“We’re not asking for people to open doors. We’re breaking doors down,” declared Zambian musician Sampa the Great. The audience at the Sinclair had waited two years for this night, as the pandemic had forced cancellations and postponements. Accompanied by her cousin and sister—”It’s like Jason 5!” she exclaimed—rapper Sampa Tembo’s performance felt like the comforting embrace of family, greeting a long-lost relative with open arms and a broad smile. She shared newly recorded songs like “Never Forget” (to the delight of the crowd) and blasted fans with boisterous instrumentation on favorites like “Final Form.” But what was most remarkable about the night was the sheer amount of joy. As she danced to thundering, layered drums, glancing from her band to her family to her fans, Tembo radiated with triumph and jubilation.
