GREY Area

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 our 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.

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.

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.

Damn, 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.

Very cool British hip-hop album. I enjoy her vocals and flow quite a bit. No complaints.

Anyone who is friends with Michael Kiwanuka is a friend of mine. This is the rap I’m here for

who let the brits rap

Great with some hard hitting lyrics, will listen to again

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.

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.

Don't know this. Don't like this. Don't care about this. For me this whole project is about listening to groundbreaking or influential albums or even masterpieces that have shaped their respective styles. So why bother us with a random dime-a-dozen modern rap album?

Little Simz is easily one of the greatest modern Hip-Hop artists even outside the UK. Her passionate and interesting lyrics work perfectly on the different beats that range from Jazz Rap to Neo-Soul. The album begins with 'Offence' that not only features a great chorus, very funny production choices but also an on-point introduction into a lot of themes the album gets into later. She couldn't have chosen a better opening track. 'Boss' shows her ability to not only write typical pop oriented songs but also Hardcore Hip Hop with a little experimental note. This song really differs from the opening track and even more from the next song. 'Selfish' is not the average Hip-Hop song. It's Neo-Soul, meaning Soul music with the usage of Hip-Hop beats and less focus on raps. The very emotional singing, the short but nice Rap verse and the very memorable chorus make this a highlight of this project. The next song 'Wounds' has a chorus that brings in a Reggae perfomance onto a Trip Hop inspired beat. Something that sounds like it shouldn't work but it does! I only think that it goes on for a little bit too long. Now to the song that everyone knows: 'Venom' has become a short but wide spread internet phenomenon due to the subject matter of this song being female empowerment and with the incredible hook it became a standard in the feminism Tik Tok. For me that kind of destroyed the song as a lot of women used the song in a very cringe way and in the end did the exact opposite of what Simz intended. Still, a genius song! The second half starts with another big highlight: '101 FM'. Bringing in elements of classic chinese music and an incredible flow from Simz, the song is without a doubt one of the best in her whole catalogoue. 'Pressure' starts with a nice Jazz piano and keeps a low pace, contradicting the very fast-paced rapping. In the second half of the song is a more upbeat beat, still slower than Simz rapping. The feature is also really nicely worked into the song. In the end, the piano returns to slowly end the song. With the next song 'Therapy' Little Simz gets into some great storytelling that goes in depth on her own problems (hence the name). A deep song supported by a great produced beat. 'Sherbet Sunset' for some reason feels like a Kendrick Lamar song to me. But because I'm an absolute Kendrick glazer (except DAMN. that is a mediocre album) that only makes this song better. I love the chorus, it just feels so warm and soulful. This incredible album closes with 'Flowers' which is my least favourite song but still I like the build-up on the beat with the trumpets and the choral singing in the background of it. Overall an incredible Hip-Hop album, pretty much as good as it gets. And tbh I was really close to giving this album a 10. favourites: Offence, Selfish, 101 FM, Venom least favourites: Flowers, Wounds (both still great) Rating: decent to strong 9 https://rateyourmusic.com/~Emil_ph for more ratings, reviews and takes

5 stars. This album was great. Catchy, interesting and creative

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.

Little Simz provides a refreshing perspective through her lyrics + "Wounds" sounds super slick.

amazing 6/5

Impressive flow and lyrics

Excellent, progresses while keeping you in your toes.

Great rap album out of the UK

Bops on bops on bops. I've been craving some more modern female MCs that I vibed with, and this delivered that and more.

Tops. Voice, lyrics, beats. Vibes. You’re not ready for pussy in power. Venom.”

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.

Nothing great, boring to OK at best.

I tried to find any pretext to rate this album with 4 stars, but I couldn't. I am fascinated. GREY area explores flawlessly diverse textures and engages the listener song after song.

Surprisingly good.

Outstanding, significant, meaningful, entrancing. I should have listened to her before.

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.

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.

Muy disfrutable. Una grata sorpresa en esta reentrada a la dinámica de los 100001 discos. Me seguí con sus otros discos. Mood: baked

Modern, yet timeless rap album that non rap loving listener can still love

a good find

immediately replayed for a second time and then a third.

Little Simz is the next big thing in hio hop. This record and 2021's "Sometimes I Might Be Introvert" are definite proof

Wow! This is great! Low key beats and awesome flow. Love the accent on the raps.

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.

Took me a while to fully appreciate U.K. hip-hop, but I think Little Simz is one of the best, blending grimey hip-hop with jazzy neo soul. I think the first half is stronger than the second, but "Offence", "Boss", "Selfish", and "Venom" are incredible. 4.5 stars.

