These days, pop culture has made a consummate joke of 20-something men who aspire to be legitimate, internationally known mainstream rappers. This is partly because the market is oversaturated with lyricists following trends, but not many show up as bonafide artists creating their own trends, willing to open up from a place of authenticity and a self-contained vision. As every generation witnesses at least once, it’s a rare artist who arrives on-time, as priceless, poetic genius built upon real-life, designed to usher in the type of energy that generates public movements that shift the future of Hip-Hop’s ever-evolving culture. Tampa native SAMXWAR is such artist, as he has recently signed with Los Angeles-based label NIVe Entertainment Group, in preparation for his ascension as the spiritual orb of Emo rap. “I have had my eye on SAMXWAR for a couple years and it’s plain to see how complete he already is as a real artist. His growing influence and gift as a social commentator, if you will, was cultivated from that generation of Soundcloud graduates like Billie Eilish, Juice WRLD, Post Malone and of course XXXtentacion. That generation of elites are now thriving; almost full-grown. And symbolically SAMXWAR is one of the last dominant voices of that generation that’s going to drive the culture into its glorious what’s next. The world is about to be turned upsidedown and I could not be more excited,” says Nikia Shanard, CEO of NIVe Entertainment.

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To refer to him as just a rapper is ultimately a detraction from SAMXWAR’s wide range of artistic influences & eclectic persona. Born James K. Sconiers Jr., he is the quintessential kid that does his own thing- style is earthy but contemporary. Both musically and energetically SAMXWAR blooms with the all the valor of his stage name which is a meshing of SAM for Samuri connected to WAR, together meaning Samuri Warrior. SAMXWAR makes it clear rapping is just what he leads with as his ultimate objective is to create possibility for humanity not just gather words that rhyme for fame & money. “I’m a vocalist, honestly. I like to do everything and though most of my catalogue is Emo, I am not tied to a certain genre of music. I can create from any kind, even Country if it came down to it,” he states casually.

 

Having risen in ranks via South Florida’s Underground scene since his teen years and directly artistically linked to DJ Scheme and Kidway of the infamous Members Only crew, he arrives full-grown with a musicianship exceedingly far beyond what’s merely nuanced in his would-be rivals. This innate musicianship showcases a lyrical flow that’s impressively every bit the melodic ripeness his peers Kidway and XXXtentacion exhibited, and just as intimate. This is present on his most recent work “I’m Broke Remix”, alongside label-mate MODSi’s where SAMXWAR asserts, “Got no money but I gotta try to try/ To survive/ She don’t get me/ But I’m getting by/So, I’ll be fine/Just as long as it’s you, me and I”. This ability to clearly layer the energy of lyrics and depth of subject matter is where SAMXWAR’s star really begins to soar exclusively, setting him apart even from his own lineage of Southern-bred talent. Unearthing deeper meaning to an arena that tends to communicate in a very unimaginative and surface manner enhances his gift to the point that allows him to shift from storyteller to teacher. While most of his kind are limited to a more basic and one-dimensional scope, the blending of  his true-life experience with all the perils and inevitable consequences of being young, Black, gifted and once disillusioned by the lifestyle of fast-easy money is derived from the soul of a man who has examined life fully and honestly. And even the most tragic of experiences may be used to redeem. He cites his favorite artist as The Weekend, “I love The Weeknd because he does what very few artists can do well. He can take the most heartbreaking experience and put some pride on it, like ‘Yea I went through this but I’m proud of it because it made me who I am today,’” SAMXWAR recalls.

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Perhaps the most distinguishing quality about SAMXWAR and what he offers up to his community is a blueprint for elevation enveloped in a sorely needed new paradigm based upon creating versus consumption. He has even established his own crew of MC’s, called Free Energy Collective which is telling of his new-aged mentality around the different means by which people can come together for the whole of humanity. Deeply connected to world issues, he has clarity around what’s missing not only in his community but also globally and feels responsible to be an agent of change for the entire human culture by leading it into a revolution of unity and a smarter, more sustainable means of creating solutions for a planet still recovering from a disastrous pandemic. In essence, he’s a healer who knows first-hand how death and tragedy can cause one to reevaluate their place and purpose in the world. XXXtentacion is only one of the comrades SAMXWAR has had to witness passing. There were others before that didn’t make the 5’oclock news. Just this April of 2022,Tables (SAMXWAR’s personal friend, former manager and the production end/cohesive factor of the Members Only crew featured in Hulu’s newly released documentary on  XXXtentacion entitled, “Look At Me”) died as well. “What I’ve learned up to this point is to never forget to be in the moment. My biggest regret is taking moments for granted. As an artist, I work really hard to accomplish my goals but sometimes I only see the destination and miss the journey. I now realize there are moments I had with friends that are no longer here. I wish I would have known how special those moments were before they ended,” SAMXWAR reflects.

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Ultimately, he’s on the verge of demonstrating to the world what the combination of raw talent, perseverance, creativity, focus, a solid sense of community and good-old-fashioned life experience put to good use looks like. Though in completely his own fashion, SAMXWAR is the extension of a  rich and detailed legacy partially built by many of the more well-known global sensations he matriculated with, delivering everything we have been waiting for in the next stage of Hip-Hop’s influence worldwide.