Samy Deluxe

Samy Sorge (German pronunciation: [ˈzaːmi ˈzɔʁɡə]; born 19 December 1977), commonly known as Samy Deluxe, is a German rapper and record producer from Hamburg.

Early life

Samy was two years old when his Sudanese father left Germany. Samy grew up with his mother's family. His half-sister was born shortly after his father left. The family lived in Barmbek for many years, then moved to Eppendorf, a better-off part of Hamburg. His family was able to make the move upon the recommendation of a family friend after his mother remarried. He attended the Wolfgang-Borchert-Schule and attained the Realschulabschluss, or certificate of general education similar to a British GCSE. He cites his upbringing in a middle-class neighbourhood as part of his inspiration. He says he felt out of place: "At (one) point I would stand out in front of my own house and people who lived here before me would ask, 'Can I help you?'". Additionally, he cites American rappers as his inspiration rather than their German counterparts. Samy recalls that his interest in rap music began as early as 1988.

Music career

In 2001, Samy Deluxe released his self-titled debut album, which ranked No. 2 in the German Album Charts for the 19th calendar week of 2001. The first single from the album, "Hab' gehört...", ranked No. 26. However, the second single, "Internetional Love", failed to enter the charts. The final single, "Weck mich auf", peaked at No. 4 in Germany, becoming a national hit and the album's most successful single. Following the success of his solo debut, Samy Deluxe became a highly acclaimed hip hop artist in German rap and internationally.