Florida punks Dikembe have released a resonant new song, and the accompanying music video heavily features Orlando. “Haymakers” explores self-accountability and taking responsibility for your mistakes.
Steven Gray, Dikembe’s frontman and an Orlando resident, gave Orlando Weekly the scoop.
“Acknowledging that your actions and attitude have negatively impacted others can be tough to accept, but giving yourself the grace to make it up to them is powerful,” says Gray. “When the wake of your actions includes a list of names you need to make amends with, ‘who’s next?’ should be the most important question.”
In typical Dikembe fashion, the song rips. Swirling heavy riffs meet Gray’s incisive vocals at a harmonious midpoint. The accompanying video was entirely shot in Orlando’s own Central Florida Skatepark.
Longtime producer of all things wrestling and live music Scotty Swemba directed the video. The shoot features all the best trappings of a DIY production, with the band wrangling friends and their kids and skateboarding into a comfy green-screen suit. Orlando locals may recognize many of the scenes and smiling faces.
The local flavor adds to Dikembe’s status as an honorary hometown band. The band’s roots stretch back nearly 15 years to Gainesville. Dikembe’s members — Gray, Randy Reddell, Andy Anaya and David Bell — now live in cities across the state and country, but still making music and touring regularly. But Gray calling Orlando home gives us a little more hometown pride for these institutional Florida punks.
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This article appears in May 7-13, 2025.