Meet our woman crush for this week, Natasha Beckley, the superstar known as Swadu!

Natasha Beckley popularly known by her stage name, Swadu d Savage, is a female hip-hop rapper and politician who has spent over fifteen years in the Sierra Leone entertainment industry and over ten years in the political arena and was once a Local Council Councilor in Port Loko. She is famously known for her unapologetic attitude and inspiring confidence expressed in her music. Her music demonstrates the versatility of women in Africa in proving that femininity and toughness are not mutually exclusive.

Starting out as a poet and model, Swadu attended the Leone Preparatory Primary School in Freetown, Brook House Elementary School in Langata, when her family moved to Nairobi, Kenya in 1996, before she later graduated with the Class of 2005 in Wakefield High School.

She came into the entertainment world at an early age and was crowned Miss Sierra Leone in 2011 where in she represented the country at the Miss World Beauty Pageant in London 2011 and was later selected to discuss about the importance of the girl child education at the Oxford University.

In 2012, she founded IAMSL pageant Agency months after her Miss World journey. And since inception, Swadu has helped over 36 youths represented her country, Sierra Leone all over the world (ranging from Mr Sierra Leone, Miss Universe Sierra Leone, Miss Earth Sierra Leone, little Miss Sierra Leone and plenty more platforms) through this agency.

As a lyrics entertainer, she released her first single in 2014. Since then, she has steadily stayed in the limelight with her rap lines and music. Over the years, she has been able to work with the likes of Boss La, Timaya, among others. In 2021, she dropped her album, Swadu the Recipe.

This woman of many hats have received deserving accolades with her works and actions. She won Miss Sierra Leone Washington DC in 2008, Miss University of Virginia’s college at wise 2009 , Miss Sierra Leone USA 2009, 1st Runner Miss Africa USA 2010, Miss Sierra Leone World 2011. Her music have enjoyed multiple airplays within and outside the country. In 2021 National Entertainment Awards, Swadu was the biggest winner in the music categories, walking away with three trophies including Best Female Artist, Best Hit Single of the Year and Female Hip Hop Artist of the Year.