GREY Area

I don't fw rap like that

9/10

Listens: 5 Standout Tracks: Venom, 101 FM This album is wildly refreshing after half a dozen mostly shitty, basic-ass 80s/90s britpop albums, a country album and whatever the hell you care to categorize Dinosaur Jr. as. Interesting and diverse backing beats for pretty much every song. Possibly some samples that I can't quite nail down, which I like. Rapping is fast and furious, albeit a bit repetitive in some spots (using the N-word at the end of each verse 6 times on Boss and calling it "rhyming"), but that's a minor nit-pick and only happens on two songs. It was also cool to see feats from Little Dragon and Michael Kiwanuka, the latter of whom I discovered from the List. I was skeptical going in, but this is something that I plan to listen to a bunch in the future.

Supremely not for me. I love a good British MC but this was not it. I found it unlistenable and off-putting

Musically, it's not bad, but why are rap lyrics so sucky?

Awesome album!

The portrait photo was taken by Jeremy Ngatho Cole, who co-directed the entire visual campaign alongside Little Simz. Music with this many awards is always difficult to listen to without being affected by critics. I didn’t like the first track and was ready to give it a low rate but I stuck with It and it’s good. The sleeve is good too.

Está pasada de verdura esta morra, nunca la había escuchado y la amé. Pressure fue mi favorita y fluye bien chidito todo el disco

Geweldig!!

Nothing interesting about this.

I appreciate the fact that this was only 35 minutes. The lyrics already feel dated and this album is only 7 years old… idk it just wasn’t it for me.

I was hoping to like it more than I did. There was nothing I found noteworthy

Listening session: august 20th, while getting ready in the morning Listened to before: heard one song before Thoughts: I love to see a female rapper on here. And I especially love it when their flow is great and the beats are cool so this album was really nice Favourite tracks: Selfish, Wounds & Venom

Had never heard of her before and liked this a lot. Mostly simple beats that allowed her raps to carry these, pretty raw lyrics. 101 FM/Pressure the highlights

Her flow is crazy good, in combination with decent beats, the songs are pretty enjoyable

Ta dziewczyna zaskoczyła mnie już w zeszłym roku absolutnie wspaniałym występem na żywo - energia, klasa i zajebista muzyka. A teraz jeszcze ta płyta? Świetna jest, ma mocne momenty, trochę chillu, fajne teksty. No i produkcyjnie słychać, że jest mocno. Super, wrócę.

Groot fan van Simz, dit album ook al een aantal keer geluisterd maar altijd nice om dan toch opnieuw te luisteren in de context van deze lijst. En jezus, Inflo... Waarom WAAAAROM kon je niet normaal zijn? Want de productie op dit album, die is zo goed! Soulvol, werkt goed samen met de rap en zang van Simz... Eeuwig zonde dat ze nu ruzie hebben zeg maar. Ben duidelijk fan van Simz, de rap is strak, de lyrics zijn vet, de productie is echt fantastisch... En ook niet geheel onbelanrijk: Het album duurt 'slechts' 35 minuten. Geen seconde word hier verspild. Fantastisch album en een perfect voorbeeld van een recenter album dat absoluut een must listen is. Alleen... Sometimes I Might Be introverted is denk ik nog beter. De productie is zo mogelijk nog beter, de gaststerren zijn beter en er zit een groter verhaal in het album. Als ik GREY area daarmee vergelijk dan komt die gewoon te kort. Fantastische muziek, ijzersterk album, maar niet haar beste. FAVO: Boss, Selfish, Wounds, Venom, 101FM, Sherbet Sunset, Flowers

Heard of her, but don't think I've every heard any of her stuff. Cool first song, gets less interesting as it goes on. Mostly liked it though. 3.5 rounded down Heard before? No Owned: No, 103/387 (26%) Will I get: No

Surprisingly good. Simz has a nice laid back flow but with a delivery that shows restrained tension, which matches well with the excellent beats. It's a high 3-stars.

both vocals and beats are great. also good job of not having too many features, and the ones chosen work towards the album.

Pleasantly surprised! Usually when it's a recent album by an artist I don't recognize it ends up being a rough listen, but this was nice. I'm still not a big rap person, but this was smooth and an interesting listen. Lyrically one of the better rap albums on this list.

Hip Hop ist selten meins

I enjoyed the music on this album, but the vocals (the rapping) did little for me. I was also pleasantly surprised that a 2019 release ran only 35 minutes, refreshingly concise next to the bloated runtimes of many newer albums. It felt about right, and was over before it had a chance to get annoying.

I would definitely recommend this to anyone who I know likes this genre. VENOMMMM lol. Too aggressive for my everyday listening.

Bra.

This album really grew on me. At first it just really sounded like an album full of words I am very much not allowed to say. But as I listened, the nuance really took over - it’s rare to hear a hip hop album where the beats feel entirely organic, no drum sequencer, no copy paste throughout. There’s no song on here that is super catchy that I will add to my normal rotation - but this was a really well put together album and I’m glad I listened to it. 7.5/10, and worthy of an additional listen.

This album slaps on all fronts. The production is out of this world. The sound effects add so much punch to every song. The bass lines are plucky and dark. Simz rhyme scheme and flow compliments it perfectly. It's like if "Life" by Saba was perfected and stretched into an album. Awesome.

I don’t really care for British hip hop. It sounds silly.

Liked the sassiness, delivery and polish. Not blown away. A maybe generous 4.

Enjoyed the eclectic musical side of the album not sure I'm the target demographic for most of lyrical topics so probably wouldn't listen to again because if that but on the whole enjoyable

Quintessentially British even down to the capitaliZation of the GREY to avoid bastardiZation of it to Gray by the Yanks.

This is a very listenable, very British album. Loved the Kiwanuka collab outro!

Well, this was an interesting ride. Started out with "Ugh, I don't like this", then "this sounds nice", to "omg these lyrics are so true, the music is catchy, just wow!" So I think this is my new favourite album.

I was not previously familiar with the artist or album. This is absolutely atrocious. Unlistenable. Terrible rap with boring instrumentation, and pointlessly vulgar. Stopped after a couple tracks as I couldn't take any more.

This is actually a better album than I thought it would be, my favorite song on here would be Pressure by far. I like how socially meaningful this album was and how it stands out above gangsta rap and pop rap albums of its kind. There are pretty creative moments of instrumentation of xylophones and keyboards, among other instruments, present in the album as well although I would call the album uneven between standard pop rap progression and instrumentation though. I also skipped the songs Venom and Boss for being overly braggadacious and I don't think that they contributed well to conscious themes in the rest of this album. Overall this is just a decent album in my opinion.

nah

This is the kind of album that should be on the list. It is super cool. d(＾＾)ｂ

Great! The first two songs didn't do much for me, but the rest of the album is more melodic, defiant, and confessional. Overall, it's great songwriting and musicianship. A very nice listen.

