Over the centuries, Africa has been forced and painfully present in the world by the oppression and exploitation that separated peoples and families, but with struggle, resistance and unity, it has become much larger than its own lands. And through the diverse expressions that bloom from each soil and interconnect, the continent expands and merges with the planet. This reflection permeates the album “We Must Unite” by Haitian rapper and activist Vox Sambou, which hits digital platforms.
In nine tracks, the artist reveals his powerful and profound artistry as a tribute to the African diaspora. With this, he mixes sounds and rhythms, such as traditional Haitian, Congo-Kinshasa and Brazilian candomblé. The album is produced by Vox Sambou and features Mangaio, Icaro Sá, Emanuel Venâncio, Junix, Ton Carvalho, Dinho, Beto Gibbs, Nora Toutain, Naxx Bitota, Ian Cardoso, Ronald Nazaire, David Ryshpan, Kizaba, Cyber, Rémi Cormier, Gamroz, Diolkidi and Manno Beats.
- “We Shall Unite” is a tribute to my mom and the African diaspora. Let’s wake up! We are responsible for uniting for justice and finding peace – as it stands out.
From Haiti to the world
Vox Sambou hails from Limbe, Haiti. Singing in several languages, including Haitian, French, English, Spanish, and Portuguese, participating in important events, such as NPR’s Tiny Desk meets GlobalFEST, and receiving international awards, such as the Afrima Awards. Based in Canada, he is a founding member of the Montreal hip-hop group, Nomadic Massive, and has toured in Chile, Brazil, Senegal, Mali, Burkina Faso, Colombia, Morocco, Spain, the US (at the Kennedy Center in Washington, and at major shows in Los Angeles) and France (at Le Printemps de Bourges). His relationship with Brazil goes back a long way, having collaborated, on stage or on recordings, with names such as Rael, Lazo Matumbi, Lineker, Lucien Daume and Alma Djem.
Vox’s music is a mixture of traditional Haitian rhythms and Afro-Latino elements such as Afrobeat, Afro-Brazilian music, reggae and hip-hop. A conscientious artist who is not afraid to denounce social injustice, he has released the albums “Lakay” (2008), “Dyasporafriken” (2013) and “The Brasil Session” (2016). With the single “Akouna” (2019), in partnership with Afrotronix and Manno Beats, he achieved more than 5 million views on Youtube and won two Afrima Awards. “We Must Unite” is the fourth studio album in his career and follows the most recent singles: “Limbe” (2022), “Toya” (2023) and “Right to Live” (2023).
Round launch
The global launch of “We Must Unite” saw a performance at the Petit Campus in Montreal, accompanied by David Rhyspan, Ronald Nazaire, Jennifer Dupuy, Frank, Jean Daniel, Cyber, Naxx Bitota and Nora Toutain, as well as the special participation by Brazilian DJ Mangaio, Straight from Salvador, Bahia, and opening for Remy Cormier, the future of Canadian jazz. The international tour has already confirmed dates for Brazil, which will be announced soon.
To check out We Must Unite, visit https://distrokid.com/hyperfollow/voxsambou1/we-must-unite
The article was published on May 16, 2023 12:26
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