— Brooklyn-born, South East London-based rapper Goya Gumbani unveils the latest offering from his forthcoming album with new single “Manuva(s)”.
The song was produced by and features renowned UK multi-instrumentalist and member of Ezra Collective, Joe Armon-Jones, and embodies the fluidity of sounds of this new generation of the London Jazz scene. Goya’s agile verses flow in lockstep with Joe’s flittering keys, as he delivers sharp verses about the challenges that arise on the journey of pursuing your dreams. The single’s accompanying visual is another ode to one of Goya heroes, Miles Davis, who sits nodding along to the beat in the hand drawn music video that rotates between New York and London. The video is co-directed by Brice Birdsall & Kendrick Cumberbatch, animated by Niallycat and the typography was done by Sigurd Hundertmark.
“Manuva(s)” follows previously-released singles “Chase The Sunrise” featuring Yaya Bey, Fatima and lojii, and “FireFly” which also featured Fatima, all offerings from his forthcoming debut album Warlord of the Weejuns, out March 21st via Ghostly International. Goya also previewed a separate, unreleased album track with his On The Radar freestyle a few weeks ago, and spoke about the album in an interview for Bandcamp’s Hip-Hop Show earlier this month.
Along with the new song, Goya is also announcing his full run of upcoming tour dates with his band in the US, Europe, and the UK across March, April and May. Preceding the tour run, he will be hosting two special album release events in London at The Standard on March 17th and New York at MOCADA (Museum of Contemporary African Diasporic Art) on March 22nd. The tour will see him play shows on the West Coast, including supporting Shigeto in LA, and across Europe and the UK in April before wrapping the tour with a headline show in Paris in May.
Warlord of the Weejuns is also an ode to the lasting impact that Miles Davis had on Goya, whose fervor for music and his ubiquitous style was formative for him. Goya channels that ambition on this new album, recorded with lush, full-band arrangements that utilize his own voice as part of the instrumentation. With Goya and his sharp, effortlessly smooth delivery leading the way as the album’s tone-setting conductor, he brings in a bevy of musical minds to lay a spacious, radiant collection of musical vignettes that invoke the wordless expressions of jazz and the meditative rhythms of reggae. Threads of affirmation, self-worth, and Black heritage — manifesting knowledge and power from within — run throughout Warlord of the Weejuns. Goya arranged his singular vision with production from Joe Armon-Jones, Swarvy, Franky Bones, Dan Diggers, Alejandro Śanchez, Maxwell Owin, Omari Jazz, Les Lockheart, Zalente and Ghostly labelmate quickly, quickly.
Check out “Manuva(s)” featuring Joe Armon-Jones and pre-order Warlord of the Weejuns above, see below for all of Goya’s upcoming live dates and stay tuned for more from Goya Gumbani coming soon.
Upcoming Live Dates:
*= w/ Shigeto
3/14 – London, UK @ The Standard London (album listening event)
3/22 – New York, NY @ MOCADA
3/25 – New York, NY @ Club 101 NYC
3/27 – Los Angeles, CA @ Ghengis Khan (after show at Afters Club House)
3/28 – San Diego, CA @ Friends of Friends
3/29 – Phoenix, AZ @ Central Records
3/30 – Las Vegas, NV @ Fat Cat
3/31 – Long Beach, CA @ Vine
4/1 – Los Angeles, CA @ Lodge Room *
4/11 – Berlin, DE @ HHV (in-store live show & record signing)
4/17 – London, UK @ Jazz Café
4/20 – Nottingham, UK @ Mimm
4/25 – Bristol, UK @ Star & Garter