Not her best album, but one of the best to do it in the last 10 years so it’s hard to complain

I’ve got a soft spot for Little Simz tbf. Big fan of this album when it came out and for me holds up now even though rap isn’t as much my bag these days

fav songs: selfish punchy, urban, consice 40/100

Selfish has some redeeming qualities as does Pressure. The rest, nah. Sounding as though engineered to sound like they are playing at half again speed, I guess I just can’t relate. “We live in a society of frauds and counterfeits” has me wondering if this is all self referential though.

4,7/5

Solid Brit rap. She’s got a strong flow, especially with the faster parts with minimal but propulsive beats. Haven’t had time to get into her lyrics yet…

Really pleasantly surprised by this one! Really liked the vibe, and this chick's vocals really worked for me, despite not really liking British rap. Definitely enjoyed this one.

Pleasantly surprised, especially because a shiver runs down my spine when I see "UK Rap". This one sounded better musically compared to the typical drum and bass beats.

It's the bastard love child of Tricky, MIA and Eminem. In a good way.

This was super engaging and I was honestly sad when it ended. The flow, the instrumentals, everything was top notch. Super unexpected since I had never heard of Lil Simz or this album.

Interesting production with limited flow sets and lyrics on the weaker side. Judging from this album alone, Little Simz gets more accolades than she deserves.

This wasn’t terrible. Some of the songs did sound like they were recordes on a kids tape recorder from the 90s, though.

Реперша! Ну от якого?) Але вона прикольна, як виявилось)

Never heard of Little Simz before, but this was pretty solid. She can definitely rap, and she has good lyrics and flows. Personally, I just wasn't fully sold on all of the production. Will probably come back for this one! Favorite track(s) Selfish

Solid modern hip hop/rnb. 6/10

Focused, efficient, tight album

Great across the board.

The beats on this are great

First 2 songs are bangers. Drops off a bit after that. Great beats and flow

Overraskende bra.

i’m surprised that her album after this, sometimes i might be introvert, isn’t on this list instead, but this one is pretty good! 3.5ish

Eh, tried but didn't get hooked by the music. Lyrics might be good, not sure. I think it is just not MY thing.

Great album.

This works well. Her flow is solid and the attitude suits her style. Also nice to hear a really tight album without a ton of skits and random garbage it doesn't need. High 3, low 4

I didn't know what to expect and started the listen with extreme trepidation. By the end of the first listen, I relaxed and did the research. Her flow and control in her lyricism seems genuine, and the variety kept me interested. She pays homage to artists who came before, on 101FM. The production is layered, with enough strong variety to keep me digging. I look forward to checking out more of her work.

One of my favorite voices in hip hop period, I love her delivery everytime. Great lyricism and beats, just straight up good. Also short yay!

Probably my favourite UK “rapper”. This isn’t my favourite of her albums, but still has snappy lyrics, strong narrative and production is superb

It’s been awhile since I listened to Little Simz, and I am not sure I ever heard this album in particular, but it was really nice being reintroduced today. I forgot how relatable she is, across culture and generation. And the production on this was great. 4 Boolean: true

"GREY Area" has to be a modern classic. It proves that the UK can have great rappers I hope I get to listen to Little Simz's other records. There's no doubt that "Sherbet Sunset" is the best on "GREY Area". As with most albums, today's album has a few filler tracks. 4 stars for "GREY Area".

She's got such a cool voice and Offence is such an awesome song. After like the third song it gets a little too serious and dramatic and I'm out.

Man.... this goes fucking HARD. Love her delivery and the sound of her voice. Plus, 10 tracks in 35 minutes? All killer, no filler!

I've heard good things about this album, I'm excited. First song is killer and then the transition into boss is incredible. Great little grimy bass line. Dude this is so good. I feel out of place commenting on flows but the rhythmic changes she throws down throughout this album are top notch. Venom in particular, insane song. Whole album is incredible I was just telling Charlie I haven't found a rap album I want to listen to on repeat in a long time, I think this could be it. Sherbet is a 10/10 song. Really killer album, thank you list.

Damn, this starts strong and doesn't let up. Simz has great flow, good lyrics and some killer production. I could listen to Offence and Boss on a loop. I'm glad more recent artists are on this list because there's a lot of great stuff I just haven't been paying attention to.

No thanks

Little Simz is a top 5 rapper right now. There, I said it.

I enjoyed offence I think this is 3 star album. I like venom but the album is not really my taste.

enjoyed this album so much. ready to add her to my frequent rotation and making being a fan of hers one of my personality traits.

2019 UK hip-hop. Very cool beats, nice flow.

Una artista de mucho nivel. Un buen disco donde Inflo produce con gran acierto. Destacan Therapy y Offence. Obviamente tambien Boss o Wounds y Flowers junto a otro talento como Michael Kiwanuka.

Some cool trax on here, I saw Little Simz at a festival 3 years ago, that was excellent, LS was excellent- really great artist, sassy.

Niet mijn ding, wel OK gemaakt

Wel Oke maar niet mijn stijl

She has great rhythm and flow, and the backing beats are phenomenal. It just really wasn’t my thing. Maybe it was the way so many songs displayed a fervent disdain for everything, I’m not sure. I don’t know that I would give it another try, but I’m glad I got to expand my horizons the one time.

No

Dull.

This is at least a 6

I quite liked this album. I liked the beats and some of the lyrics.

Interesting.. why does it sound like another version of Eminem debuting but from a parallel universe

Not my style but still interesting

ENGLISH. hip hop.

Gostei muito, rap britânico para diferenciar um pouco das mesmices do trap dos Estados Unidos. Nunca escutei little simz, e curti bastante a estética.

Whoa! Yesterday, I generated an album released in 2020, and today, I get a 2019 album. Anyway, there will always be some grey area, but for the most part, this album kicked some ass. The production reminded me of listening to some club bangers in the early 2000s. Favorite Track: "Offence".

The beats were good but this didn't do much for me.

Oh this is so great. I had never heard of this artist before listening here. Just loved it. The instrumentals are fantastic and I really like the compositional choices.

Yur i loved that! Listened on beach - litch perfect album Makes me want to listen to more Little Simz honestly so I am gonna do that!

She was like MIA's tamer monotone sister. Solid stuff.

muuito foda

A strong 4.5. For me, this would have been a 5 if I found a banger on the album that I would play on repeat. However, the sound is phenomenal, the instrumentation is great, and the overall flo is enjoyable. Much better than the 70s rock I get all the time for this generator.

Groovey. Cool and pissed off.

