GREY Area

Very surprising. I really enjoyed this. Great wordplay and rapping.

Eerlijk goed

Not really my cup of tea, but couple of bangers.

not awful but generally not my thing

Simz is my favorite modern-day female rapper; every project that she puts out is heat.

Es un disco de 2019. El sonido es bueno, las letras no las entiendo pero me cae bien la cantante. Me parece de lo más interesante del panorama actual.

I already own this on vinyl. I love female hip hop & first saw Little Simz live in 2015. To revisit this is amazing, so much more than rap, so many genres on this LP, the production is brilliant. Strangest thing is I’ve never bought or listened to her LPs since. But her Glastonbury appearance in 2024 established her as out national treasure, she should have headlined. Her voice & lyrics are street but also have a warmth to them, you feel like you could have a good chat & laugh with her. It’s like a Massive Attack LP at times. Favourite tracks are ‘venom’ amazing vocal delivery. ‘101 FM’ Aphex ambient sounds & funny story lyrics.

You're Not Listening, You're Not Listening 1001 Albums Generator 151 (10/30/2025) Little Simz' 2021 album, Sometimes I Might Be Introvert, is perhaps my favorite female fronted rap album. The way that she uses orchestral sounds on that album is comparable only to (and is on the same level of quality as) Ye's Late Registration. Since the last version of this book is from 2019, I know Introvert can't be on here, but I am pleasantly surprised to see her previous effort, GREY Area, is on the list. This album starts off with such a bang; Offence and Boss are both much more aggressive than most anything on Introvert, but Simz sounds great here. Most of the rest of GREY Area lives in a more chill hip hop space and most of everything here is good. The Chinese beat of 101 FM is a little bit annoying and the vocal feature on Pressure really brings that song down. Besides that, not many negative notes! Selfish is beautiful piece of Neo-Soul, Wounds has an amazing guitar part, and Sherbet Sunset has super funky bass. Honestly, one thing I was surprised about on this album in general was the funky factor throughout much of it. The closing track, Flowers, is absolutely beautiful, paying homage to artists before her who died young, and I think that it predicts what Simz would go on to do more than any other song here. The jazzy and gospel elements mesh really well. Beyond a slight slump in the middle, GREY Area is a great hiphop album. 4/5. Favs: Offence Selfish Flowers Least Fav: 101 FM

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.

Really great album.

Rap feels largely foreign to me, and this album didn't get me a lot closer to understanding it. Some of the lyrics are brutally honest and self-reflective, and I respect that.

it was ok

This is nowhere near my type of music, aggressively British accent, mostly angry rapping, but I can still appreciate it. You can’t deny that it’s incredibly well-made, and the lyrics themselves, even if the delivery can be quite annoying, are immediately effective. Even just over half an hour of this is too much for me though. It deserves to be on the list, probably, but I can’t say I enjoy this whole scene. I feel it’s the sort of music for the ‘hip-hop’ category at the long-obsolete Brit awards. That is, when they’re not giving every award to Raye.

i love Little Simz!!! so great that she got a shout from this project! and i hadn’t listened to this album yet so a nice little treat. her and Kiwanuka are an absolute powerhouse of a duo. i don’t think this is her best album but Flowers is definitely one of her best songs

Utter crap

There's little doubt that she's talented but I think she's done better stuff. Some of this sounds like her sixth-form poetry.

Ok. Not sure why this is on here. It's fine and all, but nothing on it stood out? I guess I'm not hearing what the author heard and thought that this is an album we all need to hear before we die. But then again, the author is VERY British-focused so let's see: Little Simz is British - Check Hip Hop from Britain is kind of zany - Check He ran out of crap to put on this list so just chose this - Check There we go. 2.25 / 5 stars. I really only liked a couple of songs on here.

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

Interesting album. Had a couple bangers that I really enjoyed, but the others fell a little short of expectation. 3/5.

not for me, but i appreciate it

What a marvellous album. 4 stars so far, 4 tracks in.

There is a dark, smoky atmosphere running around here. Beats are minimal but layered. An album that proves less can be much, much more. Spins: 2 Playlist Additions Offence Boss Selfish 101FM

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

The production on this album is absolutely amazing. You can definitely hear that UK grime influence, which really helps it stand out from a lot of other hip hop albums. As for the rapping, I personally prefer the more laid back tracks where she just flows along with the music. Those moments feel more natural and enjoyable. But when it shifts into the more aggressive tracks with a lot of attitude, I just can’t take it seriously. She honestly sounds like an angry teenager or frustrated kid. And maybe this is just coming from me being older, but as a listener, it feels kind of self degrading to be looking for insight and wisdom from someone who probably wasn’t even old enough to legally drink at the time this came out.

Fantastic beats and nearly perfect flow. 8/10

Not really my bag but I can see why Little Simz won a Mercury. Some of the album was just way too grime(y)!

++: Offence, Boss, Selfish, Wounds, Venom, Therapy, Sherbet Sunset, Flowers +: Pressure, Flowers +-: 101 FM 9,1/10

Enjoyed it

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.

Little Simz was a surprise! Would have added a fourth star if her name started with "Lil'."

Was unfamiliar with MC Little Simz, overall a decent listen

Finally, a British album that actually deserves this spot!

често, думал будет хуже, но остался доволен. хороший продюссер)

very interestingly textured from the outset; the production on ‘offence’ is super layered, perhaps a bit crowded at times, but compelling regardless. did find myself cringing at specific lines. girlbossed a little too close to the sun with 'i'm a boss in a fucking dress!'. adore cleo sol and her voice is a gorgeous, grounding presence on 'selfish', a soft antithesis to little simz's fire. overall intriguing production but perhaps not refined enough, and lacking in lyricism. 2.5/5

day 12: i’m conflicted on little simz since i know she’s well reviewed and critiqued but the couple albums i’ve heard before have done nothing much for me. open mind tho for this. unfortunately first couple songs ive quite disliked, the overdone vocal effects and beyoncé-esque bassy instrumentals on most songs here just aren’t for me. selfish is great tho! finally feeling nice. rest is whatever. finding that most of the writing comes half assed and kind of just meaningless? like anyone or their dog could come up with these lyrics. a lot of it is very ‘i’m 14 and this is deep.’ production on pressure sounds alright, i do love little dragon. beat on therapy sounds good as well, just uninterested in the vocals or writing. think i’m struggling most with the whole fast rap schtick. always have for most rap, feel like ive only ever heard twista pull it off consistently. concluding thoughts: just wish she had more vocal emotion and range, the deadpan one note delivery im already tired of after one song. the features with the nice backing soulful vocals littered across the album help massively but would be nice from simz herself. production is better in the 2nd half but some of the songs in the first half really have no redeeming factors.

