Birds and the Bee9 (stylised as Birds and the BEE9) is the second mixtape by Zambian singer-songwriter and rapper Sampa the Great. It was released in November 2017..

Birds and the Bee9
Mixtape by
Released10 November 2017 (2017-11-10)
Genre
LabelBig Dada
Sampa the Great chronology
Heroes Act 2
(2017)
Birds and the Bee9
(2017)
The Return
(2019)
Singles from Birds and the BEE9
  1. "Rhymes to the East"
    Released: 3 October 2017c
  2. "Bye River"
    Released: 17 October 2017[2]

In February 2018, the album won the 2017 Australian Music Prize.[3]

Reception

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Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
The Guardian     [4]
SunGenre     [5]

Kitty Empire from The Guardian said "Though swaggeringly up to date in places, her tracks sound far closer to Lauryn Hill than they do to 2017's breakout star Cardi B, nodding to reggae, soul and jazz. The complex question of identity keeps cropping up. 'How you supposed to be black down under?' Tembo wonders on 'Bye River'". Empire called the mixed tape "an intriguing appetiser".[4]

Dan Webb from SunGenre said the album "shows great promise and moments of brilliance" but concluded with "...after repeat listens, we're still not entirely sure what to make of this album."[5]

Track listing

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No.TitleProducer(s)Length
1."Healing"Sensible J3:09
2."Flowers" (feat. Remi)Sensible J3:26
3."Protect Your Queen"Justin Smith3:29
4."Rhymes to the East"Sensible J4:07
5."Can I Get a Key"Kwes Darko3:42
6."Black Girl Magik" (feat. Nicole Gumbe)Kwes Darko3:41
7."Casper" (feat. Syreneyiscreamy)Silentjay4:16
8."Karma the Villain"Silentjay3:16
9."Bye River"Silentjay7:42
10."Inner Voice" (feat. Mwanje Tembo)Silentjay5:23
11."The Truth"Sensible J1:20
12."I Am Me"Kwes Darko3:33
13."Healer" (feat. Zaachariaha)Sensible J3:03
Total length:55:07

Release history

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Region Date Format Label Catalogue
Various[6] 13 September 2019 CD, digital download, streaming Big Dada BD287
Australia[7] 27 September 2019 LP Big Dada/Ninja Tune BD287C

References

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  1. ^ "Birds and the BEE9 by Sampa the Great at AllMusic". AllMusic. Retrieved 13 April 2020.
  2. ^ "Bye River – Single by Sampa the Great". Apple Music. Retrieved 13 April 2020.
  3. ^ "AMP winner Sampa The Great creates history". Sydney Morning Herald. 6 March 2020. Retrieved 13 April 2020.
  4. ^ a b "Sampa the Great: Birds and the BEE9 review an intriguing appetiser". The Guardian. 12 November 2017. Retrieved 13 April 2020.
  5. ^ a b "Sampa The Great Birds and the BEE9". SunGenre. December 2017. Retrieved 13 April 2020.
  6. ^ "Birds and the BEE9 by Sampa the Great DD". Apple Music. Retrieved 13 April 2020.
  7. ^ "Birds and the BEE9 by Sampa the Great LP". JB Hi-Fi. Retrieved 13 April 2020.