I heard this one yesterday on Liam Sullivan’s Panorama of the Mountains’ “Monthly Mixtape.”

Sampa Tembo (born 1993), known professionally as Sampa the Great, is a Zambian singer-songwriter, and rapper. Sampa Tembo was born in 1993 in Zambia and raised in Botswana. She was based in Sydney from 2014 to 2018, originally coming to Australia to pursue a degree in audio production at the SAE Institute. As of 2018, she is based in Melbourne. Before going to Australia, she had previously studied in San Francisco for two years and Los Angeles for a year.

On 29 November, Sampa released her single “Energy” featuring Nadeem Din-Gabisi alongside an accompanying music video. Tembo was due to release her debut studio album later that year; however, it was delayed. On 5 June 2019, she released another single “Final Form” alongside an accompanying music video. Her debut album The Return was released on 13 September 2019. In October 2019, she came at no.2 on Happy Mag’s list of “The 15 Australian female artists changing the game right now”.

At the ARIA Music Awards of 2019, Sampa the Great was nominated for two awards: Best Video and Best Hip Hop Release.

Sampa’s website is here.

 

 

The lace lady, travel with grace baby
I can’t afford to cover the costs of course maybe
Settle that one in court ’cause judging by the basics
Y’all already comfortable stuck up in the matrix

Shit is basic, past credentials
But understand your favourite rapper peep my GOAT potential
I’m not ashamed, been passive
Trying to fit a circle ’cause I don’t know how to act shit
Half of y’all is steady insecure don’t try to backflip
Just because the seasoning of flow is already active

Only four years, fantastic
Young veteran, new classic
Nah knock the walls off
Fuck the whole key we gon’ hinge the whole door off
I’m still A.D never forget it
It’s life after death, roll the credits

I hate to say my feelings for you still exist

Credit my maker, take a trip to see Jamaica
Marley spirit with the paper back to Zion that’s the nature
Africa the new America
I hope her role is permanent
And this I put my pen in it
Got my land and my permit with it

Bone of my bone, flesh of my flesh
Greatness in me you can’t make me feel less
Less hold, I’m not impressed, best mode
Got my Afro like an empress

Great state I’m in
In all states I’m in
I might final form
In my melanin

Great state I’m in
In all states I’m in
I might final form
In my melanin

Great state I’m in
In all states I’m in
I might final form
In my melanin

Great state I’m in
In all states I’m in
I might final form
In my melanin

Black power
Louder
Black power
Louder
Black power
Louder
Black power

Last name Tembo, first name Eve
Somebody ate the fruit they told The Great to never eat
I’m dripping DNA steeze
It’s like I’m born great, I’d be mad too, jeez

Third world win it, first world outdated
No mentor, all my heroes assassinated
We’ve been here, reincarnated
Tryna finish what they started and we made it

Great state I’m in
In all states I’m in
I might final form
In my melanin

Great state I’m in
In all states I’m in
I might final form
In my melanin

Great state I’m in
In all states I’m in
I might final form
In my melanin

Great state I’m in
In all states I’m in
I might final form
In my melanin

Black power
Louder
Black power
Louder

Black power
Louder
Black power

I hate to say my feelings for you still exist
But the steady pace and the truthful face is what I miss

Songwriters: Sampa Tembo / Alejandro Abapo / LEON F SYLVERS III