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Yasus Afari teams with Beres for ‘reggae poetry’
November 23, 2022
Poet Yasus Afari has landed a collaboration with lovers' rock king Beres Hammond on a new genre defining 'reggae poetry' titled Mama Africa We Love You.
The track was produced by Rodguel 'Blackbeard' Sinclair (Tipsy label), whose credits include Hammond's Step Aside and Move Along.
"From the very first moment I heard the song with Beres and Yasus, I knew straight away that it was extra special. I fell in love with it right away," an ecstatic Sinclair said.
Yasus raved about working with Sinclair and Hammond on the song.
"Beres Hammond is a lyrical maestro and a musical genius while Blackbeard is a veteran producer who knows the ropes of the business. So to be invited to do such a combination is an honour," he shared.
Since its release, Mama Africa We Love You has found a home on ZBC Classic 263 Radio in Zimbabwe, where radio host Terrence 'The HotStepper' Mapurisana has fallen in love with the track.
"Yasus' catalogue boasts some powerful dub poems that have made a lasting impact here in Zimbabwe. His latest offering is expanding the boundaries of reggae and dub poetry," Mapurisana said.
This is the third teaser single from Yasus' Golden Spoon Maroon album which also features Hot Stepper, Ini Kamoze, Ghanian artiste, Tonahope and Yasus' daughter, Mik.
What A Sinting, which features Ini Kamoze, has already garnered an unprecedented dance/electronic remix that is slated for release in early 2023.
The mix was recorded specifically for the European, Japanese, African and Asian markets and was engineered by master mixer DJ Marvin Prince from Canada, who garnered prominence in the 1990s as a touring DJ for Snow when he made headlines for his historic hit Informer, regarded as one of the biggest reggae dancehall hits of all times.
"I feel like I'm doing something extraordinary and historic for reggae poetry. We are delighted with the real prospect of the Golden Spoon Maroon being a strong contender for both the Reggae and Poetry/Spoken Word categories of the Grammy Awards 2024," Yasus stated.
