Introducing ‘Notes from Mr. Sandman‘ – a column slapping a spotlight on lyricists overlooked, under appreciated, or just plain criminally slept on. Or like a man named Nas once said, “I never sleep, cause sleep is the cousin of death.” Enter Mr. Sandman with what y’all missed while chasing the REM dragon.
Samus is a name that’s synonymous with video game culture, a classic Nintendo heroine from the ’80s who helped establish the franchises’ identity. It’s also the moniker for New York-based lyricist Enongo Lumumba-Kasongo who adopted the name (spelled Sammus) because, much like the video game character, she’s a woman trying to navigate a male dominated world.
The superheroine theme has stayed with Sammus ever since she dropped her first EP Fly Nerd in 2010, and it’s been a crucial part of her identity ever since. A quirky style that is as much unorthodox as it is fresh, fusing together classic elements of the golden-era with the playful nature of modern day rap. Highly cerebral but delivered in a fun, carefree way.
Her debut album M’Other Brain was released in 2012 and steady flew under the radar. It was a stylistic amalgam that covered a wide range of topics, which reflected her versatility as a writer. But the songs that stood out most, were the ones that dealt with heady social critiques, a characteristic inspired by her work as a teacher.
“Anything” is a sobering statement about some of the crazy things a person will put themselves through in order to become famous; how dangerously infectious it can be especially towards young, impressionable minds: [LISTEN]
At the core, Sammus is your typical nerd, the bookish type who grew up around academics and video games. That element is the foundation of her style and helps keep her in check; away from the common pitfalls that come with trying to make it in the fickle rap industry. She’s as savvy with a controller in her hand as she is with a mic, the type of lyricist who can wax poetic about RPGs and hip-hop.
Sammus’ quickly evolved from one album to the next, and by remaining fluid she has been able to stay fresh and innovative. On 2013’s Prime she dove deeper into her storytelling and embraced a narrative that went far beyond your standard, formulaic rap. She fused together elements of real life with the inspirations she gets from nerd culture.
“Reset” is a song about how she lost an entire catalog of production when her hard drive crashed, but instead of sulking she looked at it as an opportunity to start anew: [LISTEN]
Sammus is as versatile as they come; she raps, writes and produces all while instilling solid values. It’s a respect for both herself and the culture that’s embraced her. She is a world class lyricist who doesn’t get the recognition she deserves because she refuses to conform. Her style is a unique gift and whether she’s chilling on the couch playing Metal Gear or on stage rocking a show she’s always bringing her best.
