Akua Naru releases new single from 'The Blackest Joy' album
'Made it' is the new single by singer, poet and social activist Akua Naru. The song is the second single release of Akua Naru’s third studio album ‘The Blackest Joy’ which was released on April 27.
The song, featuring Grammy Nominated soul veteran Eric Benét, is a celebratory and nostalgic blend of hip-hop and soul. It speaks of triumph through tribulation and the feeling power and joy through struggle, an assessment of where we have been and a hopeful vision for where we are going.
It was filmed in Lomé, Togo, West Africa and directed by LA-based artist Joachim Zunke, produced by Jahëna Lousin and Togolese Rapper Elom.
“The poet Kelly Elaine Navies wrote it best, 'like the banjo, I was stolen from Africa–but the middle passage did not break my strings, nor did it destroy my song.' This song is for us, the living; we stay making it,” says Akua Naru.
Akua Naru is from New Haven, Connecticut. Already as a child, she wrote poetry and gained first experiences as an MC in the backyards of her hometown. She wanted to gain experience outside of her hometown and first lived in Philadelphia and then later in New York. She spent time in Asia and West Africa , where she wanted to trace her own roots.
Naru's debut album was 'The Journey Aflame', following which she became quite the rage in hip-hop. It placed number one on the US college radio charts and one of the singles 'The World is Listening' took radio stations in France and Germany by storm.
With Made It, you might just see her setting new records.