Sampa the Great

Sampa the Great was featured on the second single, "Beauty" (September 2015), by future soul singer-songwriter Wallace (a.k.a. Wallace Gollan).[13][14] 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.[4] The artist described it as "a search for creativity, laughter, purpose and rhythms",[2] and credits her African youth for inspiring the "political consciousness" on the record.[15] It was produced by Sydney-based Dave Rodriguez (p.k.a. Godriguez).[9][15] They had met at a jazz and hip-hop freestyle at a club, Foundry, in Sydney.[16] Sampa the Great's vocals were recorded in two takes.[16] On 18 December a mixtape track, "F E M A L E", was released as a single.[17] The track was co-written by Tembo with D Rodrguez-Lovibond.[18]

On 19 January 2016 Sampa the Great released a standalone single, "Black Dignity".[19] Two days later another standalone single, "Blue Boss", was issued.[20] 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.[21][22] On 6 October she issued a music video, "HERoes (The Call)".[23] On 27 October a related music video, "HERoes (The Response)", was released.[24]

On 28 April 2017 Sampa the Great released a single, "Everybody's Hero" featuring British singer Estelle.[9][25] Her debut extended play, HERoes Act 2 was the issued on 12 May.[4] 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.[5] The second and third singles from the EP, "The Plug" and "Paved with Gold", also featuring Estelle, were released on 11 May.[26][27]

Sampa the Great issued a second mixtape, Birds and the Bee9 (10 November 2017), which "crosses hip-hop, soul, jazz, gospel and reggae",[11] via the Big Dada label.[28] It was produced by Sensible J, Silentjay[9] 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."[29][30] She hoped to use the prizemoney to fund her own home studio.[9]

Birds and the BEE9 received positive reviews. The Guardian's Kitty Empire noticed influences from Lauryn Hill.[31] On 3 October the single, "Rhymes to the East", was released.[32] On 17 October, the single "Bye River" was released.[33] 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.[1] On 23 April the rapper was featured in the music video, "Your Orbit" by Ecca Vandal.[34]

On 29 November 2018 the artist released her single, "Energy" featuring Nadeem Din-Gabisi along with an accompanying music video.[35] She intended to release her debut studio album later that year: however, it was delayed.[31] On 5 June 2019 another single, "Final Form" appeared with a music video.[36] Her debut album, The Return, was released on 13 September 2019 via Ninja Tune.[37] In October 2019 she was listed at No. 2 on Happy Mag's "The 15 Australian Female Artists Changing the Game Right Now."[38]

Performing at Fairgrounds Festival, December 2018

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".[39] 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.[40] As the first female person of colour to win a hip hop category the move exemplified systemic racism in the industry.[40] 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.[41]

On 23 September 2020 the singer released "Better Days" with Baker Boy and Dallas Woods.[42] 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.[43] 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.[44]

In November 2021, Sampa the Great confirmed new music would arrive early in the next year.[45] She toured North America in March and April 2022.[46] Her track, "Never Forget", is a tribute to Zamrock; she also worked with Emmanuel Jagari Chanda lead singer of Witch.[46]

Sampa the Great released her second studio album, As Above, So Below, on 9 September 2022.[47] It was produced by Mag44 and received positive reviews from critics.[48][49] It peaked at No. 12 on the ARIA albums chart.[50] In September 2022 the singer-rapper supported Billie Eilish's tour of Australia and undertook a European tour in the following two months.[49]

In 2023, it was announced that Sampa the Great would do the theme song for the animated series Supa Team 4.[51][52] 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.

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.

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.

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.[82][39] She won three categories from six nominations in 2020.[83]

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.[84]

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.

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

The Music Victoria Awards, are an annual awards night celebrating Victorian music. The commenced in 2005.[94][95]

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.

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.