Being from Watts, California — a flash point of the 1960s Civil Rights Movement — Empress Akua knew from childhood the importance of having black heroes like Judy Mowatt.

The African-American roots-reggae singer has covered Mowatt’s Black Woman, title song from the Jamaican artiste’s 1980 album of the same name. Her version is produced by Redemption Sevenfold, a veteran reggae band from California.

“The producer and I decided to finally record the song since I’ve been singing it for so long,” said Empress Akua.

While visiting Jamaica in May, she paid tribute to Mowatt by performing Black Woman at two shows in Kingston. Mowatt saw a video of Empress Akua’s set, and was pleased with her rendition.

“She actually sent me a beautiful message, said she loved the way I sang it, I sang it like I was there when she recorded it. It is a really beautiful compliment,” she said.

Born Sheila Washington, Empress Akua was raised in Watts, a Los Angeles community that was the site of a fiery 1965 riot that defined the Civil Rights Movement led by Martin Luther King Jr.

Although weaned on blues, soul and Rhythm And Blues, she discovered reggae and Jamaican culture in her teens when a group of Rastafarians visited Watts.

Eventually, she met Rasta elders like Ras Michael, the Jamaican chanter who lived in Southern California for many years. Empress Akua has performed on live shows with established acts like Black Uhuru, Horace Andy, Ini Kamoze and Ky-Mani Marley.

On her previous visit to Jamaica in 2019, she recorded songs with veteran guitarists Earl “Chinna” Smith and Dalton Browne, and singer-songwriter Sangie Davis.

In Los Angeles, Empress Akua has worked with Jamaican Lloyd Shaw of Issachar Muzik, who produced her songs, It’s Cold Out There and Gwaan (Dutty Babylon).

– Howard Campbell