1001albumsgenerator has a pretty bad track record with 21st-century albums. (Exhibit A: Heaux Tales.) A very stripped-back sound. The percussion takes centre stage in most songs. But it's a hard-to-describe sort of percussion. Over-distorted to the point of completely bludgeoning the mix, but yet somehow in a sort of tasteful way. And it records quite a few real honest-to-god instruments instead of sampling them – something of an anomaly in the modern rap/hip-hop/R&B scenes. Plus, no interludes. Heck yeah. The first two songs, Offence and Boss, are similar enough that I consider them parts 1 and 2 of the same extended track. In the latter, the lyrics are ridiculously weak – I held out hope that the later verses would revive the song somewhat, but no. Just an endless repetition of vocal-filtered "stop fucking with my heart" and "nerd, you was my dream fool (little bitch)" and various other curses that cause me to chuckle a little because they're so musically inert. Fortunately, we get a pretty big spike in quality with the slick modern funk piece Selfish. A strong, if perhaps a bit anonymous, chorus. The biggest change, though, is our first melody on the record – which will always jumpstart a lacklustre sound. The acoustic guitar in Wounds is easily the song's highlight, reminiscent of that of Muse's Screenager. Some sort of exploration on the instrument, maybe a solo or two, would've been pretty sweet. In what is presumably GREY Area's lead single, Venom, we start with a nod to romance-classical symphonic music in those intense, semi-clashing violins. The song itself is fine, I guess. Passable. Little Simz's rapping vocal is almost absurdly generic (this could be pretty much any young English woman), and combined with the lack of other instruments and stripped-back production, she doesn't really establish her own "sound". I wonder what some of these critics saw in her. The floaty, echoey synth in 101 FM is just great. Remove the vocals and give your audience three minutes of noodling with the synth instead. Or scratch that: ten minutes. Make it a prog track. Pressure, Therapy, and Sherbet Sunset are all pretty straightforwardly uninteresting. I'm crawling through a desert of bland vocal delivery in search of just a tiny droplet of virtuosity, of interesting melodies or harmonies/chords, of a song that gets its point across without slurring/cursing. I'm parched. And now I'm dead. At least Sherbet Sunset has a decent chorus, with those multi-octave choral vocals along the lines of C2C (or, honestly, a huge portion of 2010s pop). At least we end on a fairly positive note. Kiwanuka's contribution in Flowers cannot be understated. Plus, the piano and trumpet are pretty great. Nice soft backing vocals, too. 3/5 Key tracks: Selfish, Wounds, Flowers

Not for me at all.

I really liked it, the variety of vibes between songs was really interesting. Certified saved to my library

I'm amazed that I enjoyed that. This is the first non-us rap that I've listened through and it was much more understandable for me. The one thing that bugs me is the use of the n-word by a non-us performer - it just sounds weird. It's like a British or Australian performer unironically using 'y'all' in a song. Anyway, great album.

Damn near a 5. I’d heard a few Little Simz songs but didn’t know she had a whole album like this in her catalog. Smooth beats that feel like 1993 updated for the 2020s and Simz’s bouncy flow and British accent are a deadly combination. Have listened through 3 times already.

3.5 Sault and Little Simz back to back days for me, Not on this album but little simz point and kill is a burner. This was decent she kinda has a bit of an Eminem flow to her rap, maybe, idk?

3 1/2 Stars: Rap and Hip-Hop is not my genre, but I know enough to be a little dangerous. Crazy how I've never heard of Little Simz. One of those UK artists that never broke through to American charts. She's sharp, great rhymes and the beats have this kinda sound that leans jazzy. I liked it and wouldn't be mad if I found my way back to her.

Better sound than I thought, fine for background. 2.5/5

Good grooves.

Damn, I had heard a couple Little Simz songs before &, as I usually do, didn’t listen to a back catalogue. This was fantastic

35 minutes?! All songs good?!? They did it. An album worth listening to before you die

Ceci était EXCELLENT

I see British hip hop from 2019 and I prepare for the worst, but this is really pretty decent. I wouldn’t go out of my way, but I wouldn’t turn it off if it were on.

Great flow, interesting lyrics and some good beats. Punchy and doesn't have much filler, will definitely have another listen.

Ok. Tracks were either a complete miss, or just acceptable (for my tastes). ★★

I really don't like hip hop, but this woman is clearly talented and charismatic, there's still music beyond rapping.

Pretty good overall, some tracks get a little corny

I always enjoy when I get a Rap album and I love British Rap. I love how universal rap has become. Exploding out from America to the world you can tell that the delivery and beats of rap are universal. Will listen again.

British rap. What is wrong with the critics on this list? Pretty much every American MC should be on this list before a single rapper from another country is on it. She is much better than Skepta or Dizzee Rascal. I recognized Chronixx's voice from Eternal Light by the Free Nationals. Wounds has kind of a Dr. Dre 2001 vibe. Yes, everyone judges you because you're a woman...it has nothing to do with the fact that you aren't as good as other MCs. Halfway through I can confidently say Little Simz is the best British rapper I have ever heard. It's growing on me. Michael Kiwanuka is not a positive addition.

best track: sherbet sunset

Kadett, Heidenheim - Aalen, Deutschland. Ganz okay.

I liked this!

Her first couple of albums didn’t quite land with me but this, her 3rd outing, was the one to sit up and take note, it’s not her best album but at just 35 mins, this is pretty tight, a great platform to go on and do her best work.

Another UK artist I hadn't heard of. I really enjoyed this. What I heard here seemed really fresh and new. I am definitely going to give it another listen.

Arrancamos semana un martes con una rapera que, como tanto de éste género, me es por completo desconocida. Me gusta cómo comienza. Tiene un sonido fresco, en la línea de Kendrick Lamar. El álbum se mantiene muy bien hasta el final. Va a mi lista de favoritos de los que el reto me ha sugerido de éste género. Gracias y hasta mañana

Great album, very creative. Not my favourite genre but enjoyed it.

Pretty ok rap album

A rap album that's easy for the rock fans to love. A stunning talent, and this album really elevated her to the top of the rap game. Don't sleep on Simz, folks.

2.5

2.5

I am thankful for this generator. I would have never listened to an English rap album made in 2019. I am glad that I did. This was much better than I expected. I thought it would be Drill, or Trap with autotuned xanax raps, but instead found this to be extremely creative and Little Simz to be an actual great rapper.

Not for me

Gran gran disco

Thought this was really good, beats were catching and the lyrics were powerful. Had never really listened to much of the artists before, but exactly what this daily challenge is for, discovering new music, and I’m here for it

Good hip hop but not quite a 5

Little Simz is such a talent. I think her next album Sometimes I Might Be Introvert is even better.

se parece a jaden smith

Love Selfish. Boss was just okay. Don't love Venom. Like 101FM, vaguely Asian motif. In general enjoyed this.

best UK and best female rapper of all time, generational run started here

Little Simz is great.

I don't think I'd ever heard of this artist. It's a great album. Production is solid and inventive. Would not have normally gravitated to this artist and am glad to have heard the album.

UK rap is hard for me to listen to - the accents just throw me off each time. Her delivery was a little unconventional at times, but kept things interesting. I'd give this a 3.5, but I'm not okay with a 4.

