Singer Samantha Lawrence, who formed half of the UK hip-hop duo Wee Papa Girl Rappers, has died at the age of 55, her family has shared.
“It is with great sadness that we announce that beloved sister and mother Samantha Lawrence passed away on Sunday,” a statement from her sister Sandra, with whom she founded the group, said.
“Samantha, aka TY Tim, was known for her chart success with Wee Papa Girl Rappers, a hip-hop pop duo that she founded with her older sister Sandra Lawrence, aka Total S.”
Sandra disclosed that Samantha had died peacefully in London after a secondary cancer diagnosis this year.
Wee Papa Girl Rappers, comprising sisters Sandra and Samantha, had a hit with their single “Wee Rule”, which reached No 6 in the UK singles chart in 1988.
The Lawrence singers got their start singing backup for Feargal Sharkey before signing with Jive Records and found brief success as the UK struggled to compete with America’s own thriving hip-hop scene.
They also sang on the theme tune to “Jim’ll Fix It”, according to the BBC, but split in 1991 after their second album, Jive, Be Aware, failed to chart.
The sisters appeared in 2023’s three-part BBC documentary series, First Ladies of Hip-Hop, which was narrated by fellow musician Neneh Cherry and also featured Eve, So solid Crew’s Lisa Maffia and more.
Appearing in episode two of the BBC programme, Samantha said: “We were born in Hammersmith, west London, brought up in South Ealing and had our teenage years in Acton”.
“Then I was, you know, influenced by rap music and I thought, ‘Yeah we could, you know, this is something that I wanted to do’,” Sandra said.
“And then my sister, being only four years younger than me, I said, ‘Come on, we can be bedroom rappers, we can do this’. I loved just rapping with my sister, because she was just amazing, amazing.
“I felt I was always one behind, but I gave it my all. I liked being the kind of underdog, you know, while my sister was, she just inspired me”.
Samantha told the programme: “But I think what was great as well for us both is the voices, because whenever people would phone the house they’d be like, ‘Hi Sandra’ I’d be like ‘No, it’s Timmy’. And she’d have the same so we’d sound similar, yet still in a rap flow we sounded a little bit unique”.
DJ Dave Pearce, who worked with the duo, said: “Sam was part of a defining and groundbreaking era of trailblazing British female rappers who against the odds conquered the UK charts alongside the likes of Cookie Crew.
“It was a really exciting time for me and always a pleasure to work with them on my Radio London hip-hop show back in the day, their positive energy was infectious.
“Always keen to experiment, they fused dancehall with reggae with Wee Rule and stepped into the house arena courtesy of Kevin Saunderson’s remix of ‘Heat It Up’.
“Through her success, Sam will have inspired others to follow their dreams. I’m glad I had the chance to remind her of that recently.
“Thoughts with her sister Sandra and daughter KeeKee. Rest In Peace.”
Additional reporting by Press Association
