SAMPA THE GREAT
shares new visual for
“TIME’S UP”
feat. KROWN

WATCH HERE

TAKEN FROM THE RETURN LP
BUY/STREAM HERE
OUT NOW VIA NINJA TUNE

.

.

Following her recent performance for the Roots Picnic and the premiere of her short film, The Return, Sampa The Great today shares a new visual for album-released track “Time’s Up” feat. Krown.

Zambian-born, Botswana-raised and now Melbourne-based, Sampa continues her longtime collaborative partnership with Sanjay De Silva (director of The Return, “Final Form” and “OMG”) in today’s potent two-and-a-half minute video. Sampa and rising Melbourne-rapper Krown speak freely to admonishing diversity and calling out their industry for true progress. Executed with energetic choreography, colourful styling and effortless musical ferocity from the duo, “Time’s Up” finds even more momentum in its visual translation.

Sampa on the “Time’s Up” video: “‘Time’s up’ is a track that was made to reflect a conversation between 2 young black artists about the Australian music industry. With the current atmosphere it’s an important time to address systemic racism within the music industry, especially as it slowly rebuilds. Allyship should never be performative and as we continue past blackout day, all music orgs/labels should be put to task in bringing forward their initiatives for real change within their industry.”

Sanjay on the “Time’s Up” video: “We’re playing with the tongue-in-cheek aspect to the song and dialling it way up by incorporating metaphors like the padded room to represent the way the industry sees black artists, to the imagery of the industry literally shaking Sampa’s culture out of her for their profit. We referenced some very specific 90’s music videos throughout, from Tupac’s ‘Hit Em Up’, to videos from Busta, Da Bush Babees, Jamiroquai, and De La Soul – each one is utilised to convey a powerful message about how the music industry has treated and continues to treat and exploit black artists.”

.

.

With the release, Sampa also announces she is partnering with Naarm (Melbourne) based, culturally responsive therapy practice Pola Psychology. The initiative will work to shed a light on the struggles experienced by African youth in accessing the culturally safe, appropriate and responsive mental health care that they need, and raise funds to reduce these barriers faced.

Sampa says on the partnership: “The labour put on marginalised people to have to address systemic racism every day means more trauma and pressure on our mental health and emotional state. I’m partnering with Pola Psychology a Naarm (Melbourne) based therapy practice to make sure African youth/musicians can access culturally appropriate mental health care in their own community, by their own community. At a time like this, it’s important to let my friends and the wider African community know that this support exists and our health matters.”

Sampa The Great has forged a reputation for breaking both personal and industry records, this year becoming the first musician to ever claim the prestigious AMP title twice in their career for both her 2017 mixtape Birds And The BEE9 and 2019’s The Return. Her prolific legacy has been further shaped with acclaim for the debut album, following her win at the 2019 ARIA awards when she took home the first ever ARIA for Best Hip Hop Release with her single, “Final Form”. Alongside Kaiit who won Best Soul/R&B, the pair were recognised as the first women of colour to achieve the title (and in previous category, Best Urban Release). Last year, Sampa also took home multiple titles including J Awards for Video of the Year and Double J’s Artist of the Year, Best Hip Hop Act at the Music Victoria Music Awards, and Bandcamp’s #1 album of the year.

Earlier this month, Sampa performed as part of this year’s virtual Roots Picnic, alongside an incredible line-up featuring H.E.R., SZA, Musiq Soulchild and more. Stunning with a 15-minute set featuring The Return singles “Freedom”, “OMG” and “Final Form”, the 11-person strong crew backed Sampa with an incredible performance that yet again highlights the young veterans growing stardom. More recently, Sampa also released a special live performance in support of the Black Girl Magik movement, featuring her track of the same name. 

The release of short film The Return featured a moment-by-moment visual reflection on the powerful musical and personal evolution behind Sampa’s award-winning album release. The visual, directed by Sanjay took a behind-the-scenes look at Sampa’s journey of self re-discovery that shaped the album, including her formative return to home country Zambia, collaborative sessions in her Melbourne studio, and meeting the artists, family, friends and community who inspired or loaned their own voices to the project. 

Now with today’s newest piece of storytelling in tow, “Time’s Up” has the icon-confirming energy and vision to match one of The Return’s most powerful messages written by Sampa The Great throughout her awe-inspiring journey. 

.

“TIME’S UP” feat. KROWN
video is out now
WATCH HERE

.

SAMPA THE GREAT x POLA PSYCHOLOGY
MORE INFO HERE

.

THE RETURN
is out now via NINJA TUNE
BUY/STREAM HERE

.

.

Follow SAMPA THE GREAT
WEBSITE – FACEBOOK – TWITTER
INSTAGRAM – MERCH

.

.

AMNPLIFY – DB