Maravilho, mistura de jazz com hip hop industrial. Discão

quite british. great bass, good delivery and rhythm, decent diction, writing seems pretty good. arrangements are very economic

Second album I've heard from her. What a surprise! The beats are great, her flow is unique and on point.

Typical, you go weeks without getting a rap album and then it generates 3 in a row. Not complaining though, this was a good album

Konnte nur bis zur hälfte hören aber ne schrecklich

The beats are good. I didn't relate to the lyrics but I respect the album. It was good to listen to while I did some housework today.

There are some interesting songs with a bit of jazz influence but the rest of the album is really unpleasant. the type of rap I hate ! 1.5

First few songs weren't that interesting to me but chilled out later on and enjoyed it more.

Very well done

the thing about being a conscious rapper is you'll get ecstatic five-star reivews from the british press and be shortlisted for every prize and then six years later your biggest contribution to culture is a guest spot on a late-stage koombaya coldplay song

I’ve had this on rotation for five years. Beats are minimal but pack a lot of variety. She’s got a confident/arrogance in her delivery but also soul. My main complaint about rap albums so far is length and quality control, but this is great from start to finish. Maybe the best UK rap album.

Better than Coldplay

IDK how to articulate the type of rap I like, but it's not this.

wow

Hadn’t heard of this artist before and wasn’t sure what to expect. I appreciated the lyricism and thought this was a very good example of recent music but I’m not likely to revisit this one. I can still appreciate it for what it is.

Very surprised by this. I was concerned about a 2019 rap album but this won me over immediately. The production on it is kind of bizarre in a fascinating way. And the actual rapping was interesting and good in a way that most newer rap I’ve heard isn’t

Ranged from very good and interesting to a little more boring and basic. Overall 3.5

Offence - 4/5 Boss - 3/5 Selfish - 3.5/5 Wounds - 4.5/5 Venom - 3.5/5 101 FM - 5/5 Pressure - 4/5 Therapy - 4/5 Sherbet Sunset - 3.5/5 Flowers - 3/5

Parts of this are sensational. Some of the rapping is top level. Not every song is as memorable as the best, but this is as good as UK hip hop gets.

2.5 Dude is obsessed with mediocre British hip hop. Honestly, this is actually probably one of the better ones, but as soon as it ended (thankfully short), I had no desire to ever return to it again.

313/1089 been meaning to listen to some Little Simz for a while and i’m glad it didn’t disappoint! just some really good UK Rap/Hip-Hop i think it blended the “harsher” and more melodic styles pretty nicely faves: 101 FM, Flowers, Sherbet Sunset 77/100

I wasn't sure what to expect from this as I only had a passing knowledge of the name Little Simz and I had apperantly heard Venom before without knowing the artist behind it, but I was pleasantly surprised and happy to say I enjoyed this quite a bit. Especially nice to get a pretty new record compared to my list thus far. Simz really glides over these beats with a smooth rhyme flow and rapid fire delivery. Selfish in particular has an amazing chorus courtesy of Cleo Sol to say nothing of how smooth this beat is. The drums pack an incredible punch on that track in particular, but throughout the whole project the drums stand as one of my favorite parts. Every collaborator on here provides a nice contrast from Simz and add quite a bit to their respective songs. Production on here is just incredible in general, great instrumentation on hip hop albums is always a plus for me. Definitely interested in hearing more from her as this was lovely.

Actually, let the British rap even more. I love the flow.

A reminder that there's some excellent hip hop in the UK that I've never taken the time to explore. And I should address that.

I was surprised to see a 2019 album, then realized this is yet another obscure Brit artist who no one on this side of the world has ever heard of. The listener counts are IMPRESSIVE, but why people were listening escapes me. Brits need to leave hip-hop to Americans. "Boss" was unlistenable. "Selfish", a highly listened to track, was boring. If he has a point and he's trying to make the listener aware of something it's lost because he talks too fast to get more than a word or two at a time ("Venom"). Yeah he raps fast, he's not threatening with that pre-teen voice, I have no idea what his message is, but I do know that not a single song is worthy of a second listen. 1 star

English hip hop. The backing tracks are generally pretty interesting, sometimes rock, sometimes funky, sometimes downtempo or lounge. 101 FM was a highlight with a really interesting synth loop but the DJ at the end ruined it. Offence also wasn't bad.

Really late to this but DAMN. I loved this quite a lot. I thought the vocals and delivery were honestly really good and have made me want to explore Little Simz a lot more.

Offence // Selfish // 101 FM //

It's good! Wide variety of sounds that Simz finds the pocket in every time. My main issue is the production on some of the songs doesn't really stand out as much as others. Songs like "Venom" and "101 FM" have amazing production, but I'm left forgetting some beats like "Therapy". Great lyrics, great flows, but just a step in the right direction for production.

3.0 - Ok

This was much, much better than expected. Really solid for what I know of post 2010 hip hop. 3.5

completely new to me and not something I would normally seek out, but really pretty good.

First of all, yes please to more representation from women rappers. Little Simz has an excellent flow and is lyrically gifted. I really connected to “Pressure” and “Flowers” but none of the other tracks jumped out to me despite her obvious talent. The album feels thematically dense and I have a feeling it improves upon multiple listens.

I really like this album's beats, basslines and meaningful lyrics. Little Simz is totally adept at rapping. Like really good. Liked Songs Added: Sherbet Sunset

4.0

liked this more than i expected. usually im not really into british rap

Good

Love Simzy. Her flow is strong, the beats are fire and there is real variation and consistency of quality. None of the usual off putting rap lyrics about hoes and stuff. My only complaint is i think she gets better across the next 2 albums but i'll listen to this all day long.

Perfectly pleasant UK hip-hop fare navigating well-worn millennial issues and first-world problems. Can't say I'll be listening again any time soon, but I'm pretty sure I'm not the target audience.

I cared about this album less than you did

Funny, I had Michael Kiwanuka's 2019 album yesterday. This album is high energy and at 35 minutes, it's a ripper. Big fan of excellent pacing like this. Not heard of Little Simz before, but I enjoyed this album very much. Her flow is really solid and the lyrics are genuinely really clever.

Pretty good 3.5/5

Talented but far from my taste.

She is clearly very talented. The overall vibe is delicious. But for me music is like cinema - something to focus on and experience deeply - not wallpaper - something for the background to set a mood. So, listening to this series of computer generated rhythms overlayed by two or three musical snippets looped ad nauseam is like watching a dog chasing its tail; it's entertaining for a few seconds, but grows quickly tiresome. And I don't sit down at my stereo to listen to lyrics. If I want language, I grab a book. (I don't like Bob Dylan or Carol King for the same reason.) As accomplished as this album is, it ain't for me.

