The rising hitmaker expands his musical reach through a high-energy collaboration designed to bring reggaeton-inspired, Afrobeats-inflected sounds to a new generation of Filipino listeners
Following the breakout success of “baby lika,” Filipino rapper-producer Trippie Budd returns with “cheekybang,” an upbeat collaboration with Jamaican-Filipino reggaeton and fusion artist SAJKA and rising Filipino rapper Zae.
Driven by hard-hitting production and an infectious celebratory vibe, the track gives each artist room to showcase their distinct style while maintaining its high-energy momentum from start to finish.
The release marks an exciting new direction for Trippie Budd, whose eclectic tropical sound seamlessly blends reggaeton, Afrobeats, and Moombahton. Rather than simply riding existing trends, the urban multi-hyphenate aims to help bring these global influences further into the Philippine mainstream.
“I want this track to somehow dominate the club scene across the country and maybe eventually become part of the street sound as well, alongside other genres,” Trippie Budd explains. “I don’t have plans to take over anything; I just wanna blend in and serve as a gateway to a bolder but totally different sound in our local music scene.”
The collaboration came together during the music video shoot for “baby lika,” when Trippie Budd learned that SAJKA—whose music had caught his attention through Spotify’s KALYE playlist—would be visiting the set. What began as an opportunity to connect eventually developed into a collaboration between two kindred spirits. Rising rapper Zae later joined the lineup upon the recommendation of Sony Music Philippines’ Urban team.
Produced by JayXagonto and ETRIZZLE, “cheekybang” fuses island-inspired rhythms with infectious club beats and dynamic synth elements. Its arrangement brings together the contrasting musical deliveries of Trippie Budd, SAJKA, and Zae, turning their individual styles into one cohesive party anthem.
“The majority of the arrangement of the instrumental came from JayXagonto, and I just asked for some minor changes while I was writing the track,” Trippie Budd adds. “It all aligned well since it wasn’t my first time working with JayXagonto. The sound that I think is the backbone of the track is the synth instrument with the stereo-widening effect, which is a really big factor if you’re planning to make a club banger.”
Beyond its dance-floor appeal, “cheekybang” also reflects Trippie Budd’s belief in music as an escape from the pressures of everyday life. “I wanna make people in bars, clubs, beaches, and other places forget about their problems for a while,” he shares.
With “cheekybang,” Trippie Budd, SAJKA, and Zae deliver a confident musical statement: a new-generation party anthem that embraces global influences while helping shape the evolving sound of Filipino urban music with a distinct local flavor.
Trippie Budd, SAJKA, and Zae’s “cheekybang” is out now on all digital music platforms worldwide via Sony Music Entertainment.
