Hakim (from The Boys) sings ‘Mama Africa’ original version

Mama Africa the original song was written, sung and produced By Hakim Abdulsamad, formally of The Boys. The group started out singing in Carson, California. The group had three #1 singles on the R&B charts but never had a mainstream pop #1. As the group featured four young male vocalists, it could be considered an early example of a boy band. Early on The Boys appeared to have a lot of talent and were encouraged by their parents to pursue their dreams. The group sent their demo tape to MCA, Motown, and Solar Records and were given offers by all of them. Jheryl Busby signed the group while he was employed at MCA Records. However, when MCA purchased Motown records, Busby made a move up the ladder and the boys found themselves under the Motown label. Working with The Boys, Busby sought to bring the group to Jackson Five fame. As an act, the group was very self-sufficient, writing and producing their own music. The group befriended Babyface in 1985 when he was starting to become known for his work in the group The Deele. Together with LA Reid, the two men crafted the tracks “Lucky Charm,” “A Little Romance,” and “Dial My Heart.” While The Boys weren’t impressed with the songs, they changed their minds after seeing Babyface perform them. The public loved the songs as well as “Dial My Heart” reached #1 on the R&B charts in 1988. The Boys released their debut album, Messages From The Boys during the same year and it performed very well. The album’s second single, Babyface’s …