Genuinely very amazing, sequences were so smooth and extremely well made, lots of genres I didn't expect to mash well, very shocked I hadn't heard of this artist before.

peak

I enjoyed this album a lot. I liked the rapper voice and flow. It had a range of feeling I appreciate. If love to listen to it again. 4/5

2.3 2x not my thing

I liked this much more than I was expecting. Standout style and let me clap right now…👏👏👏 the songs are perfect length and the album as a whole, perfect length.

La verdad que me sorprendió completamente, es un muuuy buen álbum en el que Little Simz se abre y en sus letras e impecable fraseo toca temas como el ego, su importancia en la industria siendo mujer, la pérdida de un amor y las vivencias del barrio, todo acompañado de unas bases increíbles con unos bajos que te hacen temblar la cabeza, me encantó.

music is love

Lyrics are not my thing, therefore rap is not my thing. My brain goes deaf to it now because of it and maybe it shouldn't. Here, I appreciate the input, not the output. More glad to hear something 21st Century.

Wasn't expecting to enjoy this one as much as I did. Simz is skillful, and has a great flow. But I love the backing tracks - very trip-hoppy and smooth without being too laid back. Really solid hip-hop. I hated the kiss-off song "Sherbet Sunset;" it just felt kind of pedestrian. But everything else was pretty solid. I have to give it - FOUR STARS

I forgot how good this album was. Really great crisp production all around, love some of the bass lines here. Props to how goofy some of these tracks are. Using the zipscramble sfx in the first song and the cheery weirdness of 101 FM. Mostly I’m happy with the brevity. It’s tight, doesn’t overstay its welcome. Makes for easy replay.

This album definitely does not need to be on this list. It's fine, but I fail to understand what makes this an album you have to listen to before you die. If it came out in 1994, sure, but today it's pretty vanilla. Okay, I slept on it more, and it's perhaps a little better than I gave it credit for. Not sure why this one is so controversial in my mind, but maybe I need to listen to it again.

… huh. I was so ready to hate this from the jump but it really grew on me. It’s so easy for young folks writing about heartbreak to sound inauthentic, but this didn’t make my eyes roll. Quite like the backing stuff too. 3.5 but a bump for an extremely pleasant surprise

Knock me over with a feather, a hip hop album that isn't 90 minutes long. Really, really enjoyed the production. Somewhere between a 3 and a 3.5

Refreshingly honest and vulnerable, and I love most of the backing tracks. There's always something a wee bit off to keep from this from being really good, but I enjoyed listening.

We've listened to a lot of hip hop records at this point. Many of the older records are dense with samples. The newer ones, wildly overproduced. I enjoyed the restraint on GREY Area. The bass sounded good. The occassional guitar was pleasant. The strings, when not pounding out staccato chords on the beat, were, again, pleasant. Nothing exceptional in any regard, but neither anything to take exception to. What was noteworthy was the amount of space in the arrangement - this felt like real people playing. For me, at least, this gave the rapping of Little Simz a chance to really standout, not hemmed in by a strict sample looped or quantized beat. But, while I felt there was a refreshing looseness to her deliver, it merely highlighted the disadvantage of rapping as a technique: it falls on one plane, it is dependent on rhythmic complexity to maintain interest, it has to be concentrated and dense. So, even when the music is loose and alive, the rapping becomes monotonous over the course of a whole record. I liked her accent though. 2 Little Simz‘s rapping strikes me as rather one-dimensional. It’s a fast and deadpan confessional, with volleys of triple and quadruple rhymes, punctuated by moments of dramatic rage, and all very much like Kendrick Lamar when he does the same thing. That’s on this album at least - I confess this is the only work of hers I’ve ever heard. She’s a Londoner of course, which is nice, and her album is only 35 minutes long which earns an extra half star. No, I can’t do that. Sure Steely Dan was accounted no extra credit yesterday and their rotten album was even shorter than this. Sorry Little Simz. 1/5

Like 50 shades of GREY Area. Another subjugated, angry female wrapping poetic wid a Brit gangsta accent. 101FM is the top track, but they’re all sending a massage. (3.2*s) I thinks it’s time we put a pussy in power.

Little (not Lil') Simz got something going here...a little bit. Not sure what the fascination is with being such a small artist these past few decades. GREY Area does not lie in that realm though, it is much more BLACK and white. Simz lays out her qualms and vulnerabilities. The tracks are clean but something is lacking from this quick hit. I do like a grimy guvna accent on an emcee and she has it...just doesn't quite nail the lyrical skills as some others. However, thus far from the list, she does stand out as one of the better rappers from across the pond. Still not sold on the spot for this album. Maybe this is a must listen for a Brit...2.2 stars.

I appreciate the brevity in a rap album. Little Simz made the wise choice to keep Grey Area limited to 10 tracks and avoided common cliches of skits and filler. It's nearly all her with only a couple of minor featured spots that are limited to chorus and backup than rap verses. Production is pretty limited but it gives you just enough for Little Simz to spit some lines uninterrupted. Her flow has a cadence to it that became recognizable pretty quickly. Nothing special but 101FM and Selfish were the songs I enjoyed the most. As usual its nice to get some exposure to a Gorillaz collaborator that I was only previously familiar with from a featured spot. Little Sims is nowhere near the top of the list but I can see why Albarn brought her in to the studio for a track. Her structured flow works well enough with some minimalist accompaniment to make it work. 2.49 stars

This is one of those cases where it's not quite the kind of music I'd regularly listen to, but I can definitely appreciate how good the album is. The beats are cool, the rhyming is great...I enjoyed it more than I was anticipating.

Loved it

The Good: I am a big fan of grey! The Bad: Till you find out that it’s an acronym… The Ugly: Which stands for Grandma Rapes Everyone’s Yolk… I think that there was 1 song which, for a second, made me actually pay attention… then this forced monologue of big words meaning small things popped being spat out too fast made me lose interest. Rap. Not. My. Thing. 1*

Who is this woman ?? Absolutely insanely talented she has a voice can do R&B and rap. Surprised is an understatement.

I don’t have an obsessive knowledge of contemporary music. That’s a young folks game. But a few pieces of my spotty knowledge clicked into place here. I knew this album existed. I knew I had enjoyed the singles well enough. But on actually listening to the album I found myself loving the production. “This sounds like Sault … I wonder … ahhhhhhhh” Oh yeeeeah, the story of the producer nicking Simz’ cash for that mad live thing. It all makes sense! So Inflo. Amazing producer. Bit of a dick. Great album.

This was great. Totally new to me. Never heard of her. Everything was good. Good groove, easy to listen to and enjoy. Quality all around. Very nice surprise.

Really enjoyable listen this one. British rap in general I find to be of a pretty high quality, this album included. The vocals flow smoothly, the samples are catchy. This album made me think of Loyal Carner a little

This one was perfect to listen to while working today. I was not excited about it being a rap album at first but it has interesting twists. Pretty relaxing.

