On “Psalm 23” and “Psalm 16”, Shona passes a message of love, victory and light on bars without a pew or pulpit.
By Emmanuel Daraloye
Boma Beddie-Memberr, a caramel-skinned, talented drummer and rapper popularly known by her stage name, Shona. She’s doing something bold and unique in the music scene. Shona’s rap piece on “Psalm 23”, released in November 2025, is one gospel jam that “bams” and passes a message of love, victory and light on bars without a pew or pulpit. Psalm 23 is a popular biblical scripture among Christians and other similar faithful. Shona takes those verses, creating a lyrical piece on a beat and showcasing her creative spirit.
“Psalm 23″ opens with a rhythmically rolled hi-hat and a gentle strike on the snare; this becomes a layer where Shona’s messages rest, with her intro stating the choice she made. Every sound in the track feels like a conversation between percussion and the listener.
The hook “I boast in the Lord, Shepherd of my soul” has quite a catchy, repetitive call-and-response flow to it. Her words are like those of a proud daughter, and this also reflects her confidence. The track lets out themes of love and victory as she consistently echoes “Reckless, Reckless Love”; it seems she is trying to emphasise how deep and wide God’s love is. One would ask, why would a Shepherd leave the ninety-nine and follow after only one? This is the celestial love that Shona boasts of in this single.
This is a love song dressed in bars, reminding listeners that faith can be fierce and tender all at once.
“Shadow of death, He light ‘em up” are also powerful words that truly show that He, the Light of this world, has no darkness greater than He can’t light up, or even mountains He can’t tear down, which shows His power over death and its principalities. Each verse paints a vivid portrait of triumph, and this line serves as a bridge that makes the rap more relaxed.
Shona’s words are reminders that Light is great and can overcome darkness.
Listening to her second track, “Psalm 16”, I could sense a consistent echo of quiet confidence, as every sound felt deliberate. The piano holds the air open while her percussion anchors it. As both a rapper and drummer, Shona’s command of tempo is evident in her lyrical flow and in the dynamics of her tone.
The opening lines sound like an anthem, “New day new sound, praise God, the one from dawn to dusk….” This immediately establishes the song’s reflective and devotional tone. She continues with, “They steady tryna faze me, they steady tryna test me. Faze me, test me. But everything that they’re offering no match, everything of mine, is yours, the source…” another convincing lyric that can only be made from a place of deep conviction and life experiences.
Shona’s mastery of flipping words to mean deeper things can be heard when she says “I in you. You in I. You and I”. There’s also a mentoring aspect, or would we say pastoral aspect, to her lyrics, where she nudges listeners to be light in dark places “…gotta be light in dark places…dark phases… Just be the light”. Shona’s great performances on “Psalm 23” and “Psalm 16” are strong messages passed with emotional depth which cannot be undermined. Shona’s verses in these songs make one feel grounded and want to reflect.
This is gospel rap that can be enjoyed in social settings or even on a long drive. The only thing that seems missing is a second verse; it may be an intentional approach to her songwriting. Overall, her message in these faith-inspired tracks is so resounding. Being both a rapper and drummer is a unique skill set. Also, she’s a ‘More Than a Drummer’ artiste currently. She was a finalist at the Voice2rep, a music project by Accountability Lab, the Dutch Embassy, and Chocolate City Music, in 2020. One of her tracks featured in Oxford Music Magazine under its ‘Track of the Year’ category in 2024. She is based in Oxford, UK and has been active in the grassroots music scene. Shona is an emerging talent to watch.
Emmanuel Daraloye is Africa’s most prolific music critic. He has more than 600 album reviews in his archive. Email: [email protected]