This April, Span Arts presents the brilliant hip hop artist Akua Naru, flying in all the way from the USA to perform at the Queen’s Hall, Narberth, on Saturday, April 9!

Hailing from New Haven, Connecticut - a racially divided city battling rising unemployment and violent crime - Naru grew up immersed within a world of black female leaders from African American musical traditions.

This allowed her to find in music a power to describe her experiences with unmatched passion; her songs are strongly influenced in part by the urban social conditions and vulnerability of black women that she witnessed growing up.

Her consistently political, multi-layered and insightful lyricism - coupled with her ability to integrate historical narratives into her mix of hip-hop - blues and soul music, has also drawn the attention of scholars and activists around the globe.

With the release of her debut album, Naru has in a short time strengthened her presence on the scene as a model for what women can be in hip hop; her latest release ‘The Miner’s Canary’ (February 2015) has been met with many positive reviews.

Naru’s flourishing music career has also seen her collaborate with many other truly talented artists, including rapper Rah Digga, classic hip-hop act Lords of the Underground, afro-beat pioneer Tony Allen and popular spoken word artist Ursula Rucker.

The album - recorded live over a two-year period - boasts an amazing cast of talented and accomplished features which allow its musical landscape to escape from the single genre of hip hop and settle between soul, blues, and jazz.

This is therefore an unmissable event! Not just for hip-hop lovers, Akua Naru’s powerful performance and inspirational music will also help to inform audiences of black American history and its wide-reaching impacts.

Tickets are cheaper in advance, and are available now from spanarts.org.uk or via the Span Arts Box Office on 01834 869 323. Book soon to avoid disappointment!