[3] Goapele's South African father Douglas Mohlabane was an exiled political activist who struggled against the Apartheid System.

[6] Goapele and her older brother DJ Namane Mohlabane[7] were raised in a South African exile community in California.

The album featured production work from Jeff Bhasker, Mike Tiger, Amp Live, Sa-Ra Creative Partners, and Linda Perry.

She also appeared on The Orlando Jones Show, Jimmy Kimmel Live!, Late Night with Conan O'Brien, ABC View from The Bay and FOX Good Day Atlanta.

Her first three releases have garnered praise from the likes of magazines such as Rolling Stone, Nylon, Interview, Marie Claire, Billboard, Essence, and Vibe.

She has appeared on the covers of local Bay Area publications San Francisco Magazine, Diablo Magazine, East Bay Express, SF Bay Guardian, Mugshot Magazine, and City Flight,[20] She was named the number-5 artist to watch in the July 2003 issue of Rolling Stone magazine, made the countdown on MTV’s Top 10 Artists to Watch, and collaborated with ALDO Shoes’ advertisement campaign in its fight against HIV/AIDS, which featured artists such as Avril Lavigne, Ludacris, Dave Navarro, Charlize Theron, Pink, Eve, Rosario Dawson, Eva Mendes, Bow Wow, Ziggy Marley, and Kelly Rowland.

The album is being recorded at the Zoo, home of Goapele's Oakland-based Skylight Studios and will feature production from Drumma Boy,[22] Bedrock, Kanye West, Dan Electric, Mike Tiger, Bobby Ozuna (Raphael Saadiq, John Mayer, Erykah Badu), Malay (John Legend, Mary J. Blige), Kerry "Krucial" Brothers ( Alicia Keys, Mario, Keshia Cole, Nas), Jeff Bhasker (The Game, Kanye West, Ludacris, T.I), and other guest musicians.

[23] In celebration of the FIFA World Cup 2010 in South Africa Goapele released the single "Victory" featuring South African emcee Hip Hop Pantsula, a prelude to her upcoming musical project Victory, which was released in Winter 2010[citation needed] and feature an array of artists from the African continent as well as throughout the Diaspora.

[24] The leading track was recorded in English, Setswana, and Xhosa and tries to draw attention to the need for education and resources to combat Africa's most crucial dilemmas.

Apart from her solo work, she has collaborated with West Coast MCs such as Aceyalone, E-40, Zion-I, and Mac Mall; those involved in the Hieroglyphics Crew; Detroit based vocalist Dwele; and Clyde Carson and Mos Def on the track "Different.”