Sam Turpin

Turpin grew up in Johannesburg, South Africa where he was exposed to a variety of cultural influences, including hip hop music and hip hop culture.[3] In 2011, after his mother passed away from cancer, Turpin began making music as an outlet to express his emotions while grieving her loss.[4][5]

In 2013, Turpin released his debut single "Cranes" which garnered enough interest for him to start performing around Johannesburg.[6] In 2014, he released his debut EP "Eternal Sentiment" as a limited online release.[7] Turpin released his second EP "Wasi-Wasi" accompanied by some self-produced music videos.[8] In 2017, he released his first full-length mixtape "4am In Jozi", a musical ode to the night-time anxieties of central Johannesburg.[9] The project garnered Turpin a brand showcase of selected artists as well as fashion-oriented placements in the South African creative industry.[10][11]

Turpin performing live in Soweto, 2019

In early 2019, Turpin released the first single since his mixtape, a song titled "Summer Evening" featuring London-based India Shan, which plays like a personal letter to his mother.[12] According to Turpin, this was the first time he was able to express himself "directly" to his mother since she died.[13] This was followed by "Sahara Flow", a single drawing more from his Jewish heritage, sampling an ancient Hebrew chant sang by South African singer Jessica Sherman.[14] In late 2019, Turpin joined the live ensemble of The Charles Géne Suite and began performing at festivals, club shows and events.[15]

In mid-March 2020, during South Africa's coronavirus lockdown, Turpin and collaborator Lenny-Dee Doucha released their single "Cloud City" specifically for their followers in lockdown.[16][17] In May 2020, Turpin collaborated with film maker Katya Abedian to release their short musical film "Sahara Flow" which premiered via London's Nataal Magazine.[18][19]

In 2017, Turpin received a Bachelor of Arts from the University of the Witwatersrand in Anthropology and History.[20] Turpin is fluent in English, isiZulu and also knows some basic French and Japanese.[21]