RAPPER Maraza is back with a powerful 30-track double-disc album named after his late daughter Uno, who died in 2022 aged five.
The KZN-born musician's new album pays heartfelt tribute to little Uno while taking listeners through his painful journey of loss and recovery across 14 songs on the first disc.
Maraza (36), whose real name is Sphamandla Mhlongo and hails from KwaDukuza, KZN, said losing his daughter left him heartbroken and struggling.
He used the recording of the album to heal.
"I started making this album when I was broken after losing my daughter. That's why the album is named Uno after her. Her passing as a five-year-old fractured me," he said.
"I started making music to deal with the pain. The early songs were my attempts at self-medication while everything else was unfolding.
"Over time, I began to find the desire to live again. Side A, which has 14 songs, became a collection of songs about loss, life, love, mourning and my journey of recovery after losing my daughter. Side B, which has 16 songs, is about celebration and hip-hop."
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Maraza shot to fame in 2006 through his hit Bengingazi Ngenzeni when he was only 17 years old.
His last full album, Lost and Found, was released in 2022.
He said the main reason he decided to release a 30-track double album was that he had a lot he wanted to say through music.
"The messages I wanted to deliver deserved to be in a double disc and as an artist who has been in the music industry for a long time, it's time to release an album with many songs to give people music to enjoy," said Maraza.
The album features Big Zulu, Lilly Faith, and Aubrey Qwana, among other artists.
"This album captures many emotions I've lived through: pain, pride, hustle and hope. I'm extremely proud of this project," he said.
He added that he'll continue pursuing his presenting career because both presenting and music allow him to tell stories as a storyteller.
