Samiyam

Born in Ann Arbor, Michigan but based in Los Angeles, Sam Baker, aka Samiyam, is an underground producer who makes instrumental hip-hop beats. Stylistically cut from the same cloth as <a href="spotify:artist:16L1SS4OancaZUTu3qWqHb">J Dilla</a> but with a tendency to incorporate synthesizers as well as samples, he is associated with the city's beatmaking scene, and was one of the first artists to release music on <a href="spotify:artist:29XOeO6KIWxGthejQqn793">Flying Lotus</a>' influential label <a href="spotify:search:label%3A%22Brainfeeder%22">Brainfeeder</a>. Baker and <a href="spotify:artist:29XOeO6KIWxGthejQqn793">FlyLo</a> produced music together as FLYamSAM, first surfacing on <a href="spotify:search:label%3A%22Rush+Hour+Recordings%22">Rush Hour Recordings</a>' 2007 compilation Beat Dimensions, Vol. 1. Baker's solo debut, Rap Beats, Vol. 1 was self-released in 2008 as a limited CD-R, and had unique artwork for each copy -- collages made from magazine cutouts. He made his vinyl debut that year on the British label <a href="spotify:search:label%3A%22Hyperdub%22">Hyperdub</a>, which issued the Return EP. Baker's Man vs. Machine 10" EP appeared on <a href="spotify:search:label%3A%22Poo-Bah+Records%22">Poo-Bah Records</a> in 2009, and FLYamSAM issued a mixtape titled Bootleg Beats that year. In 2010, Samiyam released a split 10" EP with <a href="spotify:artist:3PU8Ju4WBYNY5xvJE3DMfV">Ras G</a> as part of <a href="spotify:search:label%3A%22All+City+Records%22">All City Records</a>' series spotlighting producers from the Los Angeles beat scene. Following additional compilation appearances, production credits on albums by rappers <a href="spotify:artist:1KeJhR0ENFviw187pD4LPT">Blu</a> and <a href="spotify:artist:5DKuVtlpDH0agZQUFDy8O7">Pharoahe Monche</a>, and remixes for producers like <a href="spotify:artist:48C2RLG6w7o4jAJjCJKZM8">Shigeto</a> and <a href="spotify:artist:2MqWqAmRvIjvYdD3cMBbrg">Illum Sphere</a>, Samiyam released his proper debut full-length, Sam Baker's Album, on <a href="spotify:search:label%3A%22Brainfeeder%22">Brainfeeder</a> in 2011.

Following that album, Baker became much more active as a behind-the-scenes producer than a solo artist. He contributed to 2012 albums by <a href="spotify:artist:5dVua2HdrY1VlbPh6OM9KZ">the Gaslamp Killer</a> and <a href="spotify:artist:29XOeO6KIWxGthejQqn793">Flying Lotus</a>' alter ego Captain Murphy before releasing Wish You Were Here, a cassette-only solo album on <a href="spotify:search:label%3A%22Leaving+Records%22">Leaving Records</a>. Later that year, he produced "20 Wave Caps" on <a href="spotify:artist:3A5tHz1SfngyOZM2gItYKu">Earl Sweatshirt</a>'s major-label debut Doris. A 2014 vinyl reissue of <a href="spotify:artist:7aA592KWirLsnfb5ulGWvU">Danny Brown</a>'s 2008 debut Hot Soup included a Samiyam-produced bonus track called "Radio Head," and Baker produced a track on <a href="spotify:artist:2P5sC9cVZDToPxyomzF1UH">Joey Bada$$</a>'s 2015 full-length B4.DA.$$. Also in 2015, Baker and <a href="spotify:artist:3A5tHz1SfngyOZM2gItYKu">Earl Sweatshirt</a> collaborated on a song titled "Quest/Power," and the MC made another guest appearance on Samiyam's 2016 full-length Animals Have Feelings. Released by <a href="spotify:search:label%3A%22Stones+Throw%22">Stones Throw</a>, the album also included collaborations with <a href="spotify:artist:7BMccF0hQFBpP6417k1OtQ">Action Bronson</a> and <a href="spotify:artist:6VBHBMoQNSPMhh214baHsU">Jeremiah Jae</a>. A brief LP titled Pizza Party appeared in 2017, featuring a collaboration with <a href="spotify:artist:3i7IUsb5VsiJAKqX2Md9Fc">Jonwayne</a>. ~ Jason Lymangrover & Paul Simpson, Rovi