We asked up and coming musician Missy D to talk us through her top five songs that remind her of Homeland. First discovered in France at age 11, the rapping talent continues to grace the stage with her groovy presence and catchy tunes in both English and French. Missy D is a female emcee born and raised throughout the Motherland. She is a blend of African cultures and so is her music. Her East African culture stems from Rwanda, while her West African culture is from Ivory Coast and finally her Southern African culture is influenced by Zimbabwe. Similarly, she loves to mix old school and new school Hip-Hop/Rap/R&B and Soul music, some call it “Rap&Soul”. Her debut album entitled “When Music Hits You Feel No Pain” is available now on iTunes, Spotify, Google Music, Tidal and more.
“All 5 songs below represent my love for the motherland, the diversity we share, the fun we create in our music the strength we speak for, the jams we entertain and create. They have influenced my writing process, my performing process and there is a list of more people and songs I wish I could have added.”
Premier Gaou – Magic System: is Home to my childhood. I was born in Rwanda, raised in Ivory Coast, and they were my first ever live concert while living in Zimbabwe. This song represents the Motherland to me, the humor behind the song, the rhythm that makes you groove, the memories remembered and created every time you hear and dance to this jam! This song is the anthem.
Lucky Dube – Different Colors: a Reggae Legend, he is/was the message of hope, of people, something I strive to incorporate in songs I write every day. I call him my African Bob Marley, so much power and strength in his music. It brought my family together while in the car on trips and our community. His music has the power to gather nations, “different colors, one people!”
Cheb Khaled –Aicha: one of those classics! It reminds me that Africa is a large and vast continent. It holds memories of my french cable playing a song in Arabic from Algeria. So many memories, so much diversity in our continent. Aicha is just one of them, just a beautiful song.
Khadja Nin –Sambolera: this one is closer to home, closer to my thousands of hills, as Nin hails from Burundi. This one introduces a cadence familiar to my parents’ music, my mother’s CDs and father’s cassettes. Such a beautiful melody and voice, hard hitting and compacted with emotions. This is the Soul Music of my Motherland.
Bisso Na Bisso: It is the name of the track and the band of one of my favorites albums ever! it has the roots of Hip Hop and Africa. I would love to write a song as melodious as Bisso Na Bisso. Again they remind me of my favorite childhood memories before I fell in love with American Hip Hop, I fell in love with Bisso Na Bisso! From Congo, so close to home for me, they influenced my love for rap, for melodies and for speaking about everyday experiences!”
Missy D’s debut album “When Music Hits You Feel No Pain” is available on iTunes, Spotify, Bandcamp, Google Music, Tidal and more facebook.com/themissyd
The album link: https://missyd.bandcamp.com/album/when-music-hits-you-feel-no-pain
