TEMBO
Sampa

• 1. Music career
• 1.1. 2015–2016: Early years
• 1.2. 2017–2018: HERoes Act 2 to Birds and the Bee9
• 1.3. 2018–2020: The Return
• 1.4. 2015–2016: Early years
• 1.5. 2017–2018: HERoes Act 2 to Birds and the Bee9
• 1.6. 2018–2020: The Return

Sampa Tembo, 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 (September 2019), peaked at No. 12 on the ARIA Albums Chart. At the ARIA Music Awards of 2019 she won Best Hip Hop Release for her second single, "Final Form". 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.

Music career

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, 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", 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". Two days later another standalone single, "Blue Boss", 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 (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", was released. On 17 October, the single "Bye River" 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" 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" appeared with a music video. Her debut album, The Return, 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."

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, 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", 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". Two days later another standalone single, "Blue Boss", 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 (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", was released. On 17 October, the single "Bye River" 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" 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" appeared with a music video. Her debut album, The Return, 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."