While there isn't a widely circulated "essay" titled "Same Old Ways," the song and its accompanying visuals function as a rich cultural commentary. Released as part of her 2021 EP At Least We Have This , Ama Lou uses the track to explore themes of belonging, tradition, and the subversion of elitist structures. Themes and Cultural Context
: Produced by Maestro The Baker, the track features an unassuming, sleek instrumental with subtle Afrobeat rhythms and layered 90s-inspired R&B harmonies. Ama Lou - Same Old Ways
: The song serves as a reintroduction to the North Londoner's roots. Despite her international rise, she uses "Same Old Ways" to highlight her versatility—blending soulful R&B with a "brashly London-centric" rap style that utilizes British slang and patois. While there isn't a widely circulated "essay" titled
You can watch the official music video on YouTube or read her full perspective on the track in her Clash Magazine interview . : The song serves as a reintroduction to
: The song showcases her ability to switch between "smokey yet agile" singing and a confident, "headsure" rap flow.
: The music video, self-directed by Ama Lou and her sister Mahalia John, is set in a prestigious British boarding school. It intentionally subverts the "harsh reality of Black educational inequality" by showing Ama and her peers thriving and "fitting right in" to a space that has historically excluded them.
: The track gained significant viral traction, even earning a public co-sign from Drake , who famously cited her as a major inspiration for his album Scorpion .