Released: 13th September 2019
Rating: ★★★★★
“If you’re searching for me / Shit! I’m probably searching for myself.” Nine songs into her debut record, Sampa The Great hits the nail on the head, perfectly articulating the struggle of many a millennial, artist, displaced immigrant or in her case, all three. Lush with collaborations, community spirit and musical influences picked up from her travels, the joy of the music soothes the balm of ‘The Return’s heavy subject matter, struggling to find ‘home’ when your heritage feels distant.
Through relatable sentiment and classic hip-hop flow, you instantly feel part of her journey as she embraces self-care, her confidence growing with every killer bar or clever turn of phrase. There aren’t many people who can get away with a 19 song record, but it’s easy to forgive ‘The Return’ its cinematic length – this is true storytelling.
Jenessa Williams