Ass

Not really my musical style but I can appreciate the attention and care that’s gone into this album. I respect there is an established style and lineage of uk rappers that is distinct from the North American style and she pays decent homage to the stormzy style super fast with some smart wordplay while being perhaps a bit more melodic than some. A solid 2 as it’s fundamentally not my cuppa tea!

British hip hop is quite fun.

Boss is a highlight track for me but the whole album is really good.

Great lyrics, instruments over samples, good stuff. Rounding up from a 3.5.

2.5. Like some of the beats

I enjoyed this. More than I thought I would because the track I’ve been most exposed to on the radio 101 FM is easily the worst song on the album. Loses a bit of steam later on but the start is strong enough to carry it.

Had this on repeat the summer after it came out and not at all since. This took me right back.

I had a little hesitation before hitting play on this album. Not knowing who Little Simz was and only seeing her described as an English rapper, I was concerned I wasn’t going to like it. While that wasn’t necessarily true, since this style of music usually isn’t my jam, I ended up enjoying GREY Area for what it was—and I especially appreciated that the album is only 35 minutes long. Its lean runtime was a major factor in my positive review. A lot of rap albums are weighed down by filler, skits, and interludes, which make it difficult for me to want to listen to them in the first place. Not that a relisten is guaranteed with this album either, but it was refreshing to hear Little Simz deliver a tight, lyrically sharp rap record that simply gets in, lays down her best work, and then gets out. Kudos to her.

I had some trepidation when I saw what kind of music this album contained, but I was pleasantly surprised. The lack of programming and use of actual instruments in the songs really kept this from being a complete pile of shit.

An album which focusses on female empowerment within a male dominated industry and there’s numerous references to this throughout the album as well as a more general wish to be acknowledged. This is cast against a backdrop of her navigating her 20s in terms of relationships and other issues. The album is her first produced by Inflo with whom she’ll record these next 3 albums. After 2 good but unspectacular albums, Simz has moved up to a different level here. Teaming up with producer Inflo, her confidence in herself and growth as an artist are evident. The production here is phenomenal and their chemistry is clear. The opening tracks pack the punch and grab your attention but there’s real range across the album with more soulful and reflective tracks, particularly in the second half.

I do not like it

LOVE ME SOME SIMBI

lovley

💡 Interesting! Initially I saw this album and thought ".... Who is this?". I've listened to one of her other tracks quite a few times though. It's been a few years and that gave me a little more confidence that I might like this album. 🙌 I listened to it twice and it's definitely one of the better albums on this list, though I don't know how much of a compliment that is yet since I'm pretty early in this project. 🎧 This album grew on me a lot over the course of the day. At one point I turned it on because it was what I really wanted to listen to. I started listening to her most recent album and really like it. 🤭 Reflecting as I write reveals that this is another five star album!

Was excited to see something modern on here but it was just okay. Not blown away but didn’t hate it. Neutral.

Como para escuchar de fondo

7/10 - 101 FM is a highlight, some good RnB beats mixed with the London vibe

Love her speedy delivery even though it was difficult to understand her lyrics - my ears can’t hear that fast.

Why didn’t I know that there’s a young female version of Busta Rhymes in the UK? She’s extremely talented at rap! The content is not as objectionable as some of the other rap recordings I recently reviewed and that is a breath of fresh air. I can tolerate some use of foul language, specifically the n word, as long as it’s not constantly used in every song. It’s a distraction from the actual content and rarely is necessary. The amount of that language approaches but doesn’t quite cross that line. Let’s say 3.5 stars

ich habe wenig Zugang zu Rap aber war gut und es war schön zu bemerken, dass es einen breiten Stimmungsbogen gibt, der sich durch das Album zieht.

First impression — this sounds like Kate Tempest. The rapping style, the English accent, even the quality of her voice. Also hear Sault in the music and beats especially on the second track, Boss. Liked the reggae influence mixed in. Pleasantly surprised with this one! Found myself wanting to listen multiple times. This is one of those records on this list that is newer (2019), so will it stand the test of time yet? It’s catchy, and interesting and raw and direct. I think so. Really good one that I’d never heard of before.

1.5

Not my favourite style of music but there’s lots of talent and poetic messaging

loveeee

This was so good. There’s texture and mood from beginning to end. Offence, Selfish, Flowers are so faves.

Idk why I was fine with this but. I was

lil SIM card could tap my phone again this was fun

I like the sounds but also I can't take it seriously... that one reviewer was right when they said this is like someone posting on facebook. Maybe she could redo it in Simlish :)

Música para entrenar, me gusta

Have heard of her, but never gave her a listen. I think this album made me a convert.

Positiv bekjentskap

Better than all of the English hip hop I’ve heard from this list.

Ok but again, not something I would probably chose to listen to.

4.something, would listen to more by her

Fun, chill modern rap. She’s British so it’s fun to hear the accent in the rap. This is one of the most recent albums so far and I like that it feels current. One of the songs was in the movie Venom

Not even her best album.

