GREY Area
Little Simz
2019
Album Summary
Grey Area (stylised as GREY Area) is the third studio album by English rapper Little Simz, released on 1 March 2019 through Age 101 Music and AWAL.
WikipediaDamn, nice surprise here. I've never heard of her but Little Simz (and her team?) is talented. Really good lyrics/wordplay on a bunch of tracks (Offence, Venom...despite copious use of the p word, Pressure, Sherbet Sunset) and she can rap (Missy Elliott fast). Great bass lines and beats on the first two tracks (I could listen to Boss over and over) and some of the later ones (101 FM, Therapy). Tight album. Gonna have to listen to more of her music.
I am really impressed at Little Simz' skill here. She has a lyrical deftness, a flow and capability I do not regularly hear. The brevity of the album is also a big factor here. A lot of rap albums have so much filler, skits and interludes that just... ugh. It makes it difficult for me to want to come back to the album and do a complete re-listen. Hearing the "n-word" so often I did start to tune it out. It is tough to hear in people's albums nowadays. Definitely a nice change of pace album for me. I really enjoyed this and the showcase of her skill as well as how the MC really compliments her.
lol this was the musical equivalent of those memes trashy people share on Facebook when they don't want to admit they're bottom feeders, and think everyone around them is the problem, holding them down. Just a whole heap of mindless "street philosophy" about removing toxic people from your life and being true to yourself. SPARE ME. 1/5.
Very cool British hip-hop album. I enjoy her vocals and flow quite a bit. No complaints.
I like her. Has a Guy Ritchie vibe. She could easily score any Ritchie or Soderburgh movie. Selfish is a beauty of a track. Wounds sounds like an Eminem track. VENOM! So much being said there. I need to revisit that one. This was a true project. Tons of work, talent, hooks, beats, all of it. If you're going to make a hip hop record today, this is required listening.
The sole interesting thing about this album is the amount of actual live instrumention it employs instead of just sampling. Otherwise it can fuck off.
Usually when I get record assigned from the list that I’ve never heard of, from an artist I’m completely unfamiliar with (especially newer records), a shiver runs up my spine, a sense of trepidation sets in and I begin to question my life choices. Can you blame me, though? Each and everyone of us has been burned by this dumb list and have had to sit through out fair share of underwhelming to straight up awful records. Well, that initial reaction couldn’t have been more unfounded with GREY Area. This is a fantastic record. Little Simz has impressive flow and the instrumentation is funky and engaging. At 35 minutes long, it’s concise, hits hard right out of the gate and doesn’t over stay its welcome. In fact, it leaves you wanting more.
First time that I heard it, it didn't impress me that much. However repeated listens showed me how brilliant this record is. Her rhyme schemes work masterfully with the laidback yet creative production.
Anyone who is friends with Michael Kiwanuka is a friend of mine. This is the rap I’m here for
This Little Simz album from 2019 was added as part of the newest update to 1001 albums (circa 2021). While not the newest album on the list, it is still fresh enough that it's quite bold to put it down in the list of 1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die. Regardless, Little Simz is a rapper I'm already familiar with, having released the fantastic Sometimes I Might Be Introvert in 2021 (which could very well be album of the year for me). Truly, I have few qualms about this being added to the list. Simz hits hard with her rhymes, switching up her flow and vocal styling to keep you engaged. Simz is accompanied by production from Inflo, who brings beats and structure to the songs that are unlike anything else right now. Genuinely incredible. Compared to her follow-up, I think I still prefer SIMBI for the satisfying framing and continued pushing of boundaries, but this is still a great album through and through.
I was expecting to skip this. It was better then i was expecting. I'm not into British hip hop, modern hip hop, people with little in their names. This wasn't bad. I'm not sure I'd listen again but i didn't hate it.
This album came up on the list as I was discovering Little Simz through her newest album, "Sometimes I Might Be Introvert." I already knew from repeated listens of that album that I liked her as an artist. GREY Area grooves just as well. It's perhaps a little more aggressive than its follow-up. It does stay strong from start to finish though. Boss has an amazing beat and I love the keyboards at the end of the track. She has amazing wordplay on all of the tracks and both the words and the beats stay with you long after the album is over. Apart from Boss I'd say my favorites are Wounds, Venom, Therapy and Sherbet Sunset.
