On some ben ben shit for facts, this lady is solid official, slash spiritual-lyrical shit. I wish I could have wrote that in grafitti. Makes me remember her ryhming with Evil Dee in a intamate room, to her work wit Common and the Roots, to bmore blocks as youth, or her De La Soul days wit SB, to her doing live shows wit Fela Kuti’s Children and more. Ive ben predicting the time for Black Queen Leadership, not just in art or music but for the world. Maimouna is the prototype.
Daughter of Dr Buzzards Original Savannah Band, she’s ben groomed since a baby to work effectvly at her craft The List of Elder influences from Ella To Makeeba to Ms Hill and Mc Lyte, to even peers like Sa-Ra, Rhapsody and Tiarra Whack, she’s a gift amongst gems. Her hair and style is florid, she could easily blend Lauryn Hill with Amy Winehouse, and she has already changed the world.
I speak and I spoke, now its wrote to quote: the story goes, since back then she ben dope. –Aziz
This is yr 98-99 in the making.
We were children together, raised in the same village. We had mamas with headwraps/ and family wih big gats. This is the late 80s early 90’s when everything remained raw. Jazz/World music and PE was the soundtrack, we could only hear God over the music. Ase’O. We Sankofa when Allah says so. The candor is, the show must go on. Proceed
I wrote a small piece on UK artist Enny and Lil Simmz, as some of my favorite queen leading lights and it was only right to take it to fam, one time. Maimouna chided the bullshit since the 2nd grade. Her sound has blessed her listeners wit succor energy, from the young ones still growing into greatness to the elders who love faith.
She blessed many platforms as well, from Stretch and Bobbito and Sway in the Morning to BET’s -Black Girls Rock, NPR and all the stages and places in between. Im not sure who aint familiar with the work of her. She has multiple projects etc. Google.
I personally love the Healing with DJ Jazzy Jeff, and a single she has entitled “Metamorphasis”
This is just a few things in her bag. I believe it was Feb 2018, a month before woman’s history month when she blessed Commons NPR set. Perfect timing to storm, and the rain she poured was X men or SWV. Anything that becomes historical must take practice. It goes hand and hand. I absolutely love this verse on August Greens song “Practice”. The skill is one thing, but the timing of when this occurred is another. It was a month before the start of the Woman’s history month, the same month Nipsey Hussle was killed. Being awoke and practicing balance and new ways of life became something trendy and also sustaining as the wave. This verse ushered in some Fresh energy in the air to bring about that change.
The whole verse is dope, but these lines kinna sum up her dart
sometimes being a woman is like being black twice/ I gotta scream fire instead of rape and you tell me to act nice/..look pretty, stay slim, dont talk loud/ dont think dont feel dont walk proud/ but if Im at my lowest how you 100%?/ god made woman and man for the balance of it/ So will the real men please stand up and defend what god made signing off with love– ( now sung) it takes some practice– MuMU Fresh
Takes practice for us to treat and communicate with us for us. I dont think this message could have ben delivered better. Thank you Queen.
This led her to her own NPR set which was pretty seminal fresh.
Etc etc…Covid hits the world. I went into my zone, I went into prayer, I saw Mayhem, I heard bells of war, and a few days before Thanksgiving “No Justice No Peace” heard me.
I was on youtube on my phone, and saw Salaam Remi ft Busta Ryhmes and Black Thought. The 2 B’s stood out and I immediatly wanted to hear it. I didnt even realize sistren was on it till I pressed play and was able to see the full line up. I didnt think to skip to her verse…Although maybe 6 bars into Busta spitting, I thought to lol. I overstood what it was and wasnt gonna be content wise, bounce of course in pocket. Thought, pretty much same kind of thing.
MuMu… moment of silence, its curtains. Glad you had the last verse, saying all that needs to be said and a drip more, ina way only a mother, a womb, a woman can do. So she does. Alhamdulillah
I listened once and then played it again in the speakers. I appreciated the motif theme, but wasn’t a fan of the beat, but I began to really appreciate it for the tru purpose of it. The congas began to ring out, like some Last Poet shit, shout out Doug E Fresh and uptown NYC. Sax 80’s hiphop shit always worked, which Salaam uses to thread the overall drive. Honesty could have ben good with Doug E Fresh and MuMu Fresh on a Salaam Remi beat, became the outcome of the 3rd listen lol. The only male energy I would have rather heard is Kweli spitting fact facts, Krs in a Edutainment realm, or Styles P fresh out the juice bar or off the pull up bar ready to shoot shit. The goddess had me ready to get my shit out the closet, in peace for justice.
See u got the privilege to be color blind/ I could neva not see color lines– From see, its already on. She talking directly to the enemy. The privilege they have, us as blacks dont. Lets make this clear fact from the beginning. Neva not see is jus pretty funky too. To bring it back to the word see. We all have to first see before any change happens.
No Color sign written on the front door/ now they let u in but then abuse u for it/– Ok. Lets take color blind, to color lines, to start this bar off wit the connect of No Color sign…more funkyness and of course message. Its not blatantly written in print today, but its acted out in real time nonetheless.
