Before I get to the song,I should mention that Miriam Makeba was pretty special, herself. Often known as Mama Africa, Makeba was the first artist from Africa to popularize African music around the world. Her songs raised awareness about apartheid, and about the injustices faced by South Africans as listeners learned more about the singer. In response to Miriam’s outspokenness, the South African government revoked her passport in 1960, and then her citizenship in 1963.