The world is finally ready for Sampa the Great. The Zambian rapper, raised in Botswana and currently based in Australia, represents the electric underground rap scene, always sure to incorporate elements of herself—from her lyrics to Afro-centric instrumentation in a track’s production. Her fierce flow has been matched recently by Krown and Junglepussy, on “Time’s Up” on the single’s remix respectively. You can listen to both renditions below.
Now Sampa and Junglepussy are planning the next remix, but first they need an unknown talent to bare their soul in sixteen bars. “When we say all Black Queens to the front, we mean it,” Sampa declares in a message to participants.
“So all Black women, femmes, and non-binary folk whose voices, especially in this genre, are often silenced or taken for granted: we wanna hear your voice! We started this competition to hear voices from Black women all around the world. Speak on the industry or your experience. Speak in your native tongues. Speak on how proud you are to be who you are. Whatever you do, speak as you.”
Prizes for winning include all that acquired fame once the new remix drops, a free Soundcloud Pro account, and plenty of Sampa the Great merch. The competition closes September 30, 2020 (midnight PDT).
This time last year, Sampa was celebrating the release of her debut album, The Return, where fans first heard the original “Time’s Up,” a track that plainly discusses the difficulties of African artists in Australia. Prior to the album, the gifted songwriter had put out enough mixtapes and collaborations to fill a playlist. A few of her accolades include Bandcamp calling The Return the best album of 2019; landing on Michelle Obama’s playlist back in August; and she is currently BET’s Amplified September Artist of the Month. Her global stardom is coming to a head, and notoriety has done nothing if not humble her.
Sampa the Great uses rhythm to cut down gatekeepers and misogynists, but mostly, she just proudly exists as she is: an African queen. It’s time to find her heir.
Find out more about the “Time’s Up” Remix competition on Soundcloud. Follow Sampa the Great on Instagram and Twitter. Follow Junglepussy on Instagram and Twitter.
by: Zoë Elaine