Wow! This is great! Low key beats and awesome flow. Love the accent on the raps.
Little Simz is the next big thing in hio hop. This record and 2021's "Sometimes I Might Be Introvert" are definite proof
Tops. Voice, lyrics, beats. Vibes. You’re not ready for pussy in power. Venom.”
Modern, yet timeless rap album that non rap loving listener can still love
Muy disfrutable. Una grata sorpresa en esta reentrada a la dinámica de los 100001 discos. Me seguí con sus otros discos. Mood: baked
Surprisingly laidback and Contemplative for something in the modern grime Era, and I am certain Little Simz has a career for many years to come with this unique take on the sound.
Bops on bops on bops. I've been craving some more modern female MCs that I vibed with, and this delivered that and more.
Some decent smooth and jazzy production and a reasonably interesting flow. She’s got a fair amount to say with some interesting introspection. Just not a massive fan of her tone and the whole thing was a bit down tempo for me.
2019 will go down as the best year of the decade without a doubt, wish I was across this in real time but listening to it in 2022 will have to do. There are some absolutely massive tracks on this.
Outstanding, significant, meaningful, entrancing. I should have listened to her before.
Jazz-rap, funky and spacey beats, lyrics and flows are incredible. Unique artist, loved this. Great album.
I feel a bit of presh that I've never been that into Lil Simz and everyone creamz about her. I enjoyed some songs more than others, but general just ambivalence. Soz
… it’s eh 101 FM was a cool song, I liked the production for the album but i’ll die before I call a mf brit a “good rapper” I have a deep hatred for those wankers that think they can rap so honestly i’m kind of on chaotic ends in this album, great beats, terrible vocals/rap I’ll give it a 4/10
Didn’t hate it but it’s not my thing. Liked her voice and the song with Michael Kiwanuka
Solid album but understandably unheard of. Inspired by Fugees and maybe Mereba.. 3/5
I was wondering when I would get my first rap album. Expected Tupac, Dr. Dre, Snoop, Eminem, Jay-Z, NWA, Biggie, or any other of the pioneers of rap. Instead I got a no name, marginally talented, British rapper that no one has heard of. Trying not to let that effect my rating, listening to this with an open mind, it still was below average at best.
I don't need to hear any more rap before I die, thanks. Despite the general lack of misogyny (which is not surprising from a female) I continue to be offended by the casual racism.
Vraiment une decourte qui en vaut la peine. Fait longtemps jai pas entendu du bon rap comme ca 5
Smashing. The beats are immense and whilst I'm not hugely into rap the lyrical dexterity of Little Simz is something to be admired. Cutting content, a great British talent
Liked thisva lot. Intricate and varied backing tracks took me on a journey...accompanied by passionate, agile lyrics. Will be listening more
Brilliant. Just packed with invention and cool ideas, some amazing lyrics and flow. Not what I was expecting, but absolutely lives up to the hype.
Wow! I'd heard her more recent album, SIMBI and had been blown away. But this album was way better than I'd expected, why was it not huge. The combo of incredibly versatile emotive bars, the blaxploitation soundtrack adjacent sleaze funk of the beats and the wide subject matter... This is a modern hip hop classic. I may buy it tomorrow! If you do one track, check the Busta style fire at the start of Venom.
This fucking slaps. Little Simz says the n-word with a hard R sometimes (not bad or anything, but definitely shocking a bit considering how American rappers do it). Again, this fucking slaps, and it might be the first non-Slick Rick British rap that I enjoyed?
Ummmm…wow I’ve heard songs of this before, but this experience as an album is crazy. She is angry, bitter, and has the hunger and skill to back up everything she says. You can’t look for much more in a record - I’m in love. Thanks Simbi - My first 5 😘
Really solid album. Cool flow and fantastic instrumentation. I’m here for all of her creative choices
This was such an unexpected surprise. I won’t lie. I thought it was Jaden Smith on the cover! Little Simz is so freaking good. Every single track was fire. I added every track to a playlist in Spotify and this goes in heavy rotation.