GREY Area They play LIttle Simz on 6 music quite a bit, but it’s always tended to pass me by a bit, so it’s nice to give this a go. The first 3 tracks in particular are superb but it’s very good throughout. The drum pattern on Offence, with the excellent bass is fantastic, and I love the flutes and strings. The bass riff on Boss is also great, a proper head nodding beat. I’ve heard Selfish quite a bit without really knowing it, but the hook is great and the jazzy piano driving the rhythm is lovely. Wounds is a nice downbeat and sad contrast to the ebullience of the first two tracks and the jazziness of Selfish. Venom has a great ominous feel to it and some excellent sexual swear words. 101 FM I’ve definitely heard before, the east Asian inspired synth line is fantastic, and I like its nostalgia themed lyric, it’s only slightly let down by the Giles Peterson sounding DJ bits. Pressure feels quite Michael Kiwanuka with a nice rapid delivery before the Little Dragon parts. Nice track. Therapy’s good too, nice bass and a very good hook and I like the almost LCD Soundsystem sounding beat of Sherbert Sunset, with more great bass. And then Kiwanuka does appear on Flowers, which is a nice soulful jazzy end to the album. Delivery-wise she takes a bit of getting used to, but I really like her flow, and lyrically, particularly on Boss, it may not be for the kids of grandparents but I like her point of view and descriptions of her experiences and general ruminations on things. It’s an easy, solid 4, looking forward to listening to it some more, and the next one after this, which is supposed to be even better. 🩶🩶🩶🩶 Playlist submission: Offence

Review of Grey Area by Little Simz Little Simz’s third studio album, Grey Area, released in 2019, is a masterclass in sharp lyricism, raw emotion, and musical innovation. Clocking in at just over 35 minutes, the album packs an incredible punch, showcasing Simz’s versatility and growth as an artist. From the opening track, “Offence,” Simz sets the tone with unapologetic confidence and defiant energy, proclaiming, “I said it with my chest and I don’t care who I offend.” This boldness threads through the album, making it as much a personal manifesto as a musical journey. The production, helmed by Inflo, is impeccable—seamlessly blending gritty beats with soulful undertones and live instrumentation. Tracks like “Selfish,” featuring Cleo Sol, offer a softer, melodic reprieve while still exploring themes of self-empowerment. Meanwhile, “Venom” dives into darker territory, with Simz’s rapid-fire delivery cutting through the eerie, string-heavy production as she confronts systemic oppression and gender inequality. What makes Grey Area so compelling is its balance of vulnerability and strength. On “Sherbet Sunset,” Simz opens up about heartbreak, painting a vivid picture of emotional turbulence, while “101 FM” takes a nostalgic look back at her journey from bedroom studios to international acclaim. Simz’s storytelling is both deeply personal and universally relatable, capturing the complexities of adulthood, identity, and ambition. Her ability to oscillate between introspection and bravado keeps the listener hooked throughout. In Grey Area, Little Simz solidifies her place as one of the most important voices in contemporary hip-hop. It’s an album that demands attention, rewards multiple listens, and cements her reputation as an artist unafraid to push boundaries. Rating: 9/10 A concise yet impactful body of work that is as bold as it is introspective, Grey Area is a modern classic.

Jazz-rap, funky and spacey beats, lyrics and flows are incredible. Unique artist, loved this. Great album.

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.

Well, I think this is the best British rapper that I've been served on this list. I can say that. I can also say that she at least sounds modern in the era that she's working in, unlike many of the other British rap entries on this list. It's fine. I don't get why this album in particular was singled out (other than that it was British), but it's at least fine. I still haven't gotten a Kendrick album on this list yet, though, at that fact becomes more glaring every time that I get an album by a British rapper who I've never heard of 3/5

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 a good enough album. Some standouts feature novel and effective instrumentation - ie - the opener, pressure, sherbert sunshine But too much just fades together. The main question - why is this anywhere near this list? Not bad. But 1 of 1001. Not so much.

Not my favorite taste. Interesting instrumental arrangements

Objectively a good record, but I still haven't clicked with British rap. Blimey crumpets, god save the king or whatever. Feels weird to say that instead of "God save the queen". I have nothing to say about this, I'm just writing random words.

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.

Well this is fucking terrible

I’ll paraphrase her ‘she’s just a bad jayzee’

Solid album but understandably unheard of. Inspired by Fugees and maybe Mereba.. 3/5

Didn’t hate it but it’s not my thing. Liked her voice and the song with Michael Kiwanuka

Production sounds good but this isn’t my jam.

meh

… 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

I thought I would dislike this. And I was right. Gave it a chance but couldn’t get through it.

Death of music as we knew it.

Brits can’t do this

This at least proves that female rap artists can be just as crap as their male counterparts. Score 1 for equality I guess. Just as all rap albums the problem is not so much the music but the awfully annoying vocals that makes this such an assault on the ears.

I dont Like Rap, I dont do R n B NAH

UK rap really does sound different to its US counterpart. But I still don't like it. 1/4

Wish I could give it a zero

Did not like at all

This is not an album anyone should ever have to listen to!!!

I don't hear the amazing "flow". It sounds like a GTA 3 radio station

Not my type

Trash

The beats are good but the lyrics/raps SUCK. The chorus in the songs is generally better than the rapper. Would not listen to this album again. Every song sounds the same... Couldn't finish the album.