Great sounding Hip Hop. Led to a full day of old school rhymes.

Not nearly as bad as most of the rap albums on this list. That being said, I still don’t really care for rap. I will admit there were a handful of songs that had me nodding my head. Also think it’s cool that she shouts out some of her inspirations. Standout Songs: Selfish 101 FM Flowers

What a nice surprise this album was! I was familiar with Little Simz but couldn't name you a single song. Turns out I actually knew a few of these There was something so different about her that makes this album stand out. The lyrics seemed more real, it was refreshing 4 ⭐️

It’s crazy how much she’s grown as an artist since this

Female rappers have a hard time breaking through in America, so it’s easy to miss an artist like this if you’re not really plugged into the hiphop underground. Unfortunately, I wasn’t very plugged into in 2019 and missed this. Much like Leikeli47 or Angel Haze, Little Simz has some bangers here that I’m frustrated more people don’t know. I haven’t dug into her other albums yet, but I’m sure there are other gems in there too. Added to my playlists: “Venom” - based on Spotify listens, this was the big single. “101 FM” - this was the track that popped out at me on every listen through the album.

The production on this album is absolutely amazing. You can definitely hear that UK grime influence, which really helps it stand out from a lot of other hip hop albums. As for the rapping, I personally prefer the more laid back tracks where she just flows along with the music. Those moments feel more natural and enjoyable. But when it shifts into the more aggressive tracks with a lot of attitude, I just can’t take it seriously. She honestly sounds like an angry teenager or frustrated kid. And maybe this is just coming from me being older, but as a listener, it feels kind of self degrading to be looking for insight and wisdom from someone who probably wasn’t even old enough to legally drink at the time this came out.

First time hearing this one. Just real good. I'll listen again. Cover 5/5 I am a sucker for a good black and white photo.

This album did not make great first impression, but like the second half pretty well.

The flow was nice, though at times repetitive. I enjoyed this album, with “Selfish” being my favorite track by far.

It just didn't do anything for me. I guess I found her delivery a bit, I don't know, self conscious? Or forced? Just nothing seemed to come together into much substance. Cover is nice, a solid 4/5, good composition very intimate.

Enjoyed the listen, she's angry as fuck and says nigga a lot, but there was more nuance and depth than I expected. Nice surprise.

Oh I like this a LOT actually

jävlar vilket gött flow hon har när hon rappar.

leave rapping to the yanks tbh

3.5

Clearly talented and deserved recognition. Some repetitive flow otherwise a 5.

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.

I’ve reviewed just over 50 albums so far, and while I’ve doubled up on artists like The Who, Bob Dylan, and The Beatles, this is only the second rap album I’ve come across—and it’s by someone I’d never even heard of before. That hardly feels like a fair sampling of the genre, but rant aside, I thought this was excellent. Rap is usually one of the harder genres to hold my attention for an entire album, but this one succeeds. The beats are strong, and the distinctly British flavor adds something fresh. It’s a reminder that, unlike rock or pop, rap doesn’t seem to cross borders as seamlessly between our countries.

This was really great

I don’t hate this, but I’m not sure why it’s here. I guess I wonder that about a lot of these records. But this one just feels so…I dunno… average? I like the backing tracks alright. But I’m not sure what it is about the lyricism or flow or themes that stood out enough to include it on this project. It gets pretty monotonous pretty quick. 2.5/5

Massive points earned for making an album that is actually album-length (35 minutes) compared to the colossal 70-minute albums that artists seem to always drop these days. Also great flow, and, importantly, the music portion is carefully crafted and has nuance (American hip-hop artists, take note). Nevertheless, the British accent always makes me chuckle. 3.0/5.0: Good

appreciated the real instruments on the tracks, otherwise not alot stood out to me. venom was the only song i really enjoyed

Really enjoyed this. Great tunes and lyrics. Good storytelling

Was aware of Little Simz but never listened to any of their stuff. The album was a good length and had a decent flow to it. Very listenable as well which surprised me.

Nothing of note

Feel a bit mixed on this one. The music and vibe is good with decent variety, nice to hear some real instruments in rap. She’s also got a nice lyrical style, but to a point. I just find the London estates patois rather cringe, and generally it started strong but faded a bit. Scrapes a 3.

Listening to a rapper with a London accent is wild. She rhymes words that wouldn't in an American accent. I'm also going to give her props for using largely instruments as opposed to sampling, et cetera. End of day, this was very interesting, quality recorded, mid rap/hip-hop album. I certainly didn't need to hear it before I die. Influence 0, quality 3, hits 0, I enjoyed it. 1.5

Very cool hip hop album, reminds me a bit of Janelle Monae, the beats, raps, and electronic instrumentation is all listenable and makes for a great album that I will listen to again in the future.

Second half of the album is better than the first half

7.25/10. Totally not the vibe I usually go for. Not bad, just not my thing

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

3.5

4.5

High 3.5

First of all, rapid fire flows like Little Simz realty make me take notice. But I think what really pull me in this album is the music behind it. The opening two tracks have such dirty fuzzy groove that I had to smile on the tracks themselves, but the comes my two favorite songs on the album "Selfish" and "Wounds" where the singing vocal lines intertwined really struck me along with the rapping. The rest of the album was a bit hot or miss for me but special note to both "Therapy" and "Sherbert Sunset" as ones that really cought my ear. (8.4) ★★★★

One of the most inventive performers of modern hiphop. The first two tracks are amazing, the rest is great. 4.5 stars

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.