And if u try to call a spade a spade/ they taking all ya funding away, thats how they play/ – She clearly didnt “try” to call a spade, she called it. We all know who ‘ they” is. Lets change the narrative. I dont like playing wit demons or there funding personally.
they do drugs they the victim/ u do drugs u getting booked thru the system/– She takes it back to privilege, and the clear divide in who benefits from them and who doesn’t.
they kids act up in school they see the principal/ my kids act up, we down at the municipal, its criminal– More They vs US spit. I love how she uses there language to say, “its criminal” as her finish. Lets shed light and be everclear on whats really criminal.
Whole verse is heat, but Ima skip around a bit.
And this the line whole crew would say on stage..
Thats how u pass the buck/ dont be surprised when WE act up/ – I got chills. Im for the shits, especially for reason as richeous as freedom. 85% percent lost, 10% are idk aluminatti lol, and 5% are God body. I ben ready to act up in light of the ones that act up. This is WE. Bells of War. BOOM.
See the virus got us jobless and stressed alot/ now Americas on fire the blister popped/– We see what the fuck is going on. Everybody in a fucking mask. Look at all the cop killings of black people and destruction. Look at the trump supporters at the white house. WTF,SMFH! Babylonious days. But its ben ben, the blister jus popped. Talk that
Arrest the cops.- Ring the alarm. Shout out Beyonce, but this aint Beyonce.
cus if Breonna cant sleep in her own dam home/ Treyvon cant walk and jus talk on his phone/ Ahmaud cant jog/ witout being hunted down and shot like a dog/ but if he was a dog he prolly get more love…/- Aiight lets break this down. RIP to our loveones, our soldiers and now angels, ancestors for there life sacrifice. This is so powerful to call there names as if pouring libation in rap form. Ase! On some wtf shit too. A verbal warm up threat to wat sis got packed away in the stash.We cant sleep at home, talk on our phones as we walk, or jog in our neighborhoods. Dogs are more safe. WOW, at the blatant fucking truth. When sis said hunted down and shot like a dog, I immediately became angrier in real life. My body began to hurt and I turned her volume on the speaker down after the first listen, knowing the order of the verse at that point. No more bells, I wanted to hear more fire now. I almost cried, cus WE tired of tired. We ready to GO to war.
Ima pick up wit..
Said he wont Comply/ but didn’t Floyd comply? and still u kneeled, down on his neck until he died but…- answer me this, please. NOW. Like Really,WTFFF! Im ready to man down quiet lips.
The law is the law or the law is a lie– graffiti quotable. A wisdom dart. Facts
cus if Breonna cant sleep, and Ahmad cant run/ George cant breath, and Tamir cant be young/ and Elijah cant walk, Sandra cant talk/ it wont no fucking peace out on ya side walks/- Aiight back to the break down. Maimouna brings it back to this almost scary tales from the hood, lil girls on the block hand game/ chant of freedom and threat. If we don’t get what we ask for, there are repercussions. Its blatant all we are asking for is justice peace and equality which is freedom. If we cant be civil we are no longer asking. Its not even a option at this point of the game. I like how she didn’t all the way repeat it, she jazzed it wit voltra brackets, first and second ending shit. In my mind she added music theory to bars. Dope. Breonna starts it off again, there is no Trey mention this time and Ahmad isn’t jogging now he’s running. George is named other than Floyd now, and Tamir is brought to the table. And Elijah and Sandra. All there spirits lived in her verse and danced on this whole song. I went to the gun range the next morning off this libation ceremony she led so furiously.
They are proud as ancestor angels. We are Proud, I am proud.
I went to philly to check my son and linked wit some day ones to have a meal and they asked when have I spoke to Maimouna. I said I know I want to holla at her about this verse and its impact. I called her and we did jus that. I said I cant wait to see you with a outfit with a print of ya face on the front in a Tobe video. She said I got one, wanna hear it? This led me into hearing, in my opinion the B side to Tobe Nwigwe’s “Father Figure” ft Black Thought and Royce da 5’9, which was “Tundah Fiyah”. OMG. I immediatley heard how she combined the energy of Black and Royce, and also Nell and Tobe into a masterpiece, dripped wit something none of them quite brings, which is the songstress and theater arts aspect. It was literally perfecto.
Tobe always has the lyrics written at the bottom as a branding concept he does. But Im going to as well to make my points, lol.
Good morning Sunshine welcome to reality/ I tried to wake u but u was sleeping so peacefully in ya fallacy/– its her natural poise and tone and vocab, mixed with Tobe’s calm OOuu shit, standing nex to the sista Mcees calm clarity, Black Thoughts opening line Dearly Beloved on Father Figure combined with the unwavering jewel dropping of Royce. Greeting and Title. Goodmorning and Dearly, Sunshine and Beloved. The rhythmic bounce was a complimenting gesture for Tobe and Nell, which is jus making good music by combining approaches. Perfect.
