Sampa The Great is back, and she’s not holding anything back.
The Zambian-born, globally celebrated rapper and musician has just released her latest single, “Can’t Hold Us”, featuring Mwanje, and it’s already turning heads. The track, out via Loma Vista Recordings, introduces Sampa’s bold new sound: Nu Zamrock, a fearless mix of rock, hip-hop, soul, and African rhythm that nods to her heritage while looking straight into the future.
The single comes with a vibrant visualiser directed by Iggy London, showing Sampa owning every frame with energy, confidence, and that unmistakable stage presence that fans love. The track was first teased during a live performance in Brixton with DJ AG, and it’s clear; Sampa is making a statement.
“This is the declaration track. I’ve stepped into my power, into my sound, into my purpose. Nu Zamrock is mine, and I’m shaping it in real time. With this much clarity and drive? You can’t hold us. You can’t stop us. Not anymore,” said Sampa.
Nu Zamrock is her twist on Zamrock, the 1970s Zambian genre that fused rock, funk, and African rhythms. Sampa layers it with rap, poetry, and soul, creating a sound that’s fierce, fearless, and unapologetically African. “Zamrock is my sound. It’s my voice. Being defiant, being fearless, that’s what Zamrock is,” she explains.
“Can’t Hold Us” is the first taste of Sampa’s upcoming third album. Her previous work, As Above, So Below (2022) and debut The Return (2019), won awards and hearts across the globe, from ARIAs to Bandcamp’s Album of the Year. Now, she’s ready to bring that energy back home to South Africa, letting local fans feel the power of her music in its purest form.
–ChannelAfrica–