Not much of a GREY area here. The album is a crap one thanks to the ribbity ribbit kiddiwink rap vocals. Little Simz seems to be the kid bride of Dizzee Rascal except if he was the princess and she was the frog. Not what I would say is belonging to an 'essential albums list' or even a 'best of modern day hip hop collection', her voice is better suited to a Cheestrings Attack-A-Snak advert.

Another, never heard of album review. Little Simz, you little gem!

It was Fine but it didn't feel particularly noteworthy. Kind of generic really.

Hip Hop, 39eme album =>1/5

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

Surprisingly dope little album

I debated with myself for a while about what to rate this album. Some of the beats are great, should I give it 5 stars? A lot of the lyrics are clunky and awkward, is this only a 1 star album? But the background vocals are really good, maybe 4 stars? At the end, (and I know this is ridiculous, feel free to hate on me) I just can't enjoy an emcee with a British accent, something about it just always sounds off to me, and so I think 2 stars feels right to me.

Thus far, British rappers haven't gone over well with me. Dizzee Rascal and Skepta have been the two that I've heard and both times I've read that the sub-genre of "grime" is attached to them. Yes, very appealing... What I mostly didn't like about those albums was the cockney accents. My god the way some of those guys pronounce words, almost like they're whining or straining to get some of the words out, it's hard to listen to. Combine that with the tough guy front these guys put up and the whole thing feels very...well not authentic. This felt different. This felt a little more genuine. The arrangements are definitely more engaging. Her voice and annunciation are waaaaay more listenable. Top all of that off with her excellent delivery, flow, and lyrics and you have a much more accessible album. it demands to be understood not just because Little Simz herself commands attention by grabbing our ears, but because the urgency of the tracks as a whole do as well. But seriously - the arrangements are killer. The loops and beats here are so creative and different than most I've heard of an album from this genre and era. I'd happily listen to this again just as an instrumental album, honestly. I was very pleasantly surprised by this, and I'm very happy to say I enjoyed it. Maybe all the rap to come out of the UK isn't so bad, after all. Four stars. Standout Tracks: Offence, Wounds, 101 FM, Flowers

This is a pretty good modern rap album. It has lots of nice melodic arrangements, and the rapping itself is pretty solid. However, nothing here stands out as great.

Stuff like this is why we need more women in rap. Little Simz is an amazing lyricist with an incredibly strong flow. I think the beats on the album were the best part to me, though. They were incredibly varied and all brought out a lot of different aspects in her rapping in a really cool way. Shoutout to the literal cartoon sound effects in the opener. Admittedly I liked Side A a lot more than Side B, but even Side B was pretty strong.

Okay, LOVED it. some of the lyrics were a bit cheesy. my fave songs were the first and last! of course, venom was good too hehe but whole album had a cohesive message and told a complete story.

Some of the better British rap I’ve heard. A well put together album and refreshingly different from the rest of the list.

Not for me. Too vulgar and harsh.

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"?

GREY Area is somewhat in an awkward spot -- bold and confident, but its potential not fully realized.

refreshing to hear an album of steady quality, and with strong beats, good use of space, that does not overstay its welcome. (several recent listens have been 73 minutes, CDs crammed full of third and fourth rate leftovers.)

♥️

Boring

Reminded me of the roots. I liked it mostly

No tracks that I would be embarrassed if they came up on shuffle (ok that’s not true, the beat on 101 FM is trash) but also no tracks that I’d be excited for

I was worried. I was wrong.

Not bad but not great.

It's ok, I probably won't listen to it again though.

Nothing on Earth less appealing than a woman with an excessively foul mouth.

1 - did not enjoy

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!

Flow on beats u couldnt even fathom

it's okay. I wouldn't seek it out

Quick lyrics. Good beats. Similar to Eminem in speed. Quality example of British Hip-Hop/Rap.

5/10

First rap album on my list and was pleasantly surprised, considering I've never heard of her

Good this

Impressive and fast rap. I see the appeal but I'm simply not into HipHop, especially if it's not in German.

Listened twice and I'm going back for more.

This was interesting and fun. Great beats.

I did want to hate this after some of the verses, but the album is quite all right. 2 stars, yes, but only because I rate it with the idea that I apparently need to listen to this before I die. Well, I don't. It's still quite all right. There are some great beats on there and Little Simz is a better doubletimer than many other rappers. Yet I don't see much innovation here.

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.

I don't hate rap, but I think there's a ceiling to how much I can enjoy it, primarily because it doesn't deliver emotion the way singing does. I enjoyed this album somewhat. The lyrics are sharp and the tracks lean towards an organic sound, which I like. And British rap will always get a little bump just because the accent adds a level of interest. Bonus points for going with Little Simz instead of Lil' Simz.

I loved the lyrics and the rhythm of this album

The album covers a lot of ground from drill-ish songs to jazzy arrangements that remind me of Jamila Woods. This might be a 3 in reality if I had enough listens but I was intrigued enough to spin it 3 times. I will probably listen more times to this.

3.5/5 - i needed to hear this because Little Simz is a fresh voice that I otherwise wouldn’t have heard. This album surprised me with its musicality. Selfish, Wounds, Flowers, and FM 101 were the better tracks for me. I didn’t love all of it, but definitely plenty here to listen to again.

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!

oh shit i love little simz, haven't heard this album yet tho This site is allergic to black people i stg, this is great. If you dont like this please give her album sometime i might be introvert its absolutely stunning, i hope to god its on this list because absolutely deserves to be Now i gotta check out her newest album

Good new hip hop

Still with the hip hop. No.

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.

Je donnerais 3,5/5. L'album après est bien meilleur à mon avis.

She’s ok, late 2010’s rap but not that memorable

Not for me

There’s a moment in the song Therapy where she says “Still an introvert” and I just think it would be really great if she wrote a whole album about that and how sometimes she might be introvert. All jokes aside this is a fantastic album. Soulful instrumentals, great hooks, bars for days. Shoutout my boy Jorge! Favorite songs are Offense, Boss, Selfish, Therapy, and Flowers.

