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THE HILLTOP ONLINJ

The Daily Student Voice of Howard U:niversicy
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New Soulful Artist Bring Something New
By Anastacia Mebane
Copy Chief
Published: Thursday. July 30. 2009
Updated: Thursday, July 30. 2009
The lights were low. Only the flicker of candlelight on each table illuminated the room, which
seated a crowd of no more than SO.
The percussionist began rhythmically beating the snare. The booming bass drum and high-hat
followed closely behind. A blaring trumpet joined in. The electric bass and keyboard completed the
jam session.
The audience was feeling it now, tapping their toes and nodding their heads to the syncopated
jazz beats.
In walked the lady of the hour. She's slim, brown skinned, dressed in a turquoise shirt and a long
skirt of the same color. The look was accented with a red belt and a big red church hat.
It was July 16, the night Maimouna Youssef, knows as "Luna E, " performed at Capitol Hill 's
Ebenezer Coffeehouse, 201 F Street, NE. That night's concert was small , intimate, and more
personal than most.
It's part of "Art Unplugged", a free summer concert series from June to August, sponsored by the
DC Commission of Art and Humanities, showcasing DC area artist.
The indomitable Youssef swayed to the music, warming up a bit before she bellowed a soulful mix
of jazz, gospel , and R&B. It's an original song and she soon kicked off her black leather pumps,
making herself more comfortable.
Youssef was trained to sing jazz and Black American spirituals since she was five years old and
..aredits her musical prowess to her musically inclined family.
"My grandmother, Doreatha Crenchaw, was a very successful choir director at the Pilgrims Rest
- ----chllrcli in-chicag6.-My mother; NatasKa Hasan; toured -with sammyoavrs Jr:-; and Lionel
Hampton. And she was the original singer for Dr. Buzzard's Original Savannah Band."
Her style is similar to Lauryn Hill , one of her musical inspirations. Youssef sings some, raps some,
and mixes the two genre's on some songs. She writes many of her own songs and, like most
artists, uses life and a bit of imagination to create heart-warming ballads.
"I like to freestyle some of my songs to try and get out of my own way and let the truth inside of
-me speak freely," Youssef explained. "I also sometimes create situations in my writing that have
not happened yet."
In 2003, at 18, Youseff released her first independent album, "Subversive Activity", with her
cousin Omari "Aziz" Forman-Bey under the group name Cirius B.
She was featured in Dave Chappelle's Block Party in 2004 and recorded with Chicago rapper
Common on the song "Love Is" in 2006. Her biggest success, thus far, was through a failed artist
development deal with Axis Music in Philadelphia, a subsidiary of Sony.
"I ended up linking up with The Roots through the label and recording the hook on their 2006
single "It Don't Feel Right" which was nominated for a Grammy in 2007 for "Best Rap Song" .
She toured the world with The Roots in 2005, and is currently touring with Zap Mama, and Afro-
European group from the Belgium Congo. Now she's collaborating with Navasha Daya and her
mother on "Three Generationz", an accapela album of Native American songs and chants and
blues and gospel vocals due out this fall.
Song after song, from original piece to old school covers of Chaka Khan, Sly and the Family
Stone, and Nina Simone, Maimouna Youseff "welcomes us into her living room", as she puts it.
Her music makes
the audience not only groove, but conscious also. What some like most is how she interacts with
the audience.
"She was really down-to-earth. She had a lot of crowd interaction and made us feel welcomed into
her performance," said Aunamesha Henley, an audience member. Henley also likes how she
interacts with the musicians she shares the stage with.
"I like how she incorporated her musicians, like the trumpet player and the harmonica player, and
interacts with them like they're soloist."
Maimouna Youssef is someone to look out for. Her sound is different
and so is her look but the topics she touches on are universal.
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