Biography
Born in Ann Arbor, Michigan yet long based in Los Angeles, Sam Baker records under the alias Samiyam as an underground creator of instrumental hip-hop beats. His approach shares a clear affinity with J Dilla while also folding in synthesizers alongside samples, placing him within the city’s beatmaking community and marking him as one of the earliest artists to appear on Flying Lotus’ Brainfeeder imprint. Working together under the name FLYamSAM, the pair first surfaced on the 2007 Rush Hour Recordings compilation Beat Dimensions, Vol. 1. Baker’s initial solo effort, Rap Beats, Vol. 1, came out in 2008 as a self-released limited CD-R whose every copy carried its own hand-assembled collage artwork sourced from magazine clippings. That same year he made his vinyl debut with the Return EP on the British label Hyperdub. In 2009 his Man vs. Machine 10" EP surfaced via Poo-Bah Records, while FLYamSAM issued the mixtape Bootleg Beats. A 2010 split 10" EP with Ras G formed part of All City Records’ series documenting producers from the Los Angeles beat scene. After further compilation spots, production work for Blu and Pharoahe Monch, and remixes for Shigeto and Illum Sphere, Baker delivered his first proper full-length, Sam Baker’s Album, on Brainfeeder in 2011.
Thereafter he concentrated more heavily on behind-the-scenes production. Contributions to 2012 releases by the Gaslamp Killer and Flying Lotus’ Captain Murphy persona preceded the cassette-only solo album Wish You Were Here on Leaving Records. Also in 2012 he supplied the track “20 Wave Caps” for Earl Sweatshirt’s major-label debut Doris. A 2014 vinyl reissue of Danny Brown’s 2008 album Hot Soup added the Samiyam-produced bonus cut “Radio Head,” and he contributed a track to Joey Bada$$’s 2015 full-length B4.DA.$$. That year Baker and Earl Sweatshirt also collaborated on the song “Quest/Power,” which was followed by another guest appearance from the MC on Samiyam’s 2016 Stones Throw album Animals Have Feelings, itself featuring Action Bronson and Jeremiah Jae. A short 2017 LP titled Pizza Party included a collaboration with Jonwayne.
Thereafter he concentrated more heavily on behind-the-scenes production. Contributions to 2012 releases by the Gaslamp Killer and Flying Lotus’ Captain Murphy persona preceded the cassette-only solo album Wish You Were Here on Leaving Records. Also in 2012 he supplied the track “20 Wave Caps” for Earl Sweatshirt’s major-label debut Doris. A 2014 vinyl reissue of Danny Brown’s 2008 album Hot Soup added the Samiyam-produced bonus cut “Radio Head,” and he contributed a track to Joey Bada$$’s 2015 full-length B4.DA.$$. That year Baker and Earl Sweatshirt also collaborated on the song “Quest/Power,” which was followed by another guest appearance from the MC on Samiyam’s 2016 Stones Throw album Animals Have Feelings, itself featuring Action Bronson and Jeremiah Jae. A short 2017 LP titled Pizza Party included a collaboration with Jonwayne.
Albums
