Born in Nigeria but presently based in Dallas, Texas, Samzy’s music is an unabashed reflection of the sonic references of these geographic locations as he bounces between the breezy cadences that thematically unites Texas’ hip-hop scene, America’s wider communion with dreamy trap-pop, and the emotiveness of afro-fusionist music.
Since entering a music booth as a 15-year-old, Samzy’s motif has been to use his life experiences and the wave of cultures he has immersed himself in as a visual guide for his musical output. The seeds of his independent career were sowed via a college EP project where Samzy stood out on a track titled “Rollie,” eventually leading to a debut single in 2019 titled “Chains.”
Sequel to the forced distancing and living arrangements of the COVID-19 pandemic, Samzy dedicated himself to work on his debut project that seeks to codify all the musical influences that define his easy-on-the-ear style of music. Named Trendsetter, the five-track extended play is a melding of trap, drill, and afro-fusion at different vibrations.
On “Da Remix,” he works with a typical afrobeats beat structure to express his devotion to a love interest, teasing out the words in tandem with the spry elements of the song’s beats. “Dutty Luv” is a sturdier offer, but it’s still an anthem for love that sees him switch his tool for expression to a saccharic form of sing-rapping that compliments the minimalist hue of the beat. “On Me” and “Trendsetter” are the centrepiece of the project as Reggaeton infusions elevate the former into something refreshingly different and the latter broadens the edge of his artistry. A prior trap collaboration with Rema, “Red Dots,” closes out the project as both artists croon and melodiously detail the joys and angst of being young.
Ultimately, Trendsetter is Samzy’s grand introduction to a world where prior limitations of physical barriers are being removed in real-time by the raw power of the music and Trendsetter does not fall short.
Listen here: https://onerpm.lnk.to/Samzy-Trendsetter