# GREY Area by Little Simz: An In-Depth Review Released on March 1, 2019, *GREY Area* represents the third studio album from British-Nigerian rapper Little Simz (Simbi Ajikawo). Clocking in at just 35 minutes across 10 tracks, this concise yet potent record marked a pivotal moment in her career—solidifying her reputation as one of the most formidable voices in contemporary hip-hop. --- ## Lyrical Analysis Little Simz demonstrates extraordinary lyrical dexterity throughout *GREY Area*, establishing herself as what she calls "Picasso with the pen" on the opening track "Offence" . Her writing balances technical prowess with emotional authenticity, weaving together complex rhyme schemes that keep listeners engaged through multiple listens. The album's lyrics operate on multiple registers. On tracks like "Boss," she delivers assertive, almost aggressive declarations of her dominance in a male-dominated industry: "I'm a boss in a fucking dress" . Conversely, on "Therapy," she opens up about mental health struggles with disarming vulnerability, rapping about her distrust of traditional therapy and choosing instead to process her pain through music . "Venom" stands out as perhaps the album's most lyrically intense moment—a rapid-fire assault where Simz channels years of built-up anger over systemic oppression and gender inequality. The track became a viral phenomenon, particularly on platforms like TikTok, where its themes of female empowerment resonated widely . The storytelling reaches its emotional peak on "Wounds," written after Simz learned that a friend had been murdered. She describes sneaking into the studio alone, sitting in darkness, and channeling her grief into the track . This autobiographical approach—recalling early days recording in bedroom studios on "101 FM" or confronting mortality on "Flowers"—grounds the album in lived experience. --- ## Musical Style & Production The sonic architecture of *GREY Area* is helmed almost entirely by Inflo (Dean Josiah Cover), Simz's childhood friend and frequent collaborator . His production philosophy here favors live instrumentation over sampling—a deliberate departure from her previous work . **Genre Fusion:** The album refuses easy categorization, blending elements of: - **UK Grime** ("101 FM," "Offence") - **Jazz Rap** ("Pressure," "Therapy") - **Neo-Soul** ("Selfish" featuring Cleo Sol) - **Trip-Hop** ("Venom") - **Reggae/Dub** ("Wounds" featuring Chronixx) **Production Highlights:** - "Offence" opens with an aggressive electronic bassline augmented by Asian woodwind instrumentation - "Boss" features a distorted, bluesy vocal chorus over overdriven bass riffs - "Pressure" incorporates jazz piano that contrasts beautifully with Simz's rapid-fire delivery - "Sherbet Sunset" evokes LCD Soundsystem with its driving bass and emotional build Inflo's work on this album helped establish him as a major force in British music—he would later win the Brit Award for Producer of the Year, becoming the first Black music producer to receive this honor . --- ## Thematic Exploration The album's title reflects its central conceit: life in your mid-twenties exists in a liminal space, neither the black-and-white certainty of youth nor the settled wisdom of later adulthood . Simz described being "in a very confusing headspace" during creation, where "nothing is black and white, nothing is set in stone" . **Key Themes:** **1. Identity & Self-Worth** Tracks like "Selfish" explore the tension between ambition and personal relationships. Simz examines her own perceived selfishness in pursuing her artistic dreams, questioning whether the sacrifices are worth the success . **2. Grief & Loss** "Wounds" and "Flowers" bookend the album's emotional core. The latter namechecks artists who died at age 27 (Jimi Hendrix, Kurt Cobain, Amy Winehouse, Janis Joplin, Robert Johnson), reflecting on mortality as Simz approaches that age herself . **3. Female Empowerment & Gender Dynamics** "Venom" serves as a manifesto for women in power, with Simz spitting venom at those who underestimate her. The track's brooding, string-heavy production underscores its confrontational message . **4. Mental Health** "Therapy" directly addresses the stigma around seeking help, with Simz admitting she preferred processing her pain through art rather than professional counseling . **5. Nostalgia & Roots** "101 FM" looks backward to her origins—dreams of "getting out the flats," playing PS2 with friends, losing companions to the prison system—while acknowledging how far she's come . --- ## Influence & Legacy *GREY Area* arrived at a crucial moment for UK hip-hop. While American trap dominated global charts, Simz proved that British rap could maintain commercial viability without sacrificing artistic integrity . **Critical Reception:** The album received widespread acclaim, with many critics noting it as her breakthrough work. Kendrick Lamar had previously called her "the illest" of her generation, and *GREY Area* justified that co-sign . The Quietus described it as her best album to date, praising her ability to harness both "vulnerable, raw moments" and "savage, wisdom-weaponry" . **Cultural Impact:** - "Venom" became an anthem for female empowerment, spreading across social media platforms - The album helped establish the template for the jazz-rap/neo-soul revival in UK hip-hop - It set the stage for her Mercury Prize-winning follow-up *Sometimes I Might Be Introvert* (2021) **Artistic Influence:** Simz's willingness to experiment with live instrumentation and genre-blending influenced subsequent UK artists. Her auteur-like approach—maintaining creative control through her Age 101 imprint while collaborating with visionary producers like Inflo—provided a blueprint for independent artists navigating the streaming era . --- ## Pros & Cons ### **Pros:** | Aspect | Details | |--------|---------| | **Concise Runtime** | At 35 minutes, the album maintains urgency without filler—"all killer, no filler" | | **Lyrical Versatility** | Simz shifts effortlessly between aggressive grime flows, introspective storytelling, and melodic neo-soul | | **Production Quality** | Inflo's live instrumentation creates a warm, organic sound that stands apart from sample-heavy hip-hop | | **Emotional Range** | From the grief of "Wounds" to the bravado of "Boss," the album covers substantial emotional territory | | **Genre Fluidity** | Seamlessly blends grime, jazz, soul, and trip-hop without feeling disjointed | | **Personal Authenticity** | The autobiographical details feel earned rather than performative | ### **Cons:** | Aspect | Details | |--------|---------| | **Brief Runtime** | Some listeners may find the album too short, leaving them wanting more | | **Second Half Dip** | Tracks like "Pressure" and "Flowers," while solid, don't quite reach the heights of the opening run | | **Accessibility** | The UK accent and cultural references may present a barrier for some international listeners | | **Feature Balance** | With only four features across ten tracks, some may wish for more collaborative moments | | **"Venom" Overexposure** | The track's viral success on TikTok somewhat diluted its original impact for some fans | --- ## Verdict *GREY Area* stands as a landmark in 21st-century British hip-hop—a record that proved commercial viability and artistic integrity need not be mutually exclusive. Little Simz's technical rapping ability, combined with Inflo's innovative production and the album's deeply personal storytelling, creates a work that feels both timely and timeless. The album's exploration of life's "grey areas"—the uncertainties of adulthood, the costs of ambition, the processing of grief—resonates beyond its specific cultural context. It's a record about becoming, about sitting with discomfort, and about finding power in vulnerability. **Rating:** 9/10 *GREY Area* is essential listening for anyone interested in the evolution of hip-hop, British music, or simply great storytelling. It announced Little Simz as an artist of major significance—and she has only grown more ambitious since.

No me mató. No lo volvería a escuchar

Can't believe I was able to look past the accent on this one. Really fun listen. Refreshing to hear something from the 21st century again.

Great flow throughout the album. Nice to have something this decade

Bonne surprise !

A really interesting case of production being the core strength of a record. I love hip-hop with a really natural sound to it and I've always preferred sample-based beats/beats with live instrumentation to what's become the modern sound (which I suppose is more or less trap that I'm talking about, but still). I can appreciate her voice and her lyricism at points, and especially her penchant for a hook ("Selfish" going from these fast-paced verses to the lush, catchy chorus is a beautiful combo).

Outstanding. Just outstanding

K1nda got smthing

Grey Area wirkt trotz starker Momente oft unausgegoren. Die Mischung aus Grime‑Härte und introspektiven Passagen greift nicht immer sauber ineinander, und einige Tracks verlieren sich im Stilwechsel. Handwerklich solide, aber insgesamt weniger überzeugend.

3.5 Surprisingly good :)

Crisp, concise, classy

I a big fan of Little Simz, so four stars automatically. She played a wonderful show at EOTR in 2021 coinciding with Sometimes I Might Be Extrovert, which is a five star album. Grey Area displays her talents as a rapper with acute social observation.

Nearly a 4. I like the angst, but I’m left not 100% sure as to what it’s about.

So this is what I'm here for. I know of, but have never listened to, Little Simz and what an album! Love the overall vibe and how she mixes straight up rap tracks with something a bit more laid back. Also love the restraint of putting out an LP-length album with no filler. Straight on to the rotation list. 4*

Nice

I had never heard of this one. Great vibes throughout.

