The most perfect song of all time according to Sampa the Great
Zambian singer and rapper Sampa The Great has been a rising star for some years now and has turned heads with her heartfelt, hard-hitting music. Although, of course, the African artist was inspired by music from the vast and culturally rich continent on which she was raised, as an internationally renowned art form, hip-hop reached her and resonated with her at a young age.
From soul to hip-hop and amapiano, various genres informed Sampa’s taste in music growing up, but in the midst of political unrest and social upheaval, rap music guided and inspired the young Zambian vocalist as chaos tore through her country of birth.
After moving to Botswana before emigrating to Australia for career opportunities, Sampa began listening to music she had never heard before, and rap hit her hard. Tales of political turmoil and oppression reflected what she had seen in her own eyes, albeit in a different country.
During a sit-down interview with The Guardian, Sampa looked back on her childhood in Botswana and recalled the first hip-hop track that reached her. Unveiling the song that became a guiding light for her, the singer unveiled, “‘Changes’ by 2Pac was the first hip-hop song I heard that stopped me in my tracks.”
Vividly detailing the circumstances in which she was living when she first became aware of the posthumous anthem, Sampa recounted, “I was nine years old, living in Botswana as a middle child of five. We had this tiny house with narrow steps, and I remember being drawn upstairs to this music coming from the bedroom of my 21-year-old cousin, who was raised with us.”
The ‘Final Form’ star explained how the soul of the music called out to her and pulled her in, remembering, “He was playing a cassette tape of Tupac Shakur songs and ‘Changes’ was on. I was so intrigued by the harmonies, the chorus, the person who was rapping but sounded like they were speaking to me.”
She revealed to The Guardian that the poetic and introspective nature of 2Pac’s music made her feel that perhaps her story could also be put to music. Furthermore, Sampa told the publication that the emotional instrumental of the single woke her up and opened her eyes to the importance of melody as well as lyrics.
Recalling how she used to document her life, the As Above, So Below creator told the rather intrigued Janine Israel, “As a kid, I was always writing in my diary. I thought: if Tupac is able to put his poems into rap, maybe I can as well. Changes also made me understand that a song is not only about lyrics – it’s also about feel.”
‘Changes’ is a gospel-inspired, soulful song that was starkly different from much of the aggressive hip-hop being released at the time. Reflecting on how this particularly stood out to her, Sampa continued, “The song starts with a vocalist singing “oooh, yeah” in the background, and I thought that was quite different for a hip-hop track. I was used to hearing the boom-bap or the beats of rap throughout or maybe one vocalist in the chorus, but I wasn’t used to a track with a choir, a chorus, harmonies, pads and keys involved.”
Although thumping East Coast beats from the likes of Pete Rock and RZA were the norm, and braggadocious lyrics were front and centre, Sampa insisted that this never connected with her and the emotional, sensitive way 2Pac approached his music was far more relatable.
Elaborating on this, the Birds and the Bee9 told Israel, “Lyrically, I connect with artists who talk about what’s happening in their lives. On ‘Changes’, I resonated with Tupac’s vulnerability. It was unusual for a male hip-hop artist to talk about their doubts and fears. You’re supposed to display bravado and strength.”
2Pac’s ‘Changes’ was evidently a highly influential track for Sampa The Great, and upon listening to her heartfelt material, it is clear how it affected her sound.