A breath of fresh air after some recent ponderous rap album listens. Great musical arrangements, clever and smart rap, and a strong feeling of honesty really elevates this. I appreciated how lean it was compared to some of the sprawling, way too long recent selections in this genre. Exciting to have something I wasn’t looking forward to surprise me. Really great!
I love this album and have listened to it many times before. It's one of my favorite hip hop albums of recent times and I think Little Simz is one of the best rappers working today. Great instrumentals and production throughout too, she went to to build and improve on this even further on her next album.
Jay Z on a bad day and Shakespeare on a worse day, Little Simz allows us to explore her grey area and see what makes her tick. One of the most enigmatic rappers around today, she uses her thirty-five minutes wisely and without any intention to waste, getting her point across and passing further heights with her illustrative world building.
I was surprised to see such a new album in the list. When I saw that it was Little Simz however, I was no longer that surprised. I first heard Simz on Gorillaz' 2017 track "Garage Palace" but she has only gone from strength to strength and is now a pretty mainstream name in the UK. This album does not disappoint in the slightest - Simz has absolutely amazing flow, and the instrumentation and production is superb. There's a couple of chill tracks, and some tracks full of fire and venom, and while I'm not too sure about some of the lyrics (I thought we were past the point of rhyming the n-word with the n-word...) the absolutely unreal flow and rhythm of Simz' rapping makes up for it. Great album, and I'm glad to see Simz made the list. Favourite: Selfish
4.6 - Not a wasted rhyme, bum sample or lame collab on here. Just a lean, ferocious onslaught of bars. Little Simz expounds authoritatively about her life and her ambitions and her flow is bulletproof. Even reading the lyrics alongside her delivery has my head spinning. All 10 tracks are bangers but I'd highlight a few moments: "Venom" sounds like a counterpoint to the dick-wielding "For Free?" by Kenrick Lamar; I love the vaporwave-y samples on "101 FM" and the message on "Therapy."
A contemporary classic and one of the best hip hop albums of all time.
Speak King! What amazing production! I dig the dialect hard. This is great.
I refuse to believe that British hip hop has evolved this far from trash like the streets in less than 20 years. Two albums from this genre managed to get into my 1 stars while this honestly might make it into my 5 star dependent on how much I listen to it tomorrow because it’s great from the lyrics to the beats to the overall sound.
No stress I'm a boss in a fucking dress. Simz has found space to rap about her lived experiences and the prejudices she has faced in summiting the music industry. Innovative samples, traditional Chinese to Rasta to grime
Feeling, passion, introspection, great live instrumentation. Boss, which was one of the most famous songs off the album was actually my least favourite, which is strange as I usually love confrontational music. Had Jasmine Sullivan yesterday, and whilst I enjoyed that, the energy of this blows it out the water.
Someone’s having a rage year- full of anger and frustration. Listened through this short album twice, and really liked it.
Pretty sick rap album. Great, gritty beats and intense stylistic rapping. I dig it.
Great album. Been meaning to listen to this for a while. Didn't disappoint.
2019 is shockinglu recent. A part of me feels albums should take more time to digest before making this, but i'm trying to shake that off. This feels really different and is clearly worth putting on the list. Strong 4.5 for me - really impressed with how concise the album is while still being a powerhouse.
Track one opens with a bold jazz sound that I dig a lot more than I imagine I will the vocals. Not a fan of English rap in general, but so far this is alright. Enjoying through track 2, Simz cleverly avoids the drill style that she could easily fall into and instead opts for a more classical hiphop sound. It's a little Minajy but with the pop elements stripped away to leave something rawer and less produced. Good - Boss, 101FM, Venom Bad - None really. Art - It's stark, the face and sit coupled with the trainers in the background make a nice impact.
Little Simz is a talented rapper and this is a really intense and heartfelt album. However, rap isn't really my thing.
Some great sound I this hard hitting UK hip hop that works but she sounds like a scared girl.
This album was great! Solid hitting lyrics and wordplay, and greats beats without sounding like an overproduced monstrosity. Had me bopping in my chair all morning!
This is great stuff! I was drawn in from the beginning and stayed there. Strength and impact, and superb dynamics, syncopation, and performance on the vocals. Underlying rhythms and beats and harmonies work well with what she's creating. I need to hear more of her work.