Just okay

Although not my thing, I did listen to the whole album

An English rapper version of all the most tedious cliches of American hip hop. No thanks.

Finally a hip-hop album with less than one hour running-time. ;) Nice drum-and-bass-lines. Surprisingly good.

Interesantes sonidos, a pesar de no ser el hip hop un género que me apetezca.

You can tell that this one is high quality from the onset. Lots of really good lyrics and fantastic beats throughout. 5/10

No es increíble pero hay algunas muy buenas

Couldn't get in to this

This album was a pretty good time. Went by fast. The tracks where a little hit or miss for me. But it was a good time listening to it.

I liked it. A bit like Check Your Heads era Beasties beats under angry rapping. And some more chill bits.

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

Some interesting beats but... not my kind of music. Got pretty boring, boring lyrics, etc.

That was fucking good. Beats and instruments were great, basslines even better. She's phenomenally talented at a variety of things, ranging from fast paced rap to slower singing. Imma have to listen to her other shit soon

I get the appeal, nice bass, soulful and melodic at times but the London accent is hard to listen to for too long.

Impressive grooves. Not the type of album I would include in a list like this. Phrasing is clunky throughout. The ideas certainly are not uninteresting but this isn’t groundbreaking. I would listen to this again. But for something so recent to be included in this list you’d think it would be uncontroversially great. This strikes me as a good album, by a developing rapper who still has a good deal to work through with respect to maturity in the turns of phrase and poetic discipline. Again, I enjoyed the production but it wasn’t world bending. Favorite track: offence

Not that I HAVE to make this about gender (i usually try not to), but Little Simz is hands down the best female rapper I've listened to, so kudos on that. Female rappers are a hard sell to me because they've mostly come onto the scene the last few years when I think creativity and thoughtfulness in rap has plunged into the red. To that point - rappers who carry on a rhyme scheme driven by the n word get bumped down a star off the bat because it's lazy af, so the ceiling on this album is a 4. And it met that ceiling because the album overall was really interesting and boppy. It has the thoughtfulness and creativity of JIDs work, with worse bars but better instrumentation.

Oooh. A very recent album. Neat. Since I feel like the editors of this book are fairly conservative about incorporating new stuff, the ones that do make it tend to be really good. Doing my research. Oh wow had no idea after almost a full listen that this singer was a woman. Interesting this album did well in the UK but didn't register at all in the states. I was surprised we had an album this recent by someone I'd never heard of. Also I didn't notice until it was called out, but there's basically no samples here. Apparently, the backing music was basically recorded Listening Notes: -Boss: didn't get the female empowerment when I thought the singer was a man here lol -Cool backing tracks. -Selfish: this is where I finally bought into the album -Flowers: Oooh I like Michael Kiwanuka hope they use him well. He's pretty solid, but this is not the barnburner of the album -Influence of Kendrick is really visible throughout, especially in the way she incorporates jazz, but she's doing her own thing (also this isn't a *journey* the way Kendrick's albums are--not a dig, just different) -Venom: very funny that Thundercat is on this--the main loves his bass-distorted vocals -After first listen, we're definitely in 4-5 territory. Really nice flow to the album. Chill vibe the whole time. And it's a tight 35 minutes. Review: Really really good. Just really smooth, well constructed, jazzy rap. I think if I kept listening to this a few more times, I'd have some deeper insights, but this review is late anyway, so I'll leave it at that. I don't necessarily feel like I connected as well with it as other albums, but I'm gonna round up to 5 anyway, because it's always exciting to get an album I've never heard of that's this good.

I have one note on this album. As someone who read "The Alchemist" and did not change, I feel personally attacked by it. In all other regards this is a perfect, surprisingly introspective rap album. No (other) notes. Five stars.

little simz, to me, is one of the GOATs of UK rappers. something about her style reminds me of the origins of rap itself--maybe the ease and clarity with which she speaks, maybe the softness through gritted teeth that characterizes a lot of the best female rappers (rhapsody, noname, Lauren Hill). production alone on this album is worth celebrating for its freshness and sophistication, but on top of that, as usual, much of it feels both deep and accessible at the same time. to me, not an easy feat.

Not for me.

Best British hip-hop album so far on this list by a wide margin of the 4-5 I've been tortured with so far. It's not bad.

Lyrical, angry, sick flow, makes me wanna dance fr

This was really interesting and I feel like she had so much flow.

This is brilliant. I love how simple the production on this is, she's doing so much by being fairly minimal. The lyrics are cool, relaxed but also poignant and visceral. I love the jazz influence behind the vocals and jazz drumming throughout. I really like hip hop that is easy to vibe with, its not that I dislike the heavier rap but I really love getting lost in the beats and vibes of an album like this. It reminds me of a less weird version of Noname, with cleaner production. I really loved this record.

Good, not great. Almost unheard of outside of the UK.

It was fine. I liked it. Not interesting enough to check out her other stuff anytime soon.

This was a good surprise. I didn't pay much attention to the lyrics but just let the music and beats flow. I definitely like hip-hop more than I thought I did.

интересные биты! но вопрос по отбору альбомов из 10-х по прежнему актуален!!! столько блять рэп-альбомов вышло как коммерческих крутых, так и культурно значимых, а берут вот эту ноунейм хуету

I did. It care for it

yay little simz!! so happy to see her here. well deserved Not everything she does is a fit for me, but she gives 100%. And she's never afraid of different styles. So i give a listen to anything she drops.

Death of music as we knew it.

4.5

Good

Such a nice surprise to be put onto a contemporary artist in a genre I don't tend to listen to, and really enjoy it. Venom was the standout for me, but there are plenty of highlights and Little Simz flow is great throughout. As a middle aged white man I haven't experienced many of the lyrical themes, but she delivers them clearly and eloquently, and doesn't over rely on some hip hop traits I don't care for. After listening to this a couple of times I also listened to her follow up album, Sometimes I Might be Introvert, which is even better.

