Posted by Tapping into multiple genres, Sam Wise is not your typical rapper. Hailing from South London, he describes his sound as eclectic and – most importantly – human. “I think I’ve got a quite down to earth tone in my music. I’ve always had a distinct taste in music and arts and that’s driven my current angle of approach.” Citing Kendrick Lamar’s and The Weeknd’s music as an aide in his music development, Sam appreciates how they helped him burst out of his restrictive bubble, in the process allowing him explore other sounds.
Wanting to challenge the status quo in the most raw way, Sam took his time with his first project. Despite surprising fans with frequent single releases, he thought it would be best to put some method to the madness and create a proper body of work. His latest EP ‘Sorry You Were Saying’ is a genre-bending introduction into his world, allowing old and new listeners to realise there is more to him other than the singles released to date.
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Take EP highlight ‘BirdsEyeView’ – inspired by relationships and understanding parts of oneself in order to better yourself, it demonstrates the project’s depth and maturity. He tells Clash: “I really wanted to showcase the ability I have and show the different sounds I like to tamper with. It’s a very personal project.”
For those out of the loop, Sam Wise is co-founder of the critically acclaimed creative collective House Of Pharaohs. Although Sam does release solo material, he assures that the collective is still just as important. “I’m always releasing individual stuff as well as collective stuff but that’s the ethos we wanted,” he explains. “We all respect each other and see everyone as equals. Everyone’s a star.”
With his first solo headline show selling out almost immediately, Sam remains level-headed and tries not to let success get the best of him. Expect only small changes expectant in the future, he says: “I want to be stable, still enjoying, creating and expressing. Whatever it is, I still want to contribute positively.”
What: Experimental UK rap
Where: Kennington, South London
Get 3 Songs: ‘Lizzie’, ‘BirdseyeView’, ‘Road Rage’
Fact: A true polymath, Sam Wise has explored many different performance arts – even studying ballet when he was younger.
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Words: Dannii Leivers
Photography: Joel Smedley
Fashion: Zarina Shukri
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