Today, Morgan Heritage, the 3x GRAMMY award-winning band, share “Bambulele,” the latest single and releases the full tracklisting for their forthcoming album The Homeland, out April 21. Inspired by GBV (Gender Based Violence) in South Africa, 12-year old Hector Pieterson and the Soweto Uprising in 1976 – where Black students protested the enforcement of teaching their entire curriculum in Afrikaans, which was mostly spoken by the white population, instead of their native languages. “Bambulele” is a traditional Mbube (a form of Zulu choral hymns) song of mourning. During the protest on June 15th 1976, Pieterson was shot and killed by the police, who opened fire on the students. “Bambulele for us is a call to Africans at home and abroad to unite for the preservation of Mama Africa,” says Morgan Heritage. “Because we can’t allow her to suffer any longer at the hands of wrongdoers.”
Set as the opening track to The Homeland, Morgan Heritage is joined by the Brothers & Sisters Art Organization, a youth group/choir based in Cape Town. They sing the song to comfort themselves, their family, and friends because of the rising GBV (Gender Based Violence) victims across South Africa. Their performance takes the song to an etheric-ancestral level that evokes a soulfulness the listener did not know they had. With each note, the soloist shares the guttural pain experienced in the lyrics, which loosely translates to “They killed my mother / they killed my mother / who will I be left with in this world? / Who will I be left with? / They killed my mother, but she didn’t do anything to them.” Bambulele” is chilling, fervent, and lineal, delivering an opening track that frames the record as the must hear World Music project of 2023.
Stream “Bambulele” ft Brothers & Sisters Art Organization HERE
Next week (April 21), Morgan Heritage will release The Homeland, a star-studded 21-track collection marking a new era for the group as they expand their global reach from the Caribbean to the African Continent and beyond with guest contributions from Popcaan, Youssou N’Dour, Shaggy, Beenie Man, Shatta Wale, Mádé Kuti, and more. This album is a project of rebirth for the Morgan brothers, built upon a lineage that has lasted decades and one that will continue to forge forward. Musically, they take the listener on a journey that not only reminds them of days past, but the future ahead. Take a listen to the albums “infectiously upbeat” lead single “Who Deh Like U” feat Bounty Killer, Cham & Stonebwoy, which debuted at #1 on the US iTunes Afro-Beat chart.
Listen to “Who Deh Like U” feat Bounty Killer, Cham & Stonebwoy HERE
Morgan Heritage joined the GRAMMY Museum (at L.A. Live) last month as guests for The Drop Series, hosting an intimate conversation about their career, creative process, and their new album. This kicked off the culturally-iconic band’s global promotional tour, with planned stops in Los Angeles, New York, England, Germany, France, Uganda and Ghana.
The Homeland Tracklisting
- Bambulele ft. Brothers & Sisters Art Organization
- Can U Feel It ft. Gentleman & Rophnan
- I’ll Be There ft. Busy Signal & Mádé Kuti
- U Got To (See The World) ft. Edy Kenzo & S’Villa
- Diamond Love ft. Popcaan
- The Homeland ft. Youssou N’Dour
- Positive ft. Shaggy & Beenie Man
- Direct Connect ft Floda Graé
- Just A Number
- Ready ft. Shatta Wale, Jose Chameleone & RJ the DJ
- Heaven ft Krissy Yamagucci & Fayross
- Who Deh Like U ft. Bounty Killer, Cham, & Stonebwoy
- Headline Fi Front Page ft. Jahshii, Rytikal, & I-Octane
- Wacha Nikupende ft. Otile Brown
- Maria ft. Jah Prayzah
- Levels ft. Macky 2 & Ice Queen Cleo
- They Gonna Be Alright
- Remember ft. Alpha Blondy & Capleton
- Afreeca The Future ft. Rocky Dawuni & Lord Alajiman
- I Will Never Forget ft. PRIEL, Raiah, Esh Morgan & Jemere Morgan
- Long To Be Home ft. Eddy Kenzo
Show Dates
May 04, 2023 New Orleans, LA Jazz & Heritage Festival
May 06, 2023 Las Vegas, NV Reggae In The Desert
May 12, 2023 Cayman Islands Lover’s Rock Cayman 2023
May 27, 2023 Miami, FL Hot105 Hot Live
July 16, 2023 Martinique
July 22, 2023 Montego Bay, Jamaica Reggae SumFest
July 29, 2023 Belize
More about Morgan Heritage
Heralded as the Royal Family of Reggae, Morgan Heritage has released 12 studio albums, including Strictly Roots, which won the Grammy for Best Reggae Album. With a career spanning over two decades, Morgan Heritage has worked with numerous multi-GRAMMY award-winning artists and producers across multiple genres of music. Along with the group’s global success, they also command a significant sonic impact over the reggae genre, fusing it with various rhythms and sounds from around the world. They bring a riveting stage presence and showmanship to the culture which has made them synonymous with Reggae’s worldwide appeal.
Connect with Morgan Heritage
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For more information, please contact:
Matt Hanks | Shore Fire Media | mhanks@shorefire.com
Jerome Ware | Shore Fire Media | jware@shorefire.com
Rachel Jacobs | Shore Fire Media | rjacobs@shorefire.com