4/5

Very good! Lots of great bars and great beats

Het album heeft als voordeel dat het kort is, en in een paar nummers wordt iets muzikaals gedaan. Verder is er weinig te beleven. Een berg met krachttermen geplaagd geklets op zo'n verveeld kauwgomkauwtoontje. En als deze dame het brengt alsof het haar niet interesseert, waarom zou het mij dan boeien?

Dizzee Rascal kreeg van mij een bonuspunt als vertegenwoordiger van een slecht vertegenwoordigd genre in de updates van het boek. Gelukkig kom ik er nu nog één tegen. En ondanks dat zij vrij bekend lijkt te zijn, kende ik alleen het nummer Venom (en weet ik nu van wie dat nummer is). Het ondervertegenwoordigde genre waar ik op doel, is de combinatie tussen beats/dubstep en rap. De creativiteit in de muziek versterkt over het algemeen de raps en lijkt de rappers uit te dagen de raps meer als muzikaal instrument te gebruiken. Ik doe deze dame wellicht wat te kort door haar in dit hokje te stoppen. Ze toont in het half uurtje best haar veelzijdigheid en knipoogt ook nog wel eens naar het verleden. En als rapper presteert ze ook prima. Ook de soms snelle teksten zijn prima te verstaan. Al met al is het de overtreffende trap van een geproduceerd album. Daar moet je van houden. Ik kan dat goed hebben. Al denk ik dat het een verstandige keuze is geweest, dat ze zich beperkt tot een half uur. 4,5 ster.

Rap is altijd gevaarlijk bij me, want daar heb ik mijn tax wel bij bereikt. Als ze in track 2 al weer begint te gooien met n- en b-woorden, haak ik bijna af. Maar gelukkig blijft het verder redelijk beperkt. Uiteraard is ze boos op de wereld en vooral op mannen die haar niet serieus nemen. Zolang ze die bozigheid dan muzikaal uit, mag dat van mij. Muzikaal gezien vind ik het wel interessant. Ik heb het gevoel dat ik op een wereldreis mee ga, want het ene nummer hoor ik Jamaicaanse invloeden en vervolgens juist weer Japanse geluidjes. De snelle raps worden begeleid door of een vette beat, of een dikke bas, of eerder genoemde computergeluidjes. Ik haal er ook af en toe wat Daft Punk deuntjes en invloeden uit. Het wisselt redelijk af, voelt redelijk modern aan. Het blijft niet mijn muziek, maar aangezien het interessant genoeg was om te luisteren en het na een half uurtje ook weer klaar was, wil ik hier nog wel een voldoende voor geven.

There are a couple songs that I’m kinda meh on towards the beginning, so I’d want to give it a 3.5 bc of that, but the rest is good enough to round back up to a 4.

I'm familiar with Little Simz' next two albums after hearing Point and Kill somewhere and getting interesting. This album was in 2019, right before Sometimes I Might be an Introvert. It's pretty solid, with some great rapping, great tracks. She has compelling delivery and flow, a kind of 90s golden era ethos. The beats are pretty good as well. A great album to listen to, though I think some of her subsequent discs were a little better even. I sometimes struggle to appreciate British rap, with some exceptions--strange because I like a lot of old school French rap. I think it's usually just the beats I don't always love. But Simz is solid, and selects great tracks. So we have a sonically and lyrically good album here. 4/5.

I liked this. I didn't really pay any attention to the lyrics but the music and the voices were enjoyable.

A little disappointed with this album. Surprisingly suave, I didn't connect with the album as much as i would've liked to. Definitely brings a unique spin to UK rap, but the songs I enjoyed the most were the ones that were harder and punchier. Not bad by any means, but not something I'd come back to. Top tracks: Venom, Pressure

How many Black, female, UK rappers can I name?? Just this one. This is a prime example of the type of music I would absolutely never find on my own if it wasn’t for this challenge. What do I think of it overall? Eh. It’s fine. The beats are all pretty catchy. Vocals are a bit of a mixed bag, frequently bordering on just being obnoxious and a tad cringy. This is on the borderline of a 2-3 for me. Call it a 3.1. Favorite song is the opener, “Offence”, strictly because of the beat. Probably going to forget about this one fairly quickly, but honestly I really am glad I listened to it. Liked it enough to at least give it a 3 after all.

Strong 9. Absolutely one of the best rap albums of the 2010s

Really good. Liked the flow and the beats. Very diverse and tasteful music. Definitely loved 101fm. So nice to hear some traditional oriental element (guzheng and yangqin in the traditional Chinese do re mi sol la scale) in western music. Also now I know who Michael Kiwanuka is! Very talented artists, both of them!

this album was STELLAR. listened to it twice yesterday, and immediately saved it to the music library. Little Simz is absolutely masterful with her flow. her story telling is on fire this album as well. just an awesome listen, through and through.

I really like the style. Chill vibe/beats with fast rap. I like London rap in general, though I had never heard of Little Simz before. I’m between a 3 and 4, but feeling generous.

I really liked the flow but it was a bit too mellow and nothing really stood out.

British rap is so different from American rap, and this was such a refreshing sound compared to other modern artists. This was something I never would have listened to if not for the list, and I’m glad it came up. Gonna have to listen to more of her discography in addition to relistening to this one.

I don't know what it is, but English rappers sound so funny to me. The accent just doesn't work with the music style. That being said, I did enjoy this album. Nothing I would ever listen to myself, but it has a great style. I like her flow. It's just so funny when the heavy English accent comes out on specific words. It always makes me giggle.

!!!!!

