Sampa The Great Recruits Denzel Curry For New Single 'Lane'

Following her debut performances at Coachella, Zambian born, Botswana raised poet, rapper and artist Sampa The Great has begun her new era of music, releasing new single Lane featuring Miami rap-mogul Denzel Curry. The single is the first taste of her own new music, following her 2019, ARIA Award and Australian Music Prize winning debut record, The Return.

After relocating the Zambia throughout the pandemic, Sampa reconnected with her younger self and the birth of her artistry that was nourished while growing up in Africa. What's resulted is a new era of music, one inspired by a 360 Sampa, a higher version of herself. This era manifests perfectly in Lane, which acts as. a call out to expand her already blossoming sonic vision. 

It's led by jilted organs, gorgeous harmonies and a vocoded voice, before a trap beat and rolling bass melody set the backbone for Sampa to rap in defiance. She reflects on being trapped in a box as an artist, calling out to herself to expand, grow and defy any expectations. Curry's verse reflects this powerful statement, adding to the depth of the track. 

Sampa says of the single, “‘Lane’ is about expressing the full range of who you are without being boxed by anyone else’s definitions of you.

"Connecting to your younger self means connecting to your truest self, and that truest self is not confined by any labels and any boxes. ‘Lane’ is about breaking those boxes, and staying true to yourself.”

The new era of Sampa The Great is ushered in alongside the recent announcement of her new live show, titled An Afro Future,  which will visit Sydney and Melbourne throughout May and June of this year. For many, the tour marks the first opportunity to see Sampa in live format with her full band from Zambia, performing from her debut award-winning album, The Return, as well as new music.

You can grab tickets to the Sydney shows HERE, and Melbourne shows HERE.