiration from the raw, unfiltered lyricism of 90s and early 2000s hip-hop, particularly A Tribe Called Quest’s Low End Theory, while seamlessly weaving in modern influences like Vince Staples, Jean Dawson, Kendrick Lamar, and Daniel Caesar. Shoka’s simple (but powerful) request to Moo Latte was: “Hard drums and basslines.” The project’s visual aesthetic is equally rich and layered, referencing vintage boxing posters, the frenetic energy of Jean-Michel Basquiat, classic Blue Note jazz covers, French cinema like La Haine, and the funkadelic world of Jamiroquai’s Emergency on Planet Earth.
Beyond his own artistic endeavors, Shoka is also the visionary founder of GUSHER, a creative platform dedicated to supporting both South African and international artists. His work has already garnered global recognition, earning support from BBC Radio 6 Music, BBC 1XTRA, prominent Apple Music playlists, and the influential COLORS platform.
Ultimately, For Now Keep Dancing and Still Kicking come together to form a compelling portrait of an artist constantly in motion — choosing persistence over easy closure, fearlessly documenting the complexities of youth, and proving that even when the fight feels endless, the only real option is to keep moving forward.
