Hempress Sativa - Woman (La Tempesta Dischi)

Hempress Sativa: "I titled my fourth album 'Woman' because, more than ever, I feel the need to place women's voices at the center. We are living in a moment where that voice is essential: not only to be heard, but to lead change, open new paths, and build awareness. This album was born exactly from that place, from the desire to give form and sound to this energy. 'Woman' is a project that carries a clear intention: to express, through music, the strength, sensitivity, and truth of the female experience. I hope it reaches you in the right way, that it resonates, and finds a place within your own stories."

In de intro klinkt het al: "Woman! History would try to have us forget the great Queens who ruled, the female warriors who stood proudly beside men on battlefields. How we've been of service to humanity, creating life, nurturing our families, teaching the nation, protecting peace, discerning within this world. They tried to silence us, made us to think we were weak."

En dan barst het titelnummer los, waarin Sativa ons laat kennis maken met vrouwelijke strijdsters uit de geschiedenis zoals keizerin Taitu van Ethiopië, de Jamaicaanse Nanny of the Maroons, Amanirenas, kandake of koningin van het koninkrijk Koesj in het huidige Zuid-Egypte, sarauniya of koningin Amina van Zazzau (het huidige Zaria in Centraal-Nigeria) of nog ngona of koningin Nzinga Mbande van Ndongo en Matambe in het huidige Angola. We willen jullie de volledige tekst dan ook zeker niet onthouden: 

Woman, woman, woman, woman
Woman did eh pan di the battlefield too (4x)

Yaa Asantewaa
Empress Taitu
Woman did eh pan di battlefield too
Dahomey Warriors
Nanny di Maroon
Woman did eh pan di battlefield too
Amanirenas
Amina
Makeda
Pokou
Woman did eh pan di battlefield too
Queen Nzinga of Ndongo
Woman did eh pan di battlefield too

Pan di battlefield Empress Taitu
From line pan her horse,
Led her Soldiers to victory
Agoji warriors were military trained
And dem skilled with the artillery
Kush kandakes use guerilla warfare
Execute fearless strategies
Once then Kingdoms were ruled by Queens
Divine Feminine Goddess Energy
Mother Earth bear the fruit from the planted seed
Nurture the youths strengthened the family
If intelligent she will help to build a legacy
For centuries labeled as weak
Heroines had to fight for the right to equally seen
Especially for those born with melanin
Better put some respect pan name of Woman
When the portal of life through the female one
In sync with Moon and the sun in balance
Instinctively in tune with the intuition,
She can sense your emotions know when something wrong
Healer by nature role important
Educate a woman educate a nation
Matriarch stand firm just like a column
You're the backbone fi all generations to come

Yaw Asentewa
Empress Taitu
Woman did eh pan di battlefield too
Dahomey Warriors
Nanny di Maroon
Woman did eh pan di battlefield too
Amanirenas
Amina
Makeda
Pokou
Woman did eh pan di battlefield too
Queen Nzinga of Ndongo
Woman did eh pan di battlefield too

Tubman did free many slaves
While the master a sleep
Rosa Parks wouldn't give up her seat
Sojourner Truth ask them "Aint I a woman?"
Winnie lead the Anti-Apartheid regime
To every young girl your Powerful Being
Greatness encoded in DNA genes
Straighten the crown pon yuh head when its lean
Don't you see your Most worthy as Empress Menen
Them know the portal of life through the female one
In sync with Moon and the sun in balance
Instinctively in tune with the intuition,
She can sense your emotions know when something wrong
Healer by nature role important
Educate a woman educate a nation
Matriarch stand firm just like a column
You're the backbone fi all generations to come

Sarraounia from Niger
Idia from Benin
Princess Yennenga
Fierce female legend
Real warriors
Feared by many men
In a war a surprise element
Heaven sent
She's a work of art
A master, masterpiece
A piece of mind when he's in times of need
Needless to say
Every King needs a Queen
Only a woman can make a man truly complete 

Tien jaar na haar eerste samenwerking met Paolo Baldini voor het geweldige 'Boom (Wha Da Da Deng)' sloeg Hempress Sativa voor dit album opnieuw de handen in elkaar met de Italiaanse producer.

Geen Hempress Sativa zonder ganja tune natuurlijk en die krijgen we dan ook met 'Ganja Spliff', waarin ook Jalifa voor het nodige vuur komt zorgen. Een twee duet krijgt u nog met het rootsy 'Rastaman Chant', waarin Tiken Jah Fakoly voor een streepje Frans en Dioulla zorgt. De wijsheid van Sativa's moeder, Doris-Ray Johnson, sijpelt dan weer door in 'Not Even Shadows'. Voor het rustige 'Hotter The Battle' gaat Sativa even de nyahbinghi-toer op, maar onze persoonlijke favoriet op 'Woman' is toch 'Rinse Mi Dub', een heerlijke clash tune met een Hempress Sativa in topvorm:

Rinse mi dub in a sound bwoy earz
Rinse mi dub in a sound bwoy earz
If a murder a di charge
I done plea guilty to the case
When mi rinse mi dub in a sound bwoy earz
Oh lawd
Another jump pon him dead
Looks like a funeral again, nine night
John public eating fry fish with bread
Oh lawd
Another jump gone down
Cause when it comes to murder sound
Yuh know a one champion wear the crown

Hempress Sativa en Paolo Baldini komen 'Woman' live voorstellen op zaterdag 27 juni ter gelegenheid van Couleur Café!