# Sammus

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American rapper

Sammus Sammus at the Haunt in Ithaca, New York, in 2015 Background information Born Enongo Ahou Lumumba-Kasongo (1986-03-20) March 20, 1986 (age 40) Rhinebeck, New York Origin Ithaca, New York, United States Genres Hip hop, nerdcore Occupations Rapper, songwriter, record producer, teacher Years active 2010–present Labels Nu-Black Music Group, Don Giovanni Records Website sammusmusic.com

Musical artist

**Enongo Ahou Lumumba-Kasongo**[1] (born March 20, 1986), known as **Sammus** (often stylized as **SΔMMUS**), is an American underground rapper, record producer, and academic.

## Early life

Enongo Lumumba-Kasongo was born in [Rhinebeck, NY](/source/Rhinebeck%2C_NY) to an [Ivorian](/source/Ivory_Coast) mother and [Congolese](/source/Kongo_people) father.[2] [Patrice Lumumba](/source/Patrice_Lumumba), former Prime Minister of Congo, was her great-uncle.[3] Her parents, both professors, moved her family to [Ithaca, New York](/source/Ithaca%2C_New_York), at an early age, her mother teaching at [Cornell University](/source/Cornell_University) and her father at [Wells College](/source/Wells_College).[4]

She began producing music in highschool under the name DJ Eno,[5][6] first using the [PlayStation](/source/PlayStation) program *[MTV Music Generator](/source/Music_2000)*, and the [digital audio workstation](/source/Digital_audio_workstation) [Reason](/source/Reason_(software)) to create beats.[4][7] When she was trying to pick a new name for herself, a friend recommended the name [Samus](/source/Samus_Aran), after the main character of the *[Metroid](/source/Metroid)* series of games, since both are women in male dominated genres.[4][5][6][7][8]

## Education

Sammus received a [BA](/source/Bachelor_of_Arts) degree from [Cornell University](/source/Cornell_University) in 2008, double majoring in [Science and technology studies](/source/Science_and_technology_studies) and [Sociology](/source/Sociology).[9] She then worked full-time as teacher, in [Houston, Texas](/source/Houston%2C_Texas), for [Teach for America](/source/Teach_for_America). Sammus then returned to Cornell in Fall 2011 to pursue an [MA](/source/Master_of_Arts) degree and doctorate in Science and Technology Studies, which she obtained in 2015 and 2019, respectively.[10][11][12][13]

In 2019, Sammus was awarded a two-year Postdoctoral Fellowship in Music at the Cogut Institute for the Humanities at [Brown University](/source/Brown_University), focusing on the aesthetics and techniques of music of the African diaspora.[14] As of 2025[\[update\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Sammus&action=edit) she is the David S. Josephson Assistant Professor in the Brown University Department of Music.[15]

## Music

Sammus' influences started with her older brother Disashi (formerly a member of [Gym Class Heroes](/source/Gym_Class_Heroes)), who exposed her both to video games and [alternative rock](/source/Alternative_rock) bands like [Weezer](/source/Weezer) and [Nirvana](/source/Nirvana_(band)).[4][6][8] In addition, Sammus has stated that she has been heavily influenced by [Kanye West](/source/Kanye_West),[5] particularly his debut album *[The College Dropout](/source/The_College_Dropout)*:

It just hit me at the right time. I was about to go into college, and I think prior to that album dropping, I hadn't felt like I could have a voice in hip hop. What [was] represented were two sides of the spectrum: you had 'I have a lot of money, and I do a lot of cool things with my money'—hip hop that was on [MTV](/source/MTV)—and then there was the super lyrical, very conscious, [Mos Def](/source/Mos_Def), 'let's talk about the system.' And I didn't feel qualified to contribute to any of that discussion, because my problems were kind of like: 'uhh, I don't want to go to school...' And here was Kanye West talking specifically about 'I don't want to go to school!'

