Sampa the Great

Biography

Sampa Tembo (born August 9, 1993), known professionally as Sampa the Great, is a Zambian singer, rapper, and songwriter. Between 2014 and 2020, she was based in Australia. Her debut solo album, The Return×The Return13 September 2019 · Studio albumSpotifyYouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 19 tracks1Mwana4:282Freedom4:063Wake Up (interlude)0:544Time’s Up2:345Grass Is Greener3:326Dare to Fly4:237Any Day4:188OMG2:349Light It Up (interlude)2:1610Final Form3:3711Heaven2:5612Diamond in the Ruff4:5613Leading Us Home4:0614Summer4:2515Brand New3:4916Give Love (interlude)2:2217The Return9:1818Don’t Give Up7:0419Made Us Better6:22 (September 2019), peaked at No. 12 on the ARIA Albums Chart. At the 2019 ARIA Music Awards she won Best Hip Hop Release for her second single, "Final Form×Final Form5 June 2019 · SingleSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 1 track1Final Form3:36". In the following year she won the same category for The Return, as well as Best Female Artist and Best Independent Release. In March 2020 Sampa became the first artist to win the Australian Music Prize twice: for Birds and the Bee9 (November 2017) and The Return. The artist was based back in Zambia from late 2020, where she issued her second studio album, As Above, So Below (September 2022).

Early life

Sampa Tembo was born in 1993 in Ndola, Zambia as the middle of five children. Her family moved to Gaborone, Botswana when she was one, due to unrest related to economic reforms and the transition to multi-party democracy, but visited relatives in Zambia often during the holidays during her childhood. Her mother Theresa, a dancer, is from the Bemba people while her father Alfred, an insurance broker and some-time DJ, is from the Tumbuka. Her sister, Mwanje Tembo, is a singer. She received both piano and singing lessons and started writing poems/lyrics from the age of nine. In the early 2010s she studied music for visual media at the Academy of Art University, San Francisco, for two years and Los Angeles for a year. While in San Francisco she recorded two tracks.
Tembo moved to Sydney in 2013 and was based there until 2018, she completed a bachelor's degree in audio engineering at SAE Institute in 2015. As of 2018 she is based in Melbourne. The artist acknowledges her family and communities in both Botswana and Zambia as the foundation of her success.

2015–2016: Early years

Sampa the Great was featured on the second single, "Beauty" (September 2015), by future soul singer-songwriter Wallace (a.k.a. Wallace Gollan). The rapper's debut mixtape, The Great Mixtape×The Great Mixtape16 October 2015 · Studio albumSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 12 tracks1Intro1:222Jamal2:033April1:044Revolution3:015Class Trip2:516Beatrice3:027Female1:528Wedo3:439Dutch Spring3:2610Born to Be Blue2:5611Dragon Slayer2:4012Outro1:26, was released as a free download on 16 October 2015, and later on CD and vinyl by Melbourne label Wondercore Island. The artist described it as "a search for creativity, laughter, purpose and rhythms", and credits her African youth for inspiring the "political consciousness" on the record. It was produced by Sydney-based Dave Rodriguez (p.k.a. Godriguez). They had met at a jazz and hip-hop freestyle at a club, Foundry, in Sydney. Sampa the Great's vocals were recorded in two takes. On 18 December a mixtape track, "F E M A L E×F E M a L E18 December 2015 · SingleSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 1 track1F E M a L E1:52", was released as a single. The track was co-written by Tembo with D Rodrguez-Lovibond.
On 19 January 2016 Sampa the Great released a standalone single, "Black Dignity×Black Dignity19 January 2016 · SingleSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 1 track1Black Dignity3:17". Two days later another standalone single, "Blue Boss×Blue Boss8 December 2015 · SingleSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 1 track1Blue Boss2:52", was issued. The rapper featured on the track "Second Heartbeat" alongside Okenyo, for Urthboy's fifth studio album, The Past Beats Inside Me Like a Second Heartbeat (March 2016). Another two standalone singles followed, "24" and "Blessings", released together on 25 May. On 6 October she issued a music video, "HERoes (The Call)". On 27 October a related music video, "HERoes (The Response)", was released.