This is not really my thing, I suppose, but the album is obviously well done. The first three songs are standouts. Simz’s collaborations with other vocalists work so well. And her sound/rapping is engaging. This is a solid 3.5+, so I rounded up.

sherbet sunset just sounds like a precursor to moonbeam ice cream

I’ve heard of Simz before, but only knew the song 101 FM off this project. One of my favorite UK rap songs, but never felt compelled to explore her whole discography. the dude in the reviews getting mad over hearing the n word needs to grow up. This tape is phenomenal, trim [unlike so many rap projects (especially in the streaming era)], and the production is very clean. nothing is muddy or overblown. a fun album that doesn’t overstay its welcome

It’s fine but nothing special

Cool stuff

2/5

My favorite piece of Wikipedia trivia for this one is that Little Simz appears as herself in Sony's "Venom: Let There Be Carnage," performing the song "Venom" off this album during a rave scene. I was pleasantly surprised here - I went into this album with low expectations and it way exceeded them. It's a tight 35-minute slice of energetic modern UK rap from a really good performer. "Offence" into "Boss" is a great kickoff. I think I'd listen to more from her.

Beats are catchy and her cadence and lyricism are solid.

Nah. Many skips. Not my thing.

Gear: Letshuoer S12 PRO Artwork: 🥺🫦〰️ Production: 🎧🙂👌 Music: 📢🖍️📱 Rating: 🪫🪫/5

This album is so ridiculously good. The atmosphere is incredible. Little Simz is INSANE on the mic and the pen. Beats are always banger. I'm in awe

Liked it. Felt kinda sad.

Well made HipHop with impressive lyrical deftness and flow while the instrumentation is funky and engaging. Too bad it's not my genre.

Pretty good album, one of the highest praises I can give this album is that it is a British Rapper that doesn't sound cringe. Some of the songs here don't work all that well, but it has good beats throughout and it is a short listen. Mid 4.

Este disco los escuche cuando se iba a acabar el mundo, joya interesante...

Side note As the awesome Throbbing Gristle keep being mentioned throughout various reviews, I tried it believing nothing could approach the levels of depravity mentioned wow was I wrong! Little Simz not for me, everything I don't like about rap

As far as female UK rappers go, Little Simz is probably my favorite. Never heard before. Likely won’t listen again. But didn’t hate it.

I do enjoy a hiphop with a heavy british accent for whatever reason. I'd never heard of Little Simz but this was pretty good. Not someone I'll likely follow or seek out again but worth listening to.

7/10

Dog shit

Gran rapera, varias ideas copadas. Dudo que saque algún tema de acá, pero los bajos me los acuerdo después de días. Nota: 3.7

adri: 7'5, buenas barras y buen ritmo. Aun así no es mi estilo del todo. Me pareció muy interesante al principio pero me fue perdiendo un poco. mar: 6, el estrés del dia no ayuda a mi nota. Algunas canciones 10/10, como album se hace algo cansado.

Not my jam.

Nothing about Little Simz's voice, cadence or pen is particularly interesting, and I'll honest about my predjuices and say that it's hard for me to take brittish rapping seriously.

Maso

..

Ok finally something from the past decade! I’ve surprisingly never came across this project but I’m glad I did now. I absolutely loved it, her flow, the modern beat selection and the features were all perfectly placed. Any album that has Cleo Soul has me!

Little Simz is a force—her debut was sharp, fearless, and undeniably stylish. Her lyrics are polished and tight, but still full of soul. She brings clarity and poise to every bar, saying it exactly how it is: raw, real, and human. She’s in her feels, and you feel it too. There’s a sovereign style to her delivery—confident, unbothered, and uniquely her own. She really killed it.

I was immediately filled with dread when I saw Little in the name. What distinguishes rappers that have "Little" as their first name from "Lil'"? Well exemplified here, this "Little" is British and demonstrates a vastly superior skill with their production, arrangements, beats, verse, musicality, and delivery; (as opposed to the Lil's, who are mostly American, boring, thematically irrelevant, overwhelmingly same, and just mumble and suck ass in the hardest way possible). My dread was unwarranted. Although not totally my taste, I always appreciate music that takes risks. I bookmarked a couple of these, specifically "Venom" and "Offence," which are totally outstanding. She has a real gift for that rapid-fire rhythmic verse delivery that totally sets this apart from what passes for rap and hip-hop in this era. The screaming chick in "Boss" comedically reminds me of comedian Leslie Jones wildly hollerin'. Dude at the end of "101 FM" needs to STFU tho. Surprisingly hyped to hear this while I wait to go see Wu-Tang Clan live for the first and last time tonight.

J'ai écris le texte suivant en écoutant l'album, déplaçant la job de mettre ça comme du monde le lendemain. Mais j'ai la flemardise au bout des doigts, faque débrouillez-vous: La fille Gorilla! Les goofy sounds effects, trop mon swag quoi, Hip-hop mais Mix rock + orchestral des Beasty Boys, funk/soul/rnb, un peu tango t'a l'heure messembe, mixage de qualité + richesse instru, contraste tounes aggressives et groovy avec pièces plus relax, tout bien dosé, drôle de voix = ++++cool. Fuck it 5

A surprisingly first impression followed by an OK.

I enjoyed this. Fresh sounds, solid beats, interesting lyrics. I hadn't heard of this artist before but she is good. I am glad this popped up.

Great beats on this album. Really dig the flow.

Some very Kanye-coded production (especially those bass-driven tracks), which is awesome because Little Simz isn't a Nazi. Tight album that's smart, thoughtful, swaggering and maybe just a little preachy.

Not my jam :( I try to enjoy all genres of music, this one wasn't something I would listen to again.

Wow, I have taken far too long to listen to an album by Little Simz. I was a little familiar with her work and had heard a few excellent singles but never managed to get around to a full album. I've been missing out. "Grey Area" is simply flawless. There's a brutal honesty in her lyrics that cut deep. Simz is a fierce MC and the music really packs a punch, shifting seemlessly between the thick, distorted bass of "Boss" into funky soul of "Selfish". Later, the dark, cinematic "Venom" gives way to the quirky highs of "101 FM". A bosss in a fucking dress indeed!

I like Little Simz as background for the naked beats and the percolating murmur of the vocals, but I don't know if this is even the best Little Simz record, much less for this list.

It’s empowering, relevant to the times, boasts rich sonic arrangements and production, and features appearances from both Cleo Sol and Michael Kiwanuka. Little Simz comes off like the cool smart girl who couldn’t give a fuck about the tune of your exhaust or your hard-earned lifting gains. What’s not to like?

