'Little Simz... She might be the illest doin' it right now'
Compton superstar Kendrick Lamar said this in an 1Xtra interview in 2015 and I 100% agree with that statement to this day *Deontay Wilder voice* TO THIS DAY!
I've been a fan of King Simbi since her Marilyn Monroe days and since then (then being 2013) her accomplishments in the music business have been nothing short of great. Critically acclaimed mixtapes, EPs and albums; touring with legends Nas, Lauryn Hill and Gorillaz; Earning co-signs from the likes of Kung Fu Kenny; Touring worldwide; Organised 2 successful festivals in 2017 and 2018 (I attended both); and also making the Forbes 30 Under 30 list in 2016...
The baffling thing about the North Londoner though is that despite all of these amazing achievements, she's still under-rated by many and even unknown to some... When someone answers the 'favourite rapper from the UK?' question... The average fan will name off the J Hus's, the Skepta's, the Stormzy's, perhaps even the Stefflon Don's if you ask a woman... I've told numerous people that Little Simz is currently my favourite rapper and the regular reply I recieve is 'Who's that?'. All I can say to this is that the real ones know and if you class yourself as a real one then get involved.
One of Little Simz's standout characteristics as an artist is her tireless work rate. From 2013 to 2016, she released at least one project annually whether it be a mixtape, an EP or an album. So the fact that Grey Area is her first release in roughly 3 years leads me to think that she put a lot of thought into this project.
'I said it with my chest and I don't care who I offend' Offence
The quote above is the chorus to the opening track and alerts the listener what to expect for the duration of this 35 minute ride... honesty.
Despite being just over a half hour, this is more than enough for Little Simz to display her array of artistic attributes. Over the 10 tracks, she gives us a multitude of different flows; rhyme schemes; lyrical content as well as the thoughts and emotions she's withheld since Stillness In Wonderland.
Sonically, Little Simz's music though primarily hip-hop has always been diverse. This is evident from the amount of artists from various genres she has worked with. This album is no exception. Produced almost entirely by Inflo, there's elements of rock music, jazz, soul and lots more. No feature on this album went to waste or felt like a coerced collaboration. Every artist be it Chronixx or Michael Kiwanuka brought their own flava to the tracks and enhanced songs that were already live.
Covering topics such as gun crime on Wounds; her teenage years on 101 FM; her remembrance of slain legends on Flowers; lamenting over a broken relationship on Sherbet Sunset; as well as the boastful Boss which would of course be a given if you spit bars.
Little Simz unapologetically raps about life and life isn't always black and white... hence the title grey area.
3 albums in (maybe 4 if you count E.D.G.E), this could very well be Little Simz's best body of work and is definitely a shout for album of the year. I'll give this a 9.
FAVES
Beat- Selfish
Verse- Sherbet Sunset Verse 1
Feature- Chronixx
Song- Wounds
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