Born on the south side of Chicago in 1986, singer, songwriter, and multi-instrumentalist Shawn James had a kind, hardworking mother and a gambling, drunk, and often intimidating steel-working father. His conflicted home life can still be heard in his music which can be full of contrasts — dark and light, anger and joy, earthy and airborne – while remaining gritty and real. Singing in church growing up, he was drawn to the emotional, ethereal power of music and its ability to affect people. It was there that he found his escape and learned how to harness his unique, soulful voice.

The singer-songwriter — who also plays guitar, piano and numerous other instruments — literally turned himself into a one-man band. Regardless of where he was playing — on the street, in a bar or at a house party – Shawn’s intensity, inimitable voice and hard-driving folk/soul/blues hybrid made for a performance not soon to be forgotten.

Today, VerbicideMagazine.com premieres the video for “Snake Eyes” from Shawn’s new album, On The Shoulders of Giants, released on June 17, 2016.

About the track, Shawn states, “‘Snake Eyes’ is a song about how it feels when it seems like bad luck is haunting you everywhere you go that ultimately leads to either succumbing to the bad circumstances or picking yourself up and catching a spark.”