Live Review: Sampa The Great, Jesswar

Local MC Jesswar gets the room geared up as the first of tonight's two forceful displays of rap prowess. A good number of bumpin' hip hop heads are seen showing their support on the dancefloor as she raps through a solid set with a commanding attitude.

Just three weeks on from treating her Brisbane fans to a complimentary Sunday session in West End's Bunyapa Park (courtesy of Jet Black Cat Music), Sampa The Great aka Sampa Tembo returns with her full band in tow to give us the complete live experience. They're greeted with feverish applause from the sold-out crowd and from the moment they kick into the soulful sounds of opener Freedom, they have the packed room feeding off every syllable and getting down to every beat.  

With her expansive debut album The Return hot off the Ninja Tune press, Tembo appears more inspired than ever, eager to relate this deeply personal journey of displacement and discovery to her fans. She certainly connects; the new material receives impassioned responses, as the intimacy of tonight's venue allows the audience to enter into a deep communion with each and every song.

Mwana, Diamond In The Ruff, Brand New; it's hard to pick a highlight from a set that feels like it just keeps giving, but Tembo saves the heaviest in her arsenal for last. "We have one more to play," she teases, blindsiding us before launching the explosive OMG, which sends the room into the most frantic dance session of the evening thus far. Tembo and co take their leave, but with that song still looming an encore is evident, and they quickly re-take the stage for tonight's finest moment - Final Form.

In turning her focus inward, Tembo has discovered something essential, which sees her propelled by her own voice. Making confident strides both in the studio and the live arena, make no mistake about it -  she stands atop our rap game, Sampa The Great!