— Sammus, The Ithacast[4]

Sammus released her debut EP *Fly Nerd* in 2010. She followed up with the album *M'Other Brain* in 2012. After [Mega Ran](/source/Mega_Ran) was exposed to Sammus' music, the two began collaborating.[5] In 2013, within a few hours of releasing her second album, *Prime*, it became the bestselling rap album on [Bandcamp](/source/Bandcamp).[16] In December 2013, Sammus launched a [Kickstarter](/source/Kickstarter) campaign for her fourth album, a concept album based on *Metroid*. This album, *Another M* earned her fans of the [nerdcore](/source/Nerdcore) subgenre. In various interviews and social media, Sammus has clarified that she doesn't identify herself as a nerdcore rapper, and instead prefers the term "Afrofuturism" to refer to her video-game centered music because it requires an engagement with her Blackness.

## Performances

Sammus has toured the U.S. with [Mega Ran](/source/Mega_Ran) on the *Rappers with Arm Cannons* tour in 2015. She has performed at the [SXSW](/source/SXSW) Music Festival since 2015, the [Penny Arcade Expo](/source/Penny_Arcade_Expo) (PAX East) in 2015, [Geek Girl Con](https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Geek_Girl_Con&action=edit&redlink=1) in 2014 and 2015 with plans to return in 2016. She has also performed at the east coast's music and gaming festival, [MAGFest](/source/MAGFest), in 2015, 2016 and 2024.[17] In June 2017 she performed at McCarren park in Greenpoint Brooklyn as part of the Northside Festival.

## Discography

- 2010 - *Fly Nerd* (EP, self-released)

- 2012 - *M'Other Brain* (NuBlack Music Group)

- 2012 - *Reset: Instrumentals* (self-released)

- 2013 - *Prime* (NuBlack Music Group)

- 2013 - *Nerdcore Instrumentals: Castlevania Edition* (with [DJ Cutman](/source/DJ_Cutman))

- 2013 - *Castlevania: The Nocturnal Cantata* ([Joypad Records](https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Joypad_Records&action=edit&redlink=1))

- 2014 - *Another M* (NuBlack Music Group)

- 2014 - *Nerdcore Instrumentals 2* (with [DJ Cutman](/source/DJ_Cutman))

- 2016 - *InFusion* (EP, NuBlack Music Group)

- 2016 - *Pieces in Space* ([Don Giovanni Records](/source/Don_Giovanni_Records))

## References

1. **[^](#cite_ref-1)** ["BRINSTAR"](https://www.ascap.com/repertory#/ace/search/workID/905288561). *ASCAP*. American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers. Retrieved January 29, 2025.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-2)** Hassell, Kristine (December 9, 2013). ["Creative Corner: SAMMUS"](http://geekgirlcon.com/creative-corner-sammus/). *GeekGirlCon*.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-3)** ["Happy Birthday Patrice Lumumba"](https://sammusmusic.com/2012/07/02/happy-birthday-patrice-lumumba/). 2 July 2012.

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-Ithacast_4-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-Ithacast_4-1) [***c***](#cite_ref-Ithacast_4-2) [***d***](#cite_ref-Ithacast_4-3) [***e***](#cite_ref-Ithacast_4-4) The Ithacast (May 6, 2015). ["Meet 'Sammus', an Ithaca rapper with rising star power"](http://ithacavoice.com/2015/05/meet-sammus-an-ithaca-rapper-with-rising-star-power-the-ithacast/). The Ithaca Voice. {{[cite journal](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Template:Cite_journal)}}: Cite journal requires |journal= ([help](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Help:CS1_errors#missing_periodical))

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-shoom_5-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-shoom_5-1) [***c***](#cite_ref-shoom_5-2) [***d***](#cite_ref-shoom_5-3) shoom (June 17, 2014). ["Episode 11 w/ Sammus"](https://soundcloud.com/inthemixwithshoom/in-the-mix-w-shoom-episode-eleven-w-sammus). *in the mix with shoom*.

