Ya Msanii’s “Women” gives long-overdue credit to the women behind the story

Honest Resistance and Ya Msanii’s “Women” is a simple reality with far-reaching implications. Women are integral to the tale of humankind, but the bravery, sacrifice, and assistance they provide are often unappreciated. The song is a tribute record that tries to give that attention back.

The song has two lines, the first by Ya Msanii speaking on the value of women all over the world. It’s about how much life itself is dependent on women, and how much strength and value they hold, even when they’re neglected. Honest Resistance provides the second verse, extending the notion with a focus on history through the true narrative of two women whose courage, faith, and sacrifice helped shape a man who became crucial to that story. This gives “Women” a more personal human dimension, transforming the homage from a general declaration into a story of how individual women may influence lives and history.

The record is a reminder that the stories we celebrate are rarely told alone, one of its most powerful notions. When society celebrates great men and their accomplishments, there are often mothers, wives, and other women whose support and influence helped shape those journeys.

“Women” takes that perspective and flips it to the folks who don’t always get equal acknowledgment. It is less about erasing women from the biographies of famous men than about ensuring their contributions are acknowledged as part of those stories. 

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