Zakiya Hooker Releases New Album ‘Legacy’

From the day she was born, Zakiya Hooker has been a music lover. As the daughter of blues legend John Lee Hooker, she had the privilege of seeing and hearing some of the greats that shaped the history of the blues genre.

Instead of following directly in her father’s footsteps, Zakiya pursued life and music on her own terms. A strong and versatile vocalist, her music paints a broad swath in the styles it covers. Zakiya made her debut performance in 1991 with her iconic father at the Kaiser Center Theatre in Oakland, CA and has gone on to perform shows with the likes of Etta James, Charles Brown, Taj Mahal and many more.

In 2015, she picked up the guitar for the first time because she wanted to become more involved with her music by writing it the way she felt and heard it. Her latest album, Legacy, is the first project where she produced and wrote all the songs and composed all the music. Legacy is now available for purchase and streaming, and OUT FRONT had the pleasure of talking more with Zakiya about the album. Specifically, her one song called “Love the Pain Away” that preaches acceptance and inclusivity. We all need a bit of love these days.

Hi, Zakiya! Thank you for taking the time to chat with me today about your new song, “Love the Pain Away.” Can you tell us more about it and the concept?
I started playing guitar about three-and-a half-years ago because I wanted to write my own songs. So, I learned these two chords and started writing the song. I heard the phrase “I just want to love the pain away,” and I said, that sounds like a great song. So, I wrote the song.

I have a friend who is from Argentina named Romeo, and he came over and started filming. You know, he took pictures of me doing the song. So, he said, ‘Let’s do a video.’ I said, ‘OK, let’s do it!’ I asked how he was going to do it, and he said he was going to travel and film people. Okay then. I told him that my video has to be inclusive of everybody. I don’t want this halfway video where you only have certain people in it.

So, Romeo, his mom, and his sister took a trip to Europe and went to Paris. A lot of the things you see in the video are from other countries. When he came back, he showed me the video, and I said, ‘This is fabulous.’ The only problem was that he didn’t have any black couples in it, so we had to find a black couple [laughs]. Then, after he completed filming and we watched it and everything, he says, ‘You know, the guys in there broke up.’ Well, guess what, they’re staying in this video! When I say inclusive, I mean inclusive. 

You posted the music video on your Instagram earlier this month. How has it been received by viewers?
It has been received very well. I was kind of iffy about it because I wasn’t sure how people were going to react to it. People can be so stupid. I would have used another word, but you. know. Not that I’m a church girl, but I do talk like a sailor [laughs]. I say, sometimes the only words appropriate for certain situations are those words. But I am so happy that people are pleased with the video.

Why did you want to write and release a song like “Love the Pain Away?”
How can you say love and not include everybody? You can’t. You cannot say love and exclude people. Like, Jesus Christ, you know? In our family, we have lesbians, homosexuals. We got a lot in my family, and I am loving them just like anybody else. You have to love people where they. You got to love them where they are. You can’t be like, ‘I can’t love you because you are like this.’ No, I am going to love you regardless. I can get mad at you; we are going to fuss a little bit, but eventually, we are going to get it back together, and I am going to love you again. Let a person be who they are because God made us that way, and that is how you are supposed to be. 

“Love the Pain Away” is from your new album Legacy which is now available to purchase. Are the other songs similar to “Love the Pain Away” or do you have like a mixed variety?
It’s a mixed variety. One of my favorites is “I Don’t Know How It Happened.” It’s about how people are together, and it starts out one way, but then eventually, they begin to drift apart, and they don’t understand why they are drifting apart, but they stay together. It’s like a torture to each other. They keep inflicting all this personal pain upon each other, and nobody wants to leave, but then they grow old together, and they are still hating each other. Still, nobody knows. “Front Door to Hell” is about physical abuse, and “Big Girl Panties” is about getting up and putting your stuff on and getting the job done. So, yea, the album has a mixed variety of songs.

You are the daughter of blues legend John Lee Hooker. Is it safe to assume that you have had a passion for music since birth?
You know, I watched my dad play his music for as long as I can understand. On weekends, they would rehearse, and we would get out there and dance and listen to the music. I loved all the musicians, and my most favorite musician who use to play in the band was Bob Thurman, and he was a piano player. You know, we didn’t have keyboards back then; he was a real piano player. I used to love, love, love the music, and when the family would get together, I had a cousin named Joseph; he and I would dance and entertain everybody. They would pay us to dance, and we would try to beat each other dancing. I have just always loved music. 

Which style of music is your favorite?
I like all kinds of music; I listen to it all. I can’t really pick one. There is some country music that I really, really love, and there’s rock that I love. I love it all. Music, I always think it reflects on how people are and what they do. Sometimes, musicians are put in these certain categories, and that sometimes makes it hard for artists because they get stuck in a spot, and then they can’t move. Just because my dad did blues, doesn’t mean that I do blues like that. I just don’t. I don’t want people to lock me into that place because I am more than just that. 

Legacy is the first project where you had complete control by producing and writing all the songs and composing all the music. What was the process like for you?
Oh God, you know, when I started playing guitar, I was horrible. You have to admit when you’re horrible. I was just not that great, but I learned. I know I needed the chords, and I needed to know what key I wanted to play in. I need the chords for it to play in that key, and that is what I did. I would sit down, and I would get to playing and choose my chords.

Once I found the progression of the chord, I could do the song, but the song had a melody. I would listen to it, and, oh my God, what can we do with that? So, I was really blessed. It was a team effort on my part of myself and my husband who has been in the music business for several years. He had to help put it together, and what you hear are my melody lines and my lyrics. He and our friends Anthony helped make it easy for me. The hardest part is me getting in there and singing the songs. 

Did you perform with your dad a lot?
Yes, I did. My first performance that I did with my dad was intense. Real intense. I don’t think it was intense because of who he was, but just me actually having to get on stage with him with my little, novice self. It was so intense that after the show, I got sick. My stomach knotted up, and my friend Linda had to take me home. But I got through it. 

Well, at you recovered very well!
Oh, yes, I did. Yes, I did. My very first intro to professional music was with my husband and his two sons, and he had them in the studio, and they needed some background. He said, ‘Can you sing?’ I said ‘No’, but he said, ‘Yes, you can.’ We went in there, and they kind of coached me a little bit, and I listened back to what we did. 

I bet your father is very proud of you.
Oh God, whenever we would perform together, the way he would look at me, his heart was so full. The only thing I really regret is that he is not here to see me play guitar. No matter what, he’s looking down on me.

What’s next for you? Any other upcoming projects we should be on the lookout for?
Well, after this one, I vowed I would never do another one. Like, I’m sick of this, but yes, there will be another one [laughs]. We are just figuring out what it’s going to be. I think I want it to be all acoustic, but I was thinking of pulling some of my dad’s songs and updating them, making them more modern to us. I would love to do that as a tribute to him.

For more information and to purchase a copy of Legacy, visit zakiyahooker.com. You can also stay in the know and follow Zakiya on Twitter and Instagram.