Skeng Leaps Into Swimming Pool During T&T Performance
Radio disc jockey and 12 Nine Records music producer ZJ Sparks has come to the defence of Skeng, who became the subject of memes about being under the influence of Molly, after he, fully clad, jumped wildly into a swimming pool during a performance in Trinidad.
In the video, which has now been re-enacted by some local comedians, Skeng is seen deejaying the lyrics to Protocol and, during the set jumped into the air, landing in the pool with a big splash.
Almost immediately, a man identified by some as Cream Of The Crop artist Navaz, lifts off, landing in the pool after him, while another man merrily uses a fog machine to spray Skeng, even as he is being hauled from the water by bystanders.
https://www.instagram.com/p/CeMu0pfAke1/
“Suh caw Skeng jump inma d pool is molly? Bruh, mi a play at pool party run and jump off inna d pool and guh back guh play and is water alone mi didna drink. People cyan ave fun?” Sparks asked on Twitter.
Suh caw Skeng jump inma d pool is molly? Bruh , mi a play at pool party run and jump off inna d pool and guh back guh play and is water alone mi didna drink. People cyan ave fun?
— Zj Sparks 🇯🇲 🕉 Island Waves 🌊 5 April 2024 (@Sparkiebaby) May 30, 2022
There were several responses and retweets of Sparks’ remarks, most in support of the Skeng, whom the commenters agreed for the most part, was young and should be allowed to enjoy himself as he sees fit, without being bothered by opinionated people.
“My happy place is the memory of jumping in a bounce-house as a grown ass woman, screaming with joy at the top of my lungs. Nuff people cyaa connect wid dat part a demself n a dat’s why dem suh sad n miserable… Also, man a live him dream. Him nuh supposed to happy? Weird,” shaemil said.
“Facts. I love a bounce-a-bout! Any kids party I guh, mi tell dem seh mi want a segment fi adults, just gi wi 15 minutes. Mek wi kin pupa-lick and frolic too inna d bounce-a-bout and full-joy wi self,” cutetish added, while DarkKittyBitty noted: “Exactly! Dem a gwan like dem never see di same hip hop artists doing wild stuff and enjoying themselves and dem same one big dem up. Skeng is just living his dream/life.”
Others like Bignickenergy said that Skeng was simply being himself, and not falling into trap of trying to meet the expectations of others by pretending to be what he is not, and expressed dismay that people were thinking the Gvnman Shift artist’s behaviour was drug-induced.
“People are so used to fake made up appearances that anything that seems too “basic” must be drug induced. Like the things I do 100% sober? Especially when I’m with my friends?! You’d swear I’m drugged out,” he said.
Another commenter sought to explain why people might have been thinking that Skeng was under the influence of Molly, a party drug that the artist has sung about in a number of his songs. “Maybe because he’s known for Molly…and not a very energetic person generally,” he argued.
And1 had a slightly different take, positing that Skeng might have orchestrated the starfish jump into the swimming pool, to turn attention away from the drama which unfolded in Guyana during his Baderation performance, where gunshots were fired.
“The event, context, vibes and where the pool is in terms of the stage, it was only right he jumped in, plus he’s smart he knows it would add drama and excitement for his performance and get the crictics from stop talking about the Guyana show, #Skeng smart, craft and tactics,” he said of the 21-year-old.
Another commenter who shared the video on Twitter appeared to, like most people find Skeng’s antics, as well as Navaz and the man wielding the fog machine, hilarious.
“2 much tings a happen inna da video ya: 1. Man with the fog machine/fire extinguisher manually handling it 2. Skeng jumping off in the pool like Patrick Star 3. His bredren jumping into a leg drop behind the artist 4. The fog machine man a spray skeng after,” he noted.
On her Instagram page Sparks shared a video parody which has since gone viral, of two young men, e-enacting the scene using a black Rhino water tank as a swimming pool, the one playing the role of Skeng walking up and down while screaming the lyrics of Protocol into a ‘microphone. This evoked laughing emoticons and funny comments from some entertainers, including Mr Lexx and Tony Matterhorn.
https://www.instagram.com/p/CeNNEswjfGj/
In the meantime, Skeng is booked for Alkaline’s New Rules, and at least one Dancehall fan, O’shvne, is hoping that Skeng will execute a similar stunt at that event.
“I hope they have a pool at New Rules for Skeng’s performance,” he tweeted.