Joseph Malik - Be A Lion (Single)

Internationally renowned Scottish artist and vocalist Joseph Malik shares his new single ‘Be A Lion’, taken from his  2023 ‘Proxima Ebony’ LP, out now on Ramrock Red Records.

Inspired by the B-Girl ethos, the track features American HipHop artist Kameelah Waheed  and salutes female hip hop artists such as Roxanne Shante, Debbie D, Sharock, Lisa Lee and legendary label Cold Chillin’ Records.

With this track, Joseph wants to spread positivity in HipHop, stating that “hip hop music can have a positive message and doesn’t have to be derogatory to women. As a parent, I have never had any swear words in my records and this is reflected on the track.”

Kameelah Waheed wrote the original lyrics for ‘Be A Lion’, which reinforces the power of women within the Hip Hop arena, with her uplifting vocal delivery and fierce flow. She is joined by Edinburgh hip hop DJ legend, Nasty P on kutz, who has performed with Beyoncé, Grandmaster Flash and the Pharcyde. Joseph provides the backing vocals and the breaks and beats structure of the track.

Born in Glasgow but relocating to Edinburgh in 1991, Joseph Malik became a B-Boy in 1978 and fell in love with hip hop – the music, the breakdancing and the graffiti. When he first heard Biz Markie and Roxanne Shante’s ‘Def Fresh Crew’, Joseph understood the huge contribution that women were making to hip hop history.

Fast forward to 2020 when Joseph heard Kameelah Waheed on ‘Holding On’, her debut release on Ramrock Red Records, and from that moment, he knew that he wanted to work with her. Their first collaboration was in 2021 on their single ‘Battle Cry’. Kameelah has continued to work with some stellar names within the music industry including Honey Dijon, Terry Farley and Kenny Dope and finally in 2023, she recorded the vocals for ‘Be A Lion’ and the duet with Joseph, ‘My Whole World (is fallin’).