Zenzile Miriam Makeba, Mama Africa would have celebrated her 81st birthday today. This Grammy Award winning songstress brought the music of Africa to the world, fought vigorously against apartheid and made a permanent mark on the soul of music and created the genre of world music. Starting with her performing with the Manhattan Brothers, The Skylarks to making her first Broadway appearance King Kong, Mama Africa’s star shone as a bright life to the world. Mama Africa had a full life- singing, performing, appointed delegate to the United Nations and fighting for the rights.Her passing in 2008 from a heart attack shocked the world; While her presence is missed, her voice lives forever. Here is her performance of the song that propelled her to world stardom:
