LIVE REVIEW: Sampa The Great @ Freo.Social

Finally, Australia’s darling of hip hop graces Perth with her presence at Freo Social. Her recent release The Return, a soulful, ethnic and retrospective piece of art was an instant staple in Australian hip hop, and the hip hop community of Perth couldn’t wait to digest the live edition of her masterpiece.

For the supporting act, after a necessary acknowledgment of Whadjuk land and the traditional land owners, Perth legend Superego energised the crowd, comfortable and ecstatic playing the home turf. I was personally glad to hear their classic ‘Racketball’, a relaxing track that’s perfect for bouncing around on the bus, but also one hell of a hype track when played live – as every emotion and vibe becomes amplified. All round, Superego was a breath of fresh air and a perfect opener for the spiritual Sampa The Great.

Sampa The Great opened her set by talking about home, and what it meant to the individual, where do you come from according to you. She then followed through with her chilling album opener ‘Mwana’, a song for her sisters, a song about her connection to her ancestors and of beauty, and how beauty is not dictated by our society but by our ancestors.

This is swiftly followed by ‘Black Girl Magic’, and her saying, “Sometimes people don’t see you, they don’t believe you, they don’t know your story they already have a preconceived notion of who you are – so for all the black women out there, I love you and I see you.”

Speaking from her own experience as a black woman in Australia, she addresses the issue of not being represented, and thus feeling unseen and misunderstood – which I myself, while not being a woman, can absolutely connect to.

Another highlight of the night was the performance of ‘Diamond in the Ruff’, a song of self-worth for ambitious women, I feel. The track also carries racial ties, referencing the mainstream world’s attempts to pick up on trends that people of colour have been practising for decades – and making it something they call their own.

To finesse the night, Sampa The Great finished with her final song ‘Final Form’. In pride and elegance, she draws out the Zambian flag, a statement of her love for her people, her love for her skin and her love for herself – giving me the confidence that I too will find ‘final form in my melanin’.