Last week Spotify announced the addition of Zambian-born songwriter, poet and rapper, Sampa The Great to its list of EQUAL Africa artists who are taking African music to the world.
EQUAL provides a diverse range of female musicians in Africa with the resources they need to accelerate their career paths and address the gender imbalance that often affects women in the music industry. Artists supported in Spotify’s EQUAL Africa initiative are introduced to a worldwide audience, while also receiving off-platform guidance and tools to help them progress their music careers.
Sampa the Great is a poet, lyricist, and visual musician whose insightful and socially conscious music aims to boost, motivate, and encourage progressive change. Her delivery alternates between assertive, confident rap, seamless soul-jazz, and artistic perceptions. Her music is a diverse mix of genres including abstract hip-hop rhythms, African influences and Neo-Soul. Sampa has a passion for poetry and crafts intricate poetic verses, which entice listeners into a beautiful, creative realm.
“Spotify is so excited to have Sampa The Great as our EQUAL Africa artist for September. She is a powerful artist who has a courageous, young mind and is determined to beat all odds stacked up against her,” says Spotify’s head of music for sub-Saharan Africa, Phiona Okumu.
Born Sampa Tembo, she was raised in Botswana, where she discovered her love for hip-hop after hearing 2Pac’s “Changes” as a youngster. She started rapping at a young age and, after relocating to Australia as an adult, became a fixture in Sydney’s hip-hop scene.
In her own words: “As a Zambian woman artist whose career started outside her country, it feels like a full circle moment to be able to relocate back home. Creating a whole album in Zambia and showcasing the range, different genres and amazing art that’s coming from the continent has been a big goal that I’ve infused into a new wave and genre called Hybrid music.”
To check out Sampa The Greats’ music, listeners can tune into her tracks which are featured on the EQUAL Africa and EQUAL Global playlists.