Look, here's my hot take; The N word is North America-centric, like that's "our" word, hearing it said in a British accent seems strange, like they should have their own word: may I suggest bog-woddle?... sick beats, good enough flow and wordplay, but a little boring, luckily at 35 minutes it doesn't overstay it's welcome. Each individual song would be interesting if it popped up on a playlist, but as a whole it's a lot of not-that-much

Better than I expected.

Sim, Simmer, who's got the keys to my bloodclart Bimmer. First time listening to this album though I became familiar with Little Simz after listening to some of her moe recent stuff and feels like she should have been a headliner at Glasto a couple of years ago. I like her delivery and the first couple of tracks were great but those where she takes a back seat just aren't as captivating.

I reviewed this album a little while back with some nerds I met over the internet, who I often partake in artist deep dives with. Here's what I had to say then, which still applies on this listen: Contrary to what seems to be the general feeling towards Stillness, I quite dig the more chilled out, expansive, densely layered vibe of that album, which went into some interesting places through its blending of different styles. This one channels a decent amount of those successes into a tighter, more direct and aggressive approach, closer in scope to the debut structurally whilst still showcasing some of the musical development of previous. However, I'm struggling with the lyricism to a greater extent than before, and am really not a fan of Simz’ rapping style for large parts of this one. Thematically it's further outside of my wheelhouse than ever, and I'm not sure I recall as many “N-bombs” rearing their head on the last two. Vocally I still wouldn't necessarily agree with the idea that anything about her performance feels inauthentic, but it did feel as though she was trying to get too much in at points and she is clearly more keen to be the centre-piece here. The aggressive style is kinda lost on me, whereas I think the more subtle approach offered up occasionally, and more frequently on Stillness, proves that Simz can still be an incisive presence without going for the jugular. "Wounds” and the closing couple of tracks “Sherbet Sunset” and “Flowers” ft. Michael Kiwanuka would probably be my highlights. More of that soulful approach of the latter two in particular could've swayed this further into my palate.

Great album, such a talent

'If you're gonna talk on my name / Least say it w/ your chest.' Still her best record, tho she still didn't exactly miss w/ Sometimes I Might Be Introvert, GREY Area is a modern classic. Produced brilliantly by Inflo, the album is yet Simz and fully Simz, who is able, as few 'conscious' rappers are, to be poetical & musical, that is, to be lyric-conscious as well as flow-conscious. Crudely put, on GREY Area, her genre is not fucking spoken word, which is neither poetry nor hip-hop, but a corny hybrid. She's a rapper, a slamming, attitudinal rapper, & doesn't think that to be deep is to be more than that. 'Everything's imperative for the way I live / I know it's material but not irrelevant.' At 35 mins & 10 songs, no, it's not quite Illmatic, but it's close.

Best UK rap I've heard through this project. Just on that, not much of a statement, but this is very solid - consistent, good flow and beats, and not too long.

I'm pretty picky about hip-hop, and generally speaking I don't like much made after 1994ish. Seeing this was British and from 2019 I was ready to be disappointed. Well, I was very wrong. This ROCKS! Production is mostly bare-bones and lo-fi (VERY positive from my viewpoint). Simz vocal is allowed to be the focal point (as it should be) and her voice is powerful (literally and figuratively). I really need someone to point me toward more modern hip-hop with this sound and feel.

When she's on her flow it becomes very enjoyable to listen to like most English rap songs that have that rapid slam poetry style. The backing music is chill with R&B to grungy garage flare which grew on me a lot on repeat listens. I Like the themes of the songs from internal struggles as a female black artist or the struggles of having nothing growing up and then the criticisms of society and particular types of toxic people. Feels like the right music for the right mood with Selfish, Wounds, 101FM & Sherbet Sunset being the regulars.

Liked a couple of tracks, but mostly not for me.

Listened previously. Expectations: High - Verdict: Great - I could easily push this up to Near Perfect but it just loses some steam in the middle. What an album though. Simz is the greatest rapper Britain has ever produced in my opinion and this is her near her best. Truly a boss in a fucking dress, just brilliant.

This came storming out of the gates with the first two tracks. The rest of the album was still very good but I ended up being a little disappointed by the shift in tone.

1. offence - 1 2. bozz - 0 3. zelfizh -1 4. uuoundz - 1 5. venom -1 6. fm - 0 7. prezzure - 0 8. therapy - 0 9. zunzet - 1 10. flouuerz - 1

good flow, bro

I don’t like rap/hip-hop. I’ve given it another go, but this album just doesn’t do it for me...

different to what i normally listen to but i enjoyed it

Generic, dull, been there before crap.

My rap blind spot is glaring. Women especially. Why do I always love British rap? I suppose because I love British humor. She’s so cool omg “I'm Jay-Z on a bad day, Shakespeare on my worst days”💀 Wounds. Wow. “The fuckery” in lyric is good. Wiki says this is about her friend who was murdered. Pressure. Fuck. She said fuckery again. Sherbert Sunset. She’s so real jfc “Allow me to be human and be in my feels Chill, I'm good, I got it, I never lost it Or am I just lying to myself to skip the topic? La-la-la-la-la, la-la-la-la-la, la-la” HA omg this 27 club song. Voodoo child shoutout! Two weeks in and have my first identified reference to another album on the list. Lauryn Hill influence cited.

This is an album that is a true masterpiece of introspection, both personal and social, and a powerful and historic album in the UK.

Sounds like all the other British rappers

Cool to see women succeed in rap/hiphop, they’re still too few in number. Simz has some lyrical weapons, but this album falls into the same trap that puts me off most of the genre: flat performance, monotony, the same subjects of guns, shitty men, getting paid, etc. Her voice is so drearily one-note that it becomes a drone. Doesn’t hook me.

Very good

Eh

Popular song venom here 👀

Very explicit but very good.

Could grow to 4 stars, my first introduction to Little Simz. Liked it, will listen again!

Her voices is a little annoying but it’s good.

Nothing to incredible or mind blowing but it was a nice album and she did spit some good rhymes

Great voice and rap style, mostly mellow and petty organic beats and no autotune party anthems, but she really has something to say. This is modern rap I can get into!

I love a wholly new awesome discovery.

A pleasant enough listen, but I won’t listen again.

Lyrically somewhat interesting but sound is not my personal favorite.

British hip-hop album. Little Simz’s rapping is very articulate and her rhyming is amazing. She has important stuff to say. Album 27, March 25, 2026

This was surprisingly good. Not my usual bag, but after a slightly dubious first couple of track i enjoyed the whole flow and and vibe of the album. Lyrics were strong and punchy

J'avais des doutes au niveau d'une rappeuse British. Vraiment une belle découverte, bon flow, beats qui s'écoutent bien. Album concis de 35 minutes sans intermèdes ou loop comme sur fear of a Black Planet.

Damn this was fun! Never heard of her but she's kind of amazing. And the production is great

Great record: Offence, Selfish and 101am classics

Soul/rap ou je sais pas trop comment décrire, sans grand intérêt pas trop ma came