Folkadelphia Session: Sammus

At its most basic, the website Bandcamp is a publishing platform for artists, another site to share work. But in this age of micropayments-per-play on the streaming service juggernauts like Spotify, YouTube, and Apple Music, with either a shield around those tech companies’ editorial and curatorial staff, or curation via computer algorithms and trends (lame!), it’s tough to be a self-sustaining musician on the web. Bandcamp offers a different experience for both creator and fan. The platform has evolved into a streaming service, merch store, social site, expertly selected radio station, a zine, and beyond. Best of all, the artist has much more freedom and control over their presence on the site. In many instances, Bandcamp has created the opportunity for niche, independent, and DIY musicians to find their people, their fans, and truly connect. We at Folkadelphia have had success using Bandcamp as our in-studio session archive. Now Philadelphian, former Ithacan producer and rapper Sammus also connected to a huge and hugely supportive community on the site, which is where we first discovered her music.

Sammus is one of the most exciting, inventive, smart, and diverse lyricists and producers around. She writes hip-hop for the weirdos, nerds, punks, outsiders and outliers, but also for the socially conscious, activists, feminists, and for those that need to be awoken. That makes her as much of a folk singer than anyone else, in fact more so in many way. Her music is also extremely personal, a heroine’s journey. It’s often that mixture of intimate and universal that makes the music so appealing. Her latest album Pieces in Space, released about a year ago, displays Sammus’ ever-sharpening words, wit, and mind.

Sammus’ Folkadelphia Session is the latest collaboration with WXPN’s The Key. Stay tuned for video from this in-studio session. Our previous collaboration featured rising Philly band Harmony Woods.