A creative collaboration for Hip Hop History Month turned into a defining moment for Nashville’s evolving sound.
Sony Music Publishing’s HUE team saw what we built with the Kinfolk Writers Camp in June and reached out about joining forces on something similar. I floated the idea of hosting a joint camp for either Black History Month in February or Hip Hop History Month in November, and the vision clicked almost instantly: a hip hop camp centered on the art of sampling.
That spark became SAMP CAMP: a first-of-its-kind, three-day writing and production experience held across Sony and Warner Chappell’s Nashville studios.
Over three days, more than 40 producers, writers, and artists filled both studios with energy that could only be described as electric. Hitmakers like Breland, Bandplay, Starlito, Jake & Jared Krumm, and more transformed the spaces into sonic playgrounds: reimagining samples pulled straight from the Sony and Warner catalogs.
The goal was simple: honor hip hop’s past, amplify its present, and spark its future through collaboration, education, and creativity.
By the end of the week, over 70 new tracks had been created: not samples as imitation, but as innovation. Each one bridged catalogs, companies, and generations. Those songs are now being pitched by A&Rs from both publishers, marking a new era of cross-catalog collaboration that pushes creative and corporate boundaries in the best way possible.
Before the day’s sessions, we hosted Lunch & Learn conversations around copyright, sampling, sync, and AI. These open and honest discussions blended education with empowerment, helping attendees understand how to protect their art while pushing creative boundaries. These moments reminded everyone that progress happens when business and culture evolve together.
The camp wrapped with The Mixer at Sony and The Mixdown afterparty at H.O.M.E., where more than 100 artists, producers, and industry professionals came together to celebrate. It felt like something Nashville rarely sees: a true melting pot of sound, energy, and community.
Coordinating across two major corporations meant navigating budgets, scheduling hurdles, and plenty of moving parts. But what kept us grounded was the vision: to show what’s possible when corporate walls come down and creativity leads.
The wins came early and often: sponsors like ASCAP, BMI, Slim & Husky’s, White Squirrel Brewery, and H.O.M.E. jumped on board almost immediately, which was a blessing. Their support gave us momentum and legitimacy from day one.
The only real stressor came courtesy of a certain food delivery app that charged the wrong card for the first day’s Lunch & Learn, then sent me on a wild goose chase through North Nashville… only for the food to still be at the restaurant. It was frustrating then, but looking back, one of those “you have to laugh” lessons that comes with the territory.
Moments like that remind me that behind every polished event are long hours, quick pivots, and a team that refuses to quit.
SAMP CAMP was proof that hip hop belongs here in Nashville, a city often defined by one genre. Slowly but surely, Nashville is expanding its narrative, and this was one more step toward the future. That’s what Kinfolk is about: creating spaces where culture isn’t just celebrated but evolved — where collaboration, creativity, and community shape what’s next.
This was the latest piece in a cultural shift… and I’m proud to have been part of it.
