Biography

The seeds of Alekesam were first sown when Sal Masekela and Sunny Levine became roommates in 2003. The friends were raised as brothers by their fathers Hugh Masekela and Stewart Levine, two artists who made music together for five decades. Sal would sit in on Sunny's sessions and by default wound up singing backup. This boosted his desire to release his own records, and the duo’s debut album “The Sound of Alekesam” was released in 2012. 
 The upcoming Alekesam album, “Sound Proof Heart”, is a poetic R&B reflection that feels honest and inviting, the sonic manifestation of a deep-rooted connection between friends with Sunny once again on production duties. Masekela and Levine share an almost telepathic connection in the studio “We speak in a language where we finish each other’s sentences in an abstract manner. It’s something we learned from mimicking the way our fathers spoke to each other from the time we were little. It lends itself to writing songs.” 
 The music of “Sound Proof Heart” expresses this authenticity. Introspective “All Is Forgiven” searches for meaning between the lounge driven rhythms. With a wandering cadence, “Vagabond” wanders the road with a warm and welcoming snap. The crowning achievement comes in the form of "In An Age" feat. Hugh Masekela, which showcases the sole studio collaboration between the father and son. To summarize the whole, “Sound Proof Heart” is surf R&B nestled in the sensibility of '90s hip-hop and so much more.