French Cameroonian artist and producer James BKS returns with “Na Na Benz”, a striking new single that celebrates the legendary Togolese businesswomen known as the Nana Benz. These women, active from the 1940s to the Eighties, became symbols of economic independence and cultural influence across West Africa through their mastery of Dutch wax fabric trading. With this release, James BKS brings their story back to the forefront and reintroduces their legacy to a generation that may have never heard of them.
“Na Na Benz” is both a tribute and a lesson in heritage. James BKS uses the track to highlight how the Nana Benz shaped an industry through intuition, ambition, and entrepreneurial strength. Their ability to dominate the wax print market transformed them into cultural pillars. They represented taste, authority, and innovation, values that remain central to James BKS’ artistic vision.
The single is written and composed by James BKS, and blends the sharp intensity of drill music with the hypnotic polyrhythms of Cameroonian bikutsi. Co produced and engineered by Roark Bailey, known for work with Playboi Carti, Kanye West, and SAINt JHN, the track delivers a vivid sound experience marked by biting percussion, moving bass lines, and chant like vocals. The result is a kinetic anthem that captures the spirit of the Nana Benz, trust your instinct, stand firm in your lane, and scale your vision with purpose.
“Na Na Benz” also introduces the deluxe edition of the See Us Rise EP, renamed See Us Rise And Win, set for release on December 10. The original seven track project, released in May, explored themes of resilience, ambition, and empowerment, and followed the momentum of James BKS’ acclaimed albums Wolves of Africa and Wolves of Africa Part 2. His previous works featured collaborations with global icons including Idris Elba, Q Tip, will.i.am, Little Simz, and Angelique Kidjo, earning recognition from Vogue, NME, Rolling Stone, BBC Radio 1, and OkayAfrica.
Rooted in a tri continental identity and inspired by the musical legacy of his father Manu Dibango, James BKS continues to build bridges between tradition and modernity. With “Na Na Benz”, he pays homage to history while creating forward looking Afro focused music for global audiences.
Watch “Na Na Benz”
Stream the single
https://orcd.co/nanabenzjamesbks
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Website, https://www.james-bks.com
