US born wordsmith, rapper and poet, Akua Naru will perform on the main stage at Bayimba International Festival of Arts on Sunday 18th September 2016.

The concert is part of her African tour organized by the German international cultural institution, Goethe Institut. Within ten days in September, Akua will tour Mozambique, Zimbabwe, Rwanda, Uganda and Kenya accompanied by a band of four international musicians.

Akua Naru

Akua Naru, who lives in Germany and released her debut album “The Journey Aflam” in 2011, has solidified herself in short time on the scene as a model for what women can be in hip-hop. Her singer, “The World is Listening” placed number one on the US college radio charts  and rotated on various national radio stations in France and Germany. Her latest release “The Miner’s Canary” (2015) has been recorded live over a two year period featuring various talented musicians and freeing its musical landscape from the single genre of hip=hop to settle down between soul blues and jazz.

She has performed with the world renowned Afro Beat Pioneer and Fela Kuti drummer Tony Allen, toured with classic Hip Hop Ground Lords Of The Underground, and shared the stage/collaborated with artistes Patrice, Tete, Usula Rucker, Blitz The Ambassador, German production powerhouse JR & Ph7, Detroit emceeElzhi, Wax Tailor, UK rapper TY, Voice of Germany soul singer, Mic Donet, and recently featured on anew Red Hot release alongside Tenuyards and legends Angelique Kidjo and Ahmir “Questlove” Thompson of the legendary Roots crew.

Akua Naru’s stay in Kampala from 17th to 20th September is hosted by Goethe-Zentrum Kampala/UGCS. Apart from the performance at Bayimba Festival, Akua Naru will go for a studio session to record a collaboration with some Ugandan artistes.

Watch one of Akua Mary’s love sessions