2017–2018: HERoes Act 2 to Birds and the Bee9

On 28 April 2017 Sampa the Great released a single, "Everybody's Hero" featuring British singer Estelle. Her debut extended play, HERoes Act 2 was the issued on 12 May. In an interview she described it as, "a snapshot of a time of uncertainty and doubt, and the realisation that those aspects are very normal". On the EP the rapper collaborated with producer, Rahki. The second and third singles from the EP, "The Plug" and "Paved with Gold", also featuring Estelle, were released on 11 May.
Sampa the Great issued a second mixtape, Birds and the Bee9×Birds and the BEE910 November 2017 · Studio albumSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 13 tracks1Healing3:092Flowers3:263Protect Your Queen3:294Rhymes to the East4:075Can I Get a Key3:426Black Girl Magik3:417Casper4:168Karma the Villain3:169Bye River7:4210Inner Voice5:2311The Truth1:2012I Am Me3:3313Healer3:03 (10 November 2017), which "crosses hip-hop, soul, jazz, gospel and reggae", via the Big Dada label. It was produced by Sensible J, Silentjay and Kwesi Darko. The track "Casper" contained guest vocals from Syreneyiscreamy, the track "Inner Voice" contained guest vocals from Mwanje Tembo, and the track "Healer" contained guest vocals from Zaachariaha. The mixtape won the Australian Music Prize in March 2018, which includes AUD$30000 from Phonographic Performance Company of Australia (PPCA), with their CEO Dan Rosen hoping it, "will assist in developing [her] career and help take her music to the world." She hoped to use the prizemoney to fund her own home studio.
Birds and the BEE9 received positive reviews. The Guardian's Kitty Empire noticed influences from Lauryn Hill. On 3 October the single, "Rhymes to the East×Rhymes to the East3 October 2017 · SingleSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 2 tracks1Rhymes to the East (edit)3:362Rhymes to the East4:07", was released. On 17 October, the single "Bye River×Bye River17 October 2017 · SingleSpotifyYouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 2 tracks1Bye River (Edit)3:422Bye River7:42" was released. On 20 October, she featured on the track "Your Orbit" by Ecca Vandal, on her eponymous debut album Ecca Vandal. On 5 April 2018 a music video, "Black Girl Magik" featuring Nicole Gumbe, was issued. On 23 April the rapper was featured in the music video, "Your Orbit" by Ecca Vandal.

2018–2020: The Return

On 29 November 2018 the artist released her single, "Energy×Energy30 November 2018 · SingleSpotifyYouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 1 track1Energy4:59" featuring Nadeem Din-Gabisi along with an accompanying music video. She intended to release her debut studio album later that year: however, it was delayed. On 5 June 2019 another single, "Final Form×Final Form5 June 2019 · SingleSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 1 track1Final Form3:36" appeared with a music video. Her debut album, The Return×The Return13 September 2019 · Studio albumSpotifyYouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 19 tracks1Mwana4:282Freedom4:063Wake Up (interlude)0:544Time’s Up2:345Grass Is Greener3:326Dare to Fly4:237Any Day4:188OMG2:349Light It Up (interlude)2:1610Final Form3:3711Heaven2:5612Diamond in the Ruff4:5613Leading Us Home4:0614Summer4:2515Brand New3:4916Give Love (interlude)2:2217The Return9:1818Don’t Give Up7:0419Made Us Better6:22, was released on 13 September 2019 via Ninja Tune. In October 2019 she was listed at No. 2 on Happy Mag's "The 15 Australian Female Artists Changing the Game Right Now."

At the ARIA Music Awards of 2019 Sampa the Great was nominated in two categories: Best Video (directed by Sanjay De Silva) and Best Hip Hop Release for "Final Form". Upon winning Best Hip Hop Release the artist was "snubbed" by ARIA when the TV broadcast switched to a commercial rather than show her acceptance speech. As the first female person of colour to win a hip-hop category the move exemplified systemic racism in the industry. In March 2020 Sampa the Great won the Australian Music Prize for The Return; becoming the first musician in its 15-year history to win the award twice.
On 23 September 2020 the singer released "Better Days×Better Days23 September 2020 · SingleSpotifyYouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 2 tracks1Better Days3:212Better Days (Airwolf remix)2:36" with Baker Boy and Dallas Woods. The artist was nominated in six categories at the 2020 ARIA Music Awards, held in November, and won three: Best Hip Hop Release, Best Female Artist and Best Independent Release for The Return. She also performed at the 2020 ceremony through a video-link to Botswana and delivered "a strong statement" on "lack of diversity of the Australian music industry" and specifically took aim at the ARIA board for her snubbing in the previous year.

