The Grammy Award winning South African a cappella group, Ladysmith Black Mambazo, releases "Ilembe: Honoring Shaka Zulu."

The album is released in honor of Shaka Zulu, a South African warrior and the first king of the Zulu nation.

Ladysmith Black Mambazo is known for its joyous and spiritually charged brand of vocal music and native choreography released on Heads Up International.

"Ilembe: Honoring Shaka Zulu," is set for worldwide CD and SACD release January 15, 2008. "Ilembe," celebrates not only Shaka Zulu, but the sense of perseverance, creativity and pride that he inspired in generations of descendants.

The CDs' title translates to "The Greatest Warrior." The opening track, "O Mmu Beno Mmu" ("Somebody and Somebody"), is about the inherent benefits of people coming together and working in unison for the greater good.

"Kuyafundw' Osizini" ("Learning from the Obstacles") emphasizes the importance of confronting obstacles, overcoming them and learning from the experience. "Let's Do It" acknowledges the dirty side of the political process, but encourages people to rise above petty squabbles as a means to accomplish great things. "Umon Usuk Esweni" ("Jealous Eyes") cautions against the dangers of jealousy. "Hlala Nami" ("Stay With Me"), stresses the importance of staying with those people who will keep you on the right path, while "Prince of Peace" bridges the seemingly disparate elements of Zulu history and Christian tradition.

Assembled in the 1960s more than thirty years ago, Ladysmith Black Mambazo, has combined the intricate rhythms and harmonies of their native South African musical traditions to the sounds and sentiments of Christian gospel music. The result is a musical and spiritual alchemy that has touched a worldwide audience representing every corner of the religious, cultural and ethnic landscape.

Two decades ago, Paul Simon introduced Ladysmith Black Mambazo's musical genius and boundless spiritual energy to the pop music world via his groundbreaking 1986 recording, "Graceland." Eight years later, due in large part to the efforts of Ladysmith Black Mambazo and other South African artists bearing witness to racial inequality in their homeland, the centuries-old practice of apartheid came to an end in South Africa.