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-FanBros_6-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-FanBros_6-1) [***c***](#cite_ref-FanBros_6-2) ["No. 53 - Ladies Night Feat. Sammus & Girl Gone Geek"](https://soundcloud.com/fanbros/fbs-no-53-ladies-night-feat-sammus-girl-gone-geek). *Fan Bros Show*. June 5, 2014.

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-Mirk_7-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-Mirk_7-1) [Mirk, Sarah](/source/Sarah_Mirk) (December 18, 2014). ["Geek Girls"](https://web.archive.org/web/20141219210203/http://bitchmagazine.org/post/popaganda-episode-geek-girls-podcast-doubleclicks-video-games). *Popaganda*. [Bitch Media](/source/Bitch_Media). Archived from [the original](http://bitchmagazine.org/post/popaganda-episode-geek-girls-podcast-doubleclicks-video-games) on December 19, 2014.

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-Stephens_8-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-Stephens_8-1) Stephens, Alexis (October 11, 2013). ["Gee Whiz: Rapper/Producer Sammus Has Got Game"](https://web.archive.org/web/20150518075119/http://www.mtviggy.com/articles/gee-whiz-rapperproducer-sammus-has-got-game/). *[MTV Iggy](/source/MTV)*. Archived from [the original](http://www.mtviggy.com/articles/gee-whiz-rapperproducer-sammus-has-got-game/) on May 18, 2015. Retrieved March 26, 2015.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-9)** ["Hey it's my birthday | also WTF is going on"](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IBKGGUhPfwg). *[YouTube](/source/YouTube)*. 20 Mar 2020. Retrieved 2021-03-30.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-10)** DiPietro, Louis (February 11, 2014). ["Revelation: Sammus"](http://sammusmusic.com/2014/02/05/ithaca-times-sammus-feature/). *The Ithaca Times*. p. 17.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-11)** ["enongo lumumba kasongo – rapper / producer / professor"](https://enongo.net). Retrieved October 27, 2022.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-12)** [PhD Dissertation Enongo Lumumba-Kasongo: On the boundaries of multivalent musicking; a study on the politics of community-studios](https://ecommons.cornell.edu/handle/1813/67782) - website of the [Cornell University Library](/source/Cornell_University_Library)

1. **[^](#cite_ref-13)** ["enongo lumumba kasongo"](https://web.archive.org/web/20150730023313/http://enongo-lk.com/). *enongo lumumba kasongo*. Archived from the original on July 30, 2015. Retrieved March 3, 2022.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-14)** ["Enongo Lumumba-Kasongo to Join Brown University Department of Music and Cogut Institute for the Humanities as Postdoctoral Fellow for 2019-21"](https://music.brown.edu/news/2019-05-07/enongo-lumumba-kasongo). *Brown University Department of Music*. May 7, 2019. Retrieved March 3, 2022.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-15)** ["Department of Music Faculty"](https://music.brown.edu/people/faculty). Retrieved December 13, 2025.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-16)** Herimbi, Helen (August 2013). ["She Got Game"](https://web.archive.org/web/20150325104951/http://afripopmag.com/2013/08/she-got-game-producer-rapper-s%E2%96%B2mmus-levels-the-playing-field-by-making-video-game-inspired-beats/). *AfriPOP!*. Archived from [the original](http://afripopmag.com/2013/08/she-got-game-producer-rapper-s%E2%96%B2mmus-levels-the-playing-field-by-making-video-game-inspired-beats/) on 2015-03-25.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-17)** ["REGISTRATION OPENS TODAY!"](https://super.magfest.org/blog/registration-opens-today-2024). *[Super MAGFest](/source/MAGFest)*. Retrieved September 9, 2023.

## External links

- [Official Website](http://sammusmusic.com/)

- [Sammus at Don Giovanni Records](https://www.dongiovannirecords.com/artists/sammus)

- [Sammus on Genius](https://genius.com/artists/Sammus/)

Authority control databases: Artists MusicBrainz 2

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Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Sammus](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sammus) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sammus?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.