Ive never heard a British hip hop record before (no, not even Mos def), but I liked this more thani thought I would.

What is that accent?...Can't quite pin it down...oh, right. BRITISH. But I won't hold that against her. She's great. I'm certainly no hip-hop scholar but to my ears, she borrows heavily from more of the old-school and blends it with her take on things. Smart sampling. Groovy loops. Fun stuff.

I know this is only day 81 of this challenge but this was by far the least enjoyable thing that I have been served up so far. It even made me hate a British accent. I couldn't wait to hit the 1 minute mark of each song so I could skip past it. Just a horrible miserable anxiety inducing 10 minutes.

I wasn't expecting it, but this was pretty cool. I actually vibed with it.

3 stars

Excellent album, I enjoyed all the tracks on this and loved the flow. I would definitely listen to more of this.

I did kind of like this, but it is just not an album I see myself coming back to again.

Cool sometimes but not my thing

her rhymes are complex but sound effortless. London flow laid over beats that feel like a mash of punk urgency and Black Keys swagger.

While this is a good album, it certainly lacks the polish on her later releases. I especially liked the tracks Venom and Wounds. 3/5

"GREY Area" is the third studio album by English rapper Little Simz (Simbiatu "Simbi" Abisola Abiola Ajikawo). UK rap is the assigned genre by Wiki. Little Simz say her grey area was a place of confusion being in her mid 20's. The album received critical acclaim citing it as her coming of age album. Commercially, it reached #87 in the UK. Loud drums and a heavy electronic bass open the first single "Offence." An early 70's funk melody with the horn sounds. Simz rapping about being exhausted from touring. She doesn't care whom she offends. "Boss" keeps the heavy bass sound with pounding drums. A guy yelling at her from and megaphone. Don't mess with her, she's the boss. "Selfish" lightens it up a bit. A soulful synth melody. A nice R&B groove and melody. "Venom" starts with ominous strings. Quick rapping. The song goes on the downbeat and ventures into trip hop territory. The title let's you know how she can attack. The album closes with "Flowers" featuring Michael Kiwanuka on vocals and guitar. Horns. Female vocal chorus. Soulful and melancholic as Simz mentions the 27-year old musicians that have died and that she needs to take a hit before her eyes close. This is a solid album as the ten songs fly by in 35 minutes. The variety in songs styles is one of its strengths as she covers styles such as hardcore rap, soul, R&B, acoustic folk with guitars, baroque with strings, R&B chill and trip hop. Her lyrics cover some ground too in dealing relationships, pressures of her career, chaos of touring, self-doubt and deaths of young musicians. Nice production by Inflo and timely selective use of guest features. This is an album I'll go back to and probably dig deeper in to her catalogue.

That was a great surprise. Some really sick bass lines in there. The last few tracks were a bit weaker but weren't bad by any stretch. The whole album flew by for me, if the ending was a tad stronger it would've moved to 5 stars. Rating: 4.4

This is an example of an album I'm likely rating higher than my level of actual enjoyment. I think it's a very well performed and produced Brit hip hop record. It's just not something I'm all that interested in. 3.5/4 #88

Head nodding British female rap - cool stuff

Good vocals, fun British rap

Another great little Simz proj. She's very consistent and makes being brittish work. Kind of reminds me of Charli XCX sometimes. Had to knock off a star because Little Simz is a monarchist and #hashtag #NoKings!

I wasn't really digging the really lo fi sound of the first two tracks, but it improved massively from there. "Wounds" is excellent, as is "Venom". Her rapping at speed reminds me of Busta Rhymes without necessarily trying to make the speed a huge focus - it just comes out that way. Lyrically the content isn't anything that innovative but it's solid hip hop with the subjects it does tackle. The beats are great and wildly varied, which is nice from both a listening and talent showcase level. I especially liked that this is very much an album by the artist - the features are few and are all left as features rather than making every track a collaboration where everyone is equal partners. I get that there is a time for that but sometimes I listen to rap records and the features overshadow the artist. This is absolutely not the case here and I think the album is better for it. The Michael Kiwanuka one though...that has his mark on it and it's a great track. This was really good and it was nice to have another album from an artist I've never heard of, and contemporary at that.

A little weird to be what I want from rap. Maybe it's technical, maybe it's influential? I don't know. I just know it's not for me.

This is a unique rap album in many ways. Firstly it lasts just 35 minutes. A huge selling pont for this rap neophyte. 2nd, each song has a very distinct sound, giving the album a nice air of eccecticism and surprise. Each song has a slow burning intensity and some very sympahetic arrangements that serve Simz distinctive british raps. 3rd the raps are literal and deliverd with an anglo charm that gives the whole album an air of sophistication. very enjoyable 3.5 stars

Paljon parempi mitä kansi antoi ilmi. Pelkäsin jotain cloud tai muuta räppiä, mutta brittiläistä hyvää hiphopia, voidaan varmasti puhua sellaisesta. Mikään ei erityisesti noussut esiin biiseistä, mutta tasaisen hyvä albumi.

turns out I get on with British rap much better than American. While not completely my thing, this is pretty good.

Another one where i can appreciate the skill and artistry, but it's just not my kind of thing. Not sad I've listened to it, and i can see why it's popular, but i probably won't be coming back.

Pretty good - bit of grit there

It has an unrelenting pace. Sometimes it feels likes she's posing or trying too hard though.

Was okay. A rarity for a recent album to be so short, which is in this album's favor. 3/5

I might still like Sometimes I might be more, but this was a really cool one as well. Darker, but still amazing flow and lyrics. SHe might be today's Lauryn Hill

Okay. Little Simz Flow is not really smooth and quite monotonous, her lyrics not funny or otherwise outstanding, and her voice has too little pressure for the fatter beats.

Tror da va streit

So far this is my favourite recommended album that I hadn't already heard. Okay, not every single line is amazing but overall this is a fucking great modern hip hop record. Intelligent, conscious hip hop on a very high level. Great tracks, cool flow. Real shit!

