Ancestral Art, a new sound inspired by hip hop artist Draze, has entered the stage as the world increasingly embraces the global sounds of hip hop and Afrobeats. Draze, an Emmy Award-winning songwriter-rapper, has magically blended the melodious sounds of Africa with the raw energy of hip hop to create a vibe that is all his own. Mazvita, the new single from Draze’s upcoming album “African American,” will be released on Friday, March 10, 2023, along with the accompanying music video at www.thedrazeexperience.com.
According to Draze, Mazvita, which means “thank you” in the Shona language of Zimbabwe, is a song that bridges cultures. The song transports listeners from a typical hood in America to a typical village in Zimbabwe and is a personal “thank you” to his mother, father, grandparents, and the communities who raised him in both Africa and America. Draze credits his unique sound, dubbed Ancestral Arts, to his parents. In an era where every instrument on a song is synthesized, Draze physically plays the marimba on the track. Marimba, the predecessor to the xylophone, is a traditional Zimbabwean instrument taught to Draze by his father, Dumisani Maraire Sr., who taught marimba at the University of Washington.
Draze plays the marimba on the track as a way to honor his late father. In addition, having his mother and sister sing on the track adds a traditional element. In the music video, Draze uses clever visuals to display the duality of being African and American. He hopes to inspire black people around the world to see themselves as African and to see one another as family. Draze has over 6,500 song placements on TV and tapped producer Vitamin D to collaborate on the track. Vitamin D is most widely known for producing artists like Lil Wayne, Torey Lanes, and 50 Cents Big Rich Town from his Power series. Together, they produced a track that highlights Drazes’ sick lyrical abilities and multi-hyphenated skillset.
Draze says that Mazvita is the purest way to tease “African American,” his upcoming album. The track encapsulates the lyricism, storytelling, cultural vibes, and raw 808 drums of the entire album in one song. The Mazvita single and music video will be released on Friday, March 10, 2023, and can be found at www.thedrazeexperience.com.
