Sampa’s newest single arrives as a brandishing ode to the golden era of Zambia’s socially prolific genre, Zamrock. Throwing recognition to the music coming out of the African diaspora today, to honouring the stories of those who tread previously, "Never Forget” is the stamp uniting both centre-points in history. A choral harmony from Sampa’s own sister Mwanjé heralds the track’s opening, before a low-slung bassline booms out punctuating hooks from Zambian songwriter, Tio Nason. 

The music video, directed by Rochelle Nembhard and Imraan Christian, starring Sampa The Great, MC Chef 187, Tio Nason and Mwanjé features a darkly lit performance space showcasing choreography and the artfully costumed personas of Sampa, which translates to a highly cinematic and enthralling vision. Interspersed throughout the clip is archival footage of Zambian life in the 70s, including performances from some of the Zamrock acts that have paved the path since.

Sampa says on the single & video:
“Never Forget” is an ode to Zamrock music, a genre born in the 70’s combining traditional Zambian music and psychedelic rock. In particular, the song focuses on kalindula music. This tribute was inspired by the band WITCH and their lead singer Mr Jagari Chanda, who has become one of my musical mentors. I discovered Zamrock later in my life and was surprised that this music was known globally, yet not fully celebrated and acknowledged in Zambia today. It hit home for me as I felt similarities in my own journey, having had my career take off outside my birth country. I thought it was fitting to pay homage to those who came before me and merge past, present and future through music and imagery; passing the baton from one generation to the next. The archival footage in the clip includes the late great Paul Ngozi, the late president Kenneth Kaunda (Zambia’s first president) and the legendary WITCH.

Art Director and On Set Director Furmaan Ahmed delves into the video process: Creating this work was an incredibly cathartic experience as it was a nod to the iconoclasm of our shared cultures, heritage and bloodlines that have been erased over time. At its heart, Never Forget is an homage to the strength, resilience and magic of the diaspora, the veneration of time and in particular Sampa’s Zambian heritage. Set inside a world birthing itself from a dark ancestral monument, we invoke the past to imagine new futures. Never Forget is a ritualistic unearthing and a celebration of our heritages and the power of music in liberation.