The Endless Rise Of Massuma
Massuma never intended on making a career out of music– until it “took over” all else. He was twelve, in London, and grime, a UK-born genre that mixes hip-hop, dancehall, and electronic music, was taking off. Purchasing a second-hand keyboard at a car boot sale, then snagging a “cracked”, or pirated, FL Studio, a digital audio workstation used for music production, the productionist was awakened. “I started producing grime instrumentals just for fun. Music was something that came naturally to me,” said Massuma.
Before he became Massuma, however, he was Sam Savage, and to understand where the budding artist is at now, one must journey through his path towards reinvention.
It was in University that he taught himself how to DJ, throwing events, and working small bars and mainly South Asian weddings to build his craft and resume. Music now became more than just “fun”, he stated, “It was when I started playing my own beats at small parties and seeing people react. That feeling of controlling the energy in a room was addictive. From there, I just kept pushing it, learning how to mix and perform properly, until it became part of who I am.”
After years of hustling, he was finally able to land a residency in Camden, London, which opened up his talents to London’s elite Mayfair club scene. As Sam Savage, hip-hop was his primary focus. Sharing spaces with artists including Travis Scott and A$AP Rocky and studying old school techniques like vinyl DJing, the artist began to carve his way through the industry.
But after years of mixing for the hip-hop genre Sam Savage began to feel stagnant, telling rBeatzRadio, “There was no higher to go in the urban music world of DJing.”
And from there, Massuma was born.
Pulling from his North African roots and childhood in London’s diverse communities, it was “natural” for him to gravitate towards the afro-house scene. His “real” breakthrough, however, came after the release of his song with DOSAMIS, “Contesto.” The song, a remix of Plan B’s 2010 reggaetón hit, “Si No Le Contesto,” was introduced to him by his first girlfriend. And, on July 4, 2025 Massuma finally released the beat that he had stuck in his head for years.
“Contesto” instantly went viral, scoring the number two spot on Afro House charts and generating over four million Spotify streams in less than a year. “Watching it take off and seeing people around the world singing along before it even dropped was crazy,” said Massuma.
And he’s only growing from here. Shortly after “Contesto’s” release, the artist dropped his latest single, on September 25 “Amazin’ (Edit),” with Idaly and David MacKay, a rework of Idaly’s 2022 song “Amazin.’” He shared “The reaction has been powerful from the start, proving how a track in Dutch can still connect globally. Having Keinemusik play it in their sets and seeing the crowd response has been a real highlight. David and I have loved seeing how this track has come to life and been loved so heavily.”
And that outward connection is what has kept Massuma inspired ever since he was a tween. When he first started producing grime beats, he’d bring them into school for friends to rap over, and now through his travels he’s been able to replicate that same, excited energy he found as a young boy.
On his influences he stated, “A lot of it comes from the places I’ve been and the people I’ve met. Traveling keeps me inspired. I take pieces of every culture I experience and bring that into my sound.”
His new song, “Sikasso,” formerly known as “Blonda” is expected to release this Friday on MoBlack records and features Malian singer, Nahawa Doumbia. The DJ is also set to perform in New York City, October 31st
With only two singles out, Massuma’s work stands as a testament to the malleability of music
when pursued with enthusiasm. Following his initial success in hip-hop, the DJ could have easily gotten comfortable working solely in that genre, but instead chose passion over security. Since taking on afro-house and mixing other influences, Massuma’s curiosity has yet to reach a lull. Constantly on the lookout for the next sound, or atmosphere to spark inspiration and add onto his ever-present evolution.
Massuma finished the interview by stating, “…this is still the beginning for me. There’s so much more I want to do, and I’m taking my time to build it the right way.”
Press photo, credit Peter O’Sullivan