4/5

Not a fan of the foul language and too repetitive beats.

I KNEW THIS THROUGH VENOM SO IT WAS EXCITING TO SEEING IT RECOMMEND. BOSS IS MY FAVORITE

Grey day away from the UK

First half I thought her flow was great but the beats were pretty weak. Then the second half it flipped, the beats were great but the flow wasn’t as good. Overall it’s a strong album but not top tier for me

Not super enjoyable to me. I’ve heard so many “emotionally raw” hip hop albums that the lyrics seem like I’ve heard it all before; nothing for me to connect to in them at all. But I can tell it’s well-produced hip hop, and some of the beats and music were cool.

Absolutely not my normal thing but this was pretty good

Cool beats and a unique voice

Really liked this album.

not my thing

Actual discoveries are such fun. I thought this was a sweet listen. Great bars, great instrumentation -- tight and clean. Unexpected bangers: Venom, Boss, Offence, Sherbet Sunset

Not the target audience but really liked the production and with it only being 50 mins there’s no fatigue

Damn good album! I don't usually like rap but this is so well done, and the beats are mostly real instruments which I enjoy

Not my jam— she does spit I do admit

It feels like I’ve been giving a lot of 5s lately but if Pearl Jam got one, this deserves a 6. Little Simz kills it and the production is top tier. No skips at all. The drop on Venom is insane.

There is absolutely no grey area on this one .. it is straight up nope!

Great sound, enjoyed this one.

Really cool hip hop album

venom.... 😈😈

Solid! Lyrical genius with a beautiful flow! 5/5

kinda avg

Holy cornball, some good instrumentals though

Was deciding between a 3 and 4 then I listened to Flowers, which made the decision much easier.

Ne mogu ozbiljno shvatiti ništa što zvuči kao rap iz The Gentlemen. Zvjezdica viška za poneku ok melodiju i Kiwanuku.

Rap. This was a style of rap I don’t really like, where most of the lyrics are said in a rapid fire, nonstop way that doesn’t really give any breaks. Maybe it’s just me but I have a hard time hearing the words, and in rap where increased attention is given on the clever rhymes and wordplay, I really don’t like that.

Refreshingly not American - British rapstress, quite enjoyable

Prima rap

work hard, twerk hard

It was good, I thought the beats and instrumentation were pretty creative. Fun listen

Great rhymes and great back beats from beginning to end. All with no friggin' autotune. Leave it to the brits to take hip hop and do it better. Welcome surprise.

I enjoyed this, never heard of Little Simz before

Leuke, gevarieerde plaat. De eerste twee nummers zijn wat cheesy, maar "Selfish" is wel raak. "Wounds" is een goede variatie op de "Forgot About Dre"-beat, zoals haar latere track "I See You" mooi voortborduurt op 50 Cents "21 Questions". Little Simz zou hierna alleen nog maar beter worden.

4/5 En odottanut yhtään mitään, mutta tää oli hyvä levy. Omasta mielestä tässä vähän vanhemman räpin vibaa tuoreella twistillä. Olematta kuitenkaan nykypäivän räppiä, joka ei oikein toimi itselle.

Ei.

Paskaa

Sinänsä erikoista tälle genrelle etten vaihtanut kanavaa. Jumputuksessa oli siis jotain kiinnostavaakin

Taistelin albumin loppuun mutta tiukkaa oli. En tykännyt, jos jotain positiivista koittaa löytää niin basso- ja biittikuviot olivat ajoittain hyviä.

Tähän oli ihan miellyttävää ajomusiikkia. Paljon mieluummin kuuntelen tällaista selkeää, selvästi tarkasti mietittyä brittisoundia kuin muminaa.

Is it too much to say she’s the modern-day Lauryn Hill?

Some interesting lyrics but simply does not interest me at all. 2 stars or D.

Понравилась Venom, но в целом хип-хап не ложится мне на душу.

The music is more interesting than the lyrics.

When I first listened to this album, I was blown away and left with the feeling that I might be in front of a 5 stars album. After a course of a week listening to this album, I've come to the conclusion that it is not, but still very close. I think that the most remarkable aspect of this album are the beats, which are insanely good, but without stealing much attention from Little Simz flow and introspective lyrics. So the reason that it is not a 5 stars album is because, after the latest listenings, I didn't felt as excited as the first times. Nevertheless it is an amazing album, packed with lots of emotions.

I wasn’t familiar with her but I really enjoyed the album.

only heard 'venom' from her before, the rest of the album was nice the flow was there and i mostly enjoyed the beats and samples.

het begon eens anders... een vrouwelijke rapper... helaas terug een plaatje dat enkel goed is om je discuswerp-skills te trainen...

Solid

5/10

It wasn't awful, but nothing resonated with me.

Beats are good, lyrical content is a little immature. Live instrumentation makes this engaging, diverse, and thoughtful if not necessarily compelling.

☀︎mais voyons pourquoi autant de hip hop ces temps-ci ☀︎british :c ☀︎c’est vraiment meilleur que les trucs de Eminem, mais pareil j’aime pas ça. Selfish et Venom l’ont sauvé d’être 1.5☆

British people still should not be allowed to rap. (Gets a 2nd star because the beats on some of the tracks aren't bad.)

I wish I didn't have to rate all of these modern inclusions so low, but this album has nothing going on. It's musically uninteresting, and it veers into being obnoxious a couple of times. Never been a hip-hop fan, honestly.

Det er ganske bra. Kjedelig i lengden.

Fett album. Har masse kolleger som er fans, jeg har bare aldri hørt noe på henne. Mer UK grime enn jeg hadde forventet og jeg digger det. Føles som en female blanding av Skepta og Masego.

Absolute banger from a hugely talented artist. Love this recent addition to the list <3 Many great songs: Selfish, 101 FM, Pressure, to name a few favourites.

While I don’t think I’ll ever intentionally listen to this again I didn’t have a bad time worn it. Admittedly hip hop isn’t my preferred genre but I was able to groove to this. That is until the N words start being dropped. 3/5