2021–2024: As Above, So Below

In November 2021, Sampa the Great confirmed new music would arrive early in the next year. She toured North America in March and April 2022. Her track, "Never Forget", is a tribute to Zamrock; she also worked with Emmanuel Jagari Chanda lead singer of Witch.
Sampa the Great released her second studio album, As Above, So Below, on 9 September 2022. It was produced by Mag44 and received positive reviews from critics. It peaked at No. 12 on the ARIA albums chart. In September 2022 the singer-rapper supported Billie Eilish's tour of Australia and undertook a European tour in the following two months.
In 2023, it was announced that Sampa the Great would do the theme song for the animated series Supa Team 4. Sampa featured on vocals on the first track "Life Goes On" of the Ezra Collective’s album Where I'm Meant to Be, which won the Mercury Prize in September 2023.

2025–present: Nu Zamrock

In September 2026, Sampa the Great announced Nu Zamrock is scheduled for release on 30 October 2026. It was preceded by singles "Can't Hold Us" and "Simon Says×Simon Says10 September 2026 · SingleSpotifyYouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 2 tracks1Simon Says2:012Can't Hold Us2:46".

Personal life

Sampa Tembo's identity as a Zambian-born, Botswana-raised individual is fundamental to her music. However, once her work appeared on radio, media reported on her as "Australia's own" and "Australia's next big thing in hip-hop." She reflected, "For anyone who's of the diverse world, or who has had trouble or has a journey with where they are from, it's important to document your stripes whether small or big, because we're living in a world that makes it harder for you to find those origins, and sometimes often mocks you for finding those origins." Outside of her music career Tembo is interested in sprinting.

Musical influences

Sampa the Great's early work "was inspired by spiritually-minded gospel, with nods to neo-soul and hip-hop intertwined with her no-holds-barred political outlook." She discovered hip-hop as a child, noting listening to 2Pac's "Changes" as a catalyst for her interest in the genre. She has been influenced by Mos Def and Chance the Rapper. She has performed as a supporting act for Joey Bada$$, as well as Kendrick Lamar, Thundercat, and Denzel Curry. Tembo described Joey as a "passionate artist and an amazing performer".
She invokes a variety of influences, including abstract hip-hop beats, African influences, electronica, spiritual neo-soul, and other styles. Her music is described as earthy and eclectic.

AIR Awards

The Australian Independent Record Awards (commonly known informally as AIR Awards) is an annual awards night to recognise, promote and celebrate the success of Australia's Independent Music sector.

APRA Awards

The APRA Awards are held in Australia and New Zealand by the Australasian Performing Right Association to recognise songwriting skills, sales and airplay performance by its members annually. Sampa the Great has been nominated for one award.

ARIA Music Awards

The ARIA Music Awards is an annual award ceremony event celebrating the Australian music industry. Sampa the Great won Best Hip Hop Release at the ARIA Music Awards of 2019, from two nominations. She won three categories from six nominations in 2020.

Australian Music Prize

The Australian Music Prize (the AMP) is an annual award of $30,000 given to an Australian band or solo artist in recognition of the merit of an album released during the year of award. It exists to discover, reward and promote new Australian music of excellence.

J Awards

The J Awards are an annual series of Australian music awards that were established by the Australian Broadcasting Corporation's youth-focused radio station Triple J. They commenced in 2005.

MTV Europe Music Awards

The MTV Europe Music Awards is an award presented by Viacom International Media Networks to honour artists and music in pop culture.

Music Victoria Awards

The Music Victoria Awards, are an annual awards night celebrating Victorian music. The commenced in 2005.

National Indigenous Music Awards

The National Indigenous Music Awards is an annual awards ceremony that recognises the achievements of Indigenous Australians in music. The award ceremony commenced in 2004.

National Live Music Awards

The National Live Music Awards (NLMAs) are a broad recognition of Australia's diverse live industry, celebrating the success of the Australian live scene. The awards commenced in 2016.