Australian hip-hop is booming right now - legends like the Hilltop Hoods only continue to better their legacy locally while newcomers like Allday and Tkay Maidza are introducing broader influences into the Aussie hip-hop soundscape. As far reaching as the sound currently is we haven't heard anything like Sampa The Great.
The Zambian-born, Botswana-raised rapper Sampa has dropped her debut mixtape and it's a phenominal introdution. Throughout the 12 track set she leans towards the rhythmic, rootsy vibes of Erykah Badu while chanelling the introspective lyriscism of Lauryn Hill's The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill. She addresses topics of race (Revolution), femininity (F E M A L E) and Ambition (April). It's all over a flurry of organic, rich beats sees Sampa tip her hat to her heritage while also looking forward to the future.
The production on the mixtape is incredibly on-point too. It's all been produced by Godriguez and is rich and powerful. There are samples of speeches, chatter and party foliage making it sit somewhere between a celebration and an uprising.
You don't get old souls like Sampa in hip-hop anymore and that's maybe what makes this listen so captivating. This girls gonna blow-up (not literally, of course) and we wanna be the first to tell you about it. Get on it!
You can hear the full thing below and also cop it for free via Melbourne label Wondercore Island.
- Words by the interns' Sam Murphy for Cool Accidents.
