Birds and the BEE9

Birds and the BEE9 is the second mixed tape by Zambian born, Australian singer/songwriter Sampa the Great. It was released in November 2017..

Birds and the BEE9
Mixtape by Sampa the Great
Released	10 November 2017
Genre	Rap, R&B[1]
Label	Big Dada
Sampa the Great chronology
HERoes Act 2 (2017) Birds and the BEE9 (2017) The Return (2019)
Singles from Birds and the BEE9
"Rhymes to the East" Released: 3 October 2017c "Bye River" Released: 17 October 2017[2]

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

Reception

Professional ratings

Review scores
Source	Rating
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

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

Release history

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

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. "Sampa the Great: Birds and the BEE9 review an intriguing appetiser". The Guardian. 12 November 2017. Retrieved 13 April 2020.
5. "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-Fiaccessdate=13 April 2020.