Zambia born, Sampa The Great, has released announces “Final Form”, the new single, sees the MC embrace the struggle of growing as an artist. Produced by longtime collaborator Silentjay (Rhythm Section) – and mixed by Jonwayne of Stones Throw Records notoriety – it draws inspiration from the energy of their shared inspirations in classic hip-hop.

From Sampa The Great:

“It’s easy to get caught up in the constant chatter around you about how ‘you are not there yet’, how you ‘might not make it’” Sampa says. “Final Form is about expanding yourself and calling out any negativity towards that growth process. As an artist I now recognise my in-between stage; sometimes it drops and sometimes it rises, but I love that I get to level up each second. I might even final form tomorrow.”

The ‘Final Form’ official video, also released today, sees Sampa travel back to Zambia to explore the traditions and communities of her roots. Bridging the gap between the traditional worlds of Nyau dancers and modern Zambian youth culture, it was filmed in the run up to her first ever shows on African soil, including her recent homecoming show in Zambia. “The video was inspired by the belief of having a spiritual exodus back to yourself.” Says Sampa. “We often as black people in the diaspora talk about the physical return to our roots but not so often about the spiritual. ‘Final form’ is meant to start that conversation. It was important for me to do this video in Zambia, the place of my birth and where I’m from, because if I am truly to become the greatest version of myself, I am going to start at the most me I’ve ever been, which is where I started from, where I grew up. I was born and raised between Zambia and Botswana, by a Bemba mother and Tumbuka father and to erase that by calling me anything but Zambian/African, is to erase my history, culture and essence. Everything I was born from.”

Having previously performed worldwide supporting the likes of Kendrick Lamar, Ms. Lauryn Hill, Thundercat, Joey Bada$$, Hiatus Kaiyote, Noname, Ibeyi and Little Simz, in 2019 Sampa is set to play live at Glastonbury, Love Supreme Jazz Festival and with Sons Of Kemet at Somerset House in the UK, before performing alongside Burna Boy in New York’s Prospect Park on 19th July plus headline solo shows at Elsewhere in Brooklyn and Gold Diggers in LA. She also plays at Dark MOFO (Tasmania – alongside FKA Twigs, Kelsey Lu, Nicholas Jaar), Down The Rabbit Hole (Netherlands) and is headlining Hip-Hop Collection (Paris) with more TBA.

Sampa The Great
Live Dates

28 June Glastonbury 2019 (Silver Hayes) Glastonbury, UK
30 June Couleur Cafe Brussels, BEL
5 July Love Supreme Lewes, UK
6 July Down The Rabbit Hole Ewijk, NEL
7 July Hip Hop Collection (Musée du Quai Branly) Paris, FRA
13 July Somerset House w/ Sons of Kemet London, UK
18 July Elsewhere: Zone One New York, USA
19 July BRIC Celebrate Brooklyn Festival New York, USA
22 July Gold Diggers Los Angeles, USA