"Yet as soon as Damani and his band Mino Yanci started playing, Tongo began reciting poetry. Something clicked. "I wasn't even a guy that was really into poems, if I'm honest," admits Damani. "But when I heard him, all of a sudden, I was into poems." Realizing they'd stumbled onto something, Damani extended an invite for Tongo to meet up again at Zoo Labs studio in West Oakland."
"As he lays bars, Damani's keys and Vadia's vocal harmonizing set a soulful tone. Tongo, an acclaimed author and former San Francisco Poet Laureate, proceeds to paint a picture of the current state of society. Highlighting "the wire hanger empire" and the perseverance it takes to survive in this world, he says "I'm going to make it, even if I have to drive backwards.""
Damani and his band Mino Yanci met Tongo at a soundcheck, and Tongo's poetry during the set sparked an immediate musical connection. The artists convened at Zoo Labs studio in West Oakland for a five-hour session that produced recorded concepts that became songs including "Not A Poem." Damani later refined the tracks, producing the lead single "Nature of The World." The song features Tongo's evocative lines, Damani's keys, and Vadia's harmonies to create a soulful tone. Tongo, a former San Francisco Poet Laureate, explores societal struggle and resilience while urging listeners to expand their perspectives. A short film directed by Benjamin McBride and Elie M. Khadra showcases West Oakland locations and intimate performance footage.
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