Quite casually/ I got 7 uncolonized names to explain my gallantry/ ima gallexy/ but for short u can call me ya majesty/– shit easy when u in tune lol. This might be the most important line of the yr lol. Lot said quickly. Quite casually, to me that says, its natural its authentic I mean not to brag, jus is what it is ….type shit. She one wit the planets, so that should explain why her flair, her attitude, and purpose is worthy to be crowned majesty. Compact. Boom. She all 7 Planets, we aint gon name them by the colonial names either. So for short…lol.
some of yall new blacks act so surprised/ till 2020 took all them cataracts off ya eyes/- bet u got 2020 vision now stupid. I mean it is 2020 right? lol. 2020 and 2020 together is 8. 7 planets plus 1. Me(7) and theAlmighty(1). The time for U and the God to become one. The Almighty doesn’t need anything on or off there eyes. Wake up, and stay woke.
now u got perfect vision, see clearly thru the disguise/ no need for pantomimes or alibis/ the revolution is televised/- now that we see it all, …good. What else we need to unite for one cause? we dont need reasons, facts or any grand performance to except what time it is, nor do we really have time. Its also Tariqish with pantomimes or alibis, the revolution is televised but Royce’s critical messaging. Perfect.
this the yr of discernment/ poppin off and we burning it/– Confirmation and threat factuals lol. Like she talking for her tribe, meaning me and a bunch of us my nigga. She goes again into a space of almost child hand game chanting. This the yr of discernment…(copy), poppin off and we burning it..( facts). I heard Bob’s Burning and Looting.
now u gon pay everything u own, like lil Riley said cus I earned it– More threats. lol. Roycish swaged a bit. WE earned it, blood sweat and tears. The get back is major you mothafucks. Adding lil Riley in it added to the kid like hand game vibes. African proverbs, in betted in chants. Major Key.
Permed tips wit the new growth/ – I love when a line starts with ryhming what the last line ended on. Earned it to permed tips, and then new growth connects to wats next. I think Nell and Tobe used hair and style to decore there message in ryhme
breaking out of that noose hold/ with the truth glow/ shinning like new money, I got the juice hoe/ so..– the hood way of saying what she said before with being one with the planets but u can call her majesty for short. lol. So…( means..well..again, it is what it is lol)
u gon have to pick sides/ or divide up into tribes/ not by skin but by yo mind/– we are in the truiest valley of decision. Lets organize the righteous-. There are no in betweens/ we either niggas or Kings, we either bitches or Queens- Mos Def
is u Satan or Divine?– Bottom line question, deserves a bottom line response. No more trickery. Be straight up. Sunday School.
What ya ideology? she hitting u wit the needed questions to answer. Back to back, as a leader goddess does. The answers should be on ya I.d.
either change ya behavior or save ya apology– simple math. why the fuck i wanna hear u say sorry over and over and deal wit all that comes with being opressed? jus cut out the behavior. Simple Math.
I spit like I got get it Im gone- call me grandmaster Flash out this bitch lol. Gangsta, in and right back out shit. We come to work and get it done to more work. Like a flash of light.
I rip like raw meat right offa the bone/- nasty aint it? lol. Nasty Nas, illmatic is how she rip it. ODB shimmy shimmy ya shit. Told u everything remained Raw earlier.
pull up on ya momma and grandmama lawn– RB-G shit
let u know what typea ish that Im on– she jus did. Winnie Mandela of rap. Already. copy
Mind blown, 5 in the morn– command your morning with prayer. The truth glow.
lost ina rabbit whole cant come home– dam
find out everything u was eva taught, everything u thought real was wrong– but its ok, reset, recharge, redo. but acceptance is another major key for tru growth.
the combination of it all spills out at the climax. When I first heard Father Figure, we all know Tariq will rhyme shit u forgot or didn’t even know could rhyme, the bounce is always solid and clean, genius shit. But it lacks real messaging to me. then Royce comes and uses what we may expect content wise from a Black Thought, and bodied the content and the flow patterns. I feel like Mu made sure content as important as turtle Island was present and at the same time have fun like, these nuts George Washington Carver was there as well. Pull up on ya mama and grandmama lawn is these nuts and the truth of turtle island is now u gon pay everything you owe. The content felt like a mix of the 2 mcees on Father Figure and the performance swag felt like the 2 rappers on Tundah Fiyah. All blended into a gumbo is what we ate. Nothing was muddled. This is Black girl magic at its best.
Perfecto!
then she repeats the lines with hums on u bitches as she did on Common’s Practice. Its signature.
Ok. So Tunday Fiyah is a B side to the A side Father Figure. cool
But the A and B side we are focusing on is A side: No Justice, No Peace- Salaam Remi ft MuMu Fresh & B side is Tundah Fiyah- Tobe Nwigwe ft MuMu Fresh
2 solid songs,2 great verses from sista Mu. 0 losses. Thats 2020 to me. Clear vision. ASE’O
Flowers,
Love u Mu
No Backstage Pass 