Heard of her, but first time peeping. Not a fan of the vocals. Beats are ok.

I'm usually not this dismissive of any music - But this Sucked. It reminded me of when I worked at a record store and someone put a Hole record on...One of my coworkers said, "If I wanna get yelled at, I can just go home."

It's not very often I want to stretch my scrotum so far that it tears, but after enduring eight minutes of this record, I had to do just that. Now it's really baggy and a bit of an eyesore. How am I ever going to seduce Jessica from my yoga class now?

No gusta

Ummmm Couldn't make it through..

Thanks, I hate it.

Good, just not my style.

who?

I don't think there was anything in this that I liked

First listen. Never heard of him before. Not for me.

Not for me.

Pas sûr au début, ça a pas aidé d'avoir un auditoire pas convaincu (ma ti-babe et ma belle-mère) dans l'auto avec moi même si je leur ai dit "nonon ça doit être du rap féministe, si vous aimez pas ça ça veut dire vous êtes pas féministes". Je sais pas pourquoi ça a pas aidé la cause. Ce matin à 4h30 en allant gazer à La Tuque avant de partir pour Montréal ça a cliqué pour moi. Bons beats (le dryness du drum sur certaines tracks me fait penser à Questlove), bon flow, bonnes lignes (ma pref ce matin "some people read the Alchemist and still don't amount to shit")

Très belle découverte. Son flow est impressionnant. Rapide mais compréhensible. Les beats sont interessant, parfois glauques parfois plus smooth, style r&b. Je vais plus explorer c’est certain

This may be the newest album I've seen come across so far. This is only 6 yrs old. I wonder if I'll like it. Didn't get around to this yesterday. Listening now. Brittish rapper. This could be good. Oooh nice flute in this first track and cool sounds. Dude this album has been dope! Turns out I've saved one of her songs before. one called Lotus. This is moving into a 5 star rating. Venom is awesome! I've heard that before. Can't remember where. 5 stars

I went into this album with low expectations and was very impressed. There's quite the variety of influences and sounds, but the album works really well from track to track. Little Simz's rapping is great and the more musical nature of the background instrumentals really makes this something special. Favorite track: "Wounds"

Eerlijk goed

I was listening to this album a lot during a very pivotal time in my life so I am unable to be objective in my judgement. I love the dusty dry production sound of this album, I love that it just cuts to the core with energy and simplicity. I love the range of moods here, especially the introspection. This is one of my favorite of the post-2010 picks on this list. Must-listen #242.

Sauceometer: Sauce Vibe: Driving in the city from daylight to nighttime What was I doing: listened throughout the day because I'd already listened Favorite Song(s): 101 FM/Sherbet Sunset Blurb: A Nickcore classic

Incredible rap album. Solid production, bars are fire. Great representation of the 'modern' UK rap scene (is 2019 still considered modern?)

I love her voice. Venom is so good. Several others got saved to my list too. So refreshing to hear a British female voice rapping.

Little Simz is pretty damn talented. I liked the lo fi feel this one has - the beats really let her shine.

Oh I like this a LOT actually

Already a fan of Little Simz (Lotus is fantastic); this is great. I love the production on it; very varied, and her flow is inventive and interesting. One of my favorite rap artists.

This was really great

Very cool to see Simz was added to this list - for me personally, the best modern rapper after Kendrick. Whilst I'm a big fan of her, i dont know if I've ever sat and listened to this album through, although i knew most of the songs. Chose to listen to this on the train up to London to watch the Arsenal, who she is also a fan of. Its a brilliant album, with 5 of the first 6 tracks all modern classic hip hop songs. She has amazing flow and a knack for some truly amazing tunes. Each of the guest slots fit well on the album. Id enforce anybody who enjoyed this to listen to the follow up album, Sometimes I Might Be Introvert, which is another level up and a true modern classic. 9/10

The most recent album generated so far. Really impressed with this having previously come across Little Simz on Mercury Prize. Really impressed!

What an absolute breath of fresh air. I'd never heard this before and it was great. Little Simz is a skilled rapper with a lot to say about race, success, and the 27 club. The production was on point and the album was concise. I will definitely be listening to more of her music. Do I hear an Outkast sample in "Boss"?

Such an amazing album! I knew I liked Little Simz before getting this one and expected to give it 4 stars (since I'm saving the 5 start ratings for the albums which are like the top of the tops) and, here we are, ended up giving it 5 stars. Surely will listen to it again very soon!

Listened twice and I'm going back for more.

Бля, да это ахуенный альбом новой школы!

Love it. Production is so spot on for me. More to my tastes actually than her later albums which I listen to more. Lyrics feel more early career to - less jaded about her music industry experience!

Little Simz is absolutely amazing. The combination of fierce vocals and musical artistry are simply magical. Her music videos are also enthralling. Could gush all day.