Before Zero Records

Macka B’s ‘My Fathers People’ is an upfull homage and heart felt salutation to some of the great Pan-African leaders, who devoted their lives to the freedom and liberation of Africa. Thomas Sankara, Patrice Lumumba, Bantu Steve Beko, Dedan Kimathi, Amílcar Cabral, Agostinho Neto, Kwame Nkrumah, Samora Machel, Julius Nyerere and Haile Selassie.

In the fine style that we’ve all come to know and expect of Macka B, this track is not only catchy and upbeat, but also jam-packed full of essential knowledge. In-between each chorus, Macka B gives a brief snapshot of the leaders, their struggles, their victories and their qualities. The track is equally at home in a sound system session as it is in a school. History has long been handed from generation to generation in song, and adults and children alike will find themselves singing along and helping to keep the memories and the works of these great men alive and well in this present day.

No other day could be more fitting for the release of this track than African Liberation Day, the 58th anniversary of the founding of the Organisation of African Unity, by Haile Selassie, in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. Many of the leaders called upon in this track were leaders that were convened by His Imperial Majesty on that very day to begin the process of liberating Africa from the yoke of colonial and neocolonial bondage, hence the title - My Fathers People.

The musical richness of this track is not only owed to Kibir La Amlak’s composing style, but also to the amazing studio sound of Lone Ark and playing style of Roberto Sanchez who played back almost all instruments on this piece (drums, bass, guitar, piano, organ, percussion) bar the sax and flute which was handled by I-Jah Salomon and the soulful backing vocals from JJ Soul X.