GREY Area

Dunno. Very British sounding. Kinda samey throughout. Good vocalist but production is pretty dull. Don't know enough about the artist to say if there's some historical reason for inclusion. Let's call it two stars.

Not my bag

I just can't relate to the lyrics. I also can't get into to the repetitiveness. It's not like EDM where the repetitiveness has a purpose. Just don't dig it.

Enjoyed this! I've heard some of Little Simz's more recent work but it was nice to go back into something early. Solid, focused tracks, good instrumentals. Lyricism didn't blow me away but it worked well. Good album.

British

"Some people reads the Alchemist and still never amount to shit" I believe I listened to most of this years ago and it stood out but slipped through the cracks. I've listened to her 2022 project and grew eager to see where Little Simz would go. I was great to finally absorb this more and pick up on the lyrics and overall narrative. Listening to this after Lauryn Hill also gave me an interesting perspective due to them having many of the same themes but 20 years and an entire continent apart. The synth on Boss feels like something Tyler, the Creator/Roy Ayers would add for texture and its beautiful. They layering and mixing on Venom is otherworldly adding suspense and unease to her career in a male dominated field. Therapy and Sherbet Sunset also stood out. Lots of variety and no reliance on features. Excited to hear what she does on Lotus in June.

Very good. Listened to it twice. Reminded me of tribe called quest but edgier.

Fire

I had no idea what this was prior to this. What a super surprise! I loved this album and went through it a couple of additional times. Great bars and the beats are very well done. Some nuanced nods to NYC hip hop from a couple of different eras in there which is a big plus for me. Well composed and executed. I look forward to checking the rest of the catalogue.

Good, not really my thing though.

Pleasantly surprised by this one. Thought it’d be one I’d write off but really enjoyed the beats with the spoken rap on top. Has soul, and passion behind the words. Unexpected 8/10.

Much better than anticipated

This is just so good.

Pleasant enough listen but it's not for me.

82/1089 - I'm glad it was short and didn't have any skits.

Sorry, I couldn't finish it. Just not my thing at all

Pretty good hip hop. I liked how gritty it sounded and the sound effects in the early songs were sick!

This was good and I enjoyed most songs. I didn't really connect with most of the lyrics, and I don't love Simz's delivery most times, but this album was well put together. Beats were almost always good if not great, and everything just felt well put together.

Before this I would’ve just said… I HATE LITTLE SIMZ and some of this (boss/venom) epitomise the points of what I don’t like in her, the shitty london voice and the overuse of slang/ vulgar language. Which saying that makes me sound older than what I am. But offence was a great opener. And wounds has a great feature. Also the final trace has a feature from a guy I like. 3/5

It was okay. Not really my thing. Nice there was actual instruments and not just all beats. Not sure I would have added to the 1001 list though.

One of my favourite ‘modern day’ hip hop records since Houmous & Chutney’s 2014 record ‘Modern Day Hip Hop’ 3.9

What a performance from Little Simz--dynamic, honest, and focused. And the production absolutely knocks.

First listen, really nice surprise, loved it

Hip Hop is not my goto genre and I admit I am not the audience the artists are seeking. This was a nice departure from the "big name "Hip Hop" artist themes and that was refreshing. Also more melodic arrangements, even if the vocals did not vary much in tone.

8/10. Little Simz is just fantastic. This album contains so much - there is anger, vulnerability, melancholy and defiance and that journey itself is such a real reflection of the rollercoaster of life. Not least all of this is contained within her fantastic heavily rhyming flow which almost syncopated itself with the beats she uses. Probably the only reason I wouldn't rate this up in the 5's (as I would with Introvert) is my personal need for more melody to pull properly on my emotions but even despite this I can truly appreciate the lyricism with this (and there are more melodic tracks like 'Flowers', 'Selfish' and 'Pressure' which incidentally are some of my faves on the record!)

Nice flow, lyrically strong, this surprised me with how much I enjoyed. Not a big consumer of hiphop and so often the albums are bloated with filler and skits, this was concise and much better for it. 3.5/5

Little Simz has an impressive delivery and some interesting beat selection. The beats on this album provide most of the variety in style but they all still fit together surprisingly cohesively. I didn't feel that there was any real message behind the lyrics. While the pace of Simz delivery is impressive flow style also felt one dimensional. Overall I'm always happily surprised to find modern rap artists that I have never heard as it is my favorite genre. Simz has skills but I don't think she did enough to break into my normal music rotation. The songs are not very catchy and the lyricism doesn't stand out. My favorite songs on the album were Venom and Flowers.

Very nice

3.5

Very good hiphop album.

Waar Nirvana het boegbeeld van begin jaren 90 was, zal Little Simz later misschien bekend staan als het boegbeeld van eind de jaren 10, begin jaren 20. En ook dit is een fantastisch album. De drie albums die hierna komen? Minstens even goed. 4.5

Meh. Not bad, but it didn't grab me. 2.6

Not my thing, but in terms of rap this wasn't terrible. Rather monotone vocals, but at least there was some kind of backing music. 2/5

Had never heard this one before. It’s pretty good, but feels pretty weak in comparison to Sometimes I Might Be Introvert, which is a modern classic. Certainly a quality album and a great debut, but lacks the depth of her later work. She can write a hook though!

I remember this being a big critical hit a few years ago. I enjoy it okay.

Real close to a 5, album was just real fun the whole way through. A lot of fun ear candy, fun vocals, fun lyrics. Just a bop. I could see this album growing on me over time to a 5.

8/10.

Not sure why or how it’s on this list

Fresh

I actually had pretty low expectations of this - but was pleasantly surprised at 1) the groovyness of the tracks; 2) her lyrical flow and 3) the brevity of the album. It's not really my bag and I'm not the target audience but it just creeps a 4 for me. Favorite tracks Offence and Venom. Not one to listen in the car with the kids.

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

This feels a lot more than a rap album, aided no doubt by the presence of Inflo who also produced Michael Kiwanuka. As a result you get some soul, reggae and a generally vintage and super melodic groove to many of the tracks. I enjoyed this a lot, and it continues to grow on me.

GREY Area was a pretty darn good album. I guess i should be expecting something good considering the immense critical praise it got according to Metacritic back when they still had albums on that site. I do find the lyrics a little weird in some place with how much Simz uses the n word but other than that, i don't really have that much negative things to say about this album. The instrumentals were all cool and provided something different in each one and the flows were also super well done making this a really smooth experience. I don't have much else to say, just a really good album. Best Song: 101 FM Worst Song: Boss

Made me discover a new artist who became an instant favourite. Great music and I love when I can understand the words!

Had some good tracks, but this not something I'd play repeatedly.

Jedina pjesma koja mi je bila iole ok je Selfish. Ovo drugo mi je skoro neslušljivo. Ponavljam se, ali opet kažem da ne mogu slušati hip-hop i općenito mi je dosadan album. Ništa šta već nisam negdje čula. 1/5, 1/10

Didn't expect a reference to Kurt, Jimi, and the whole Forever 27 club in a track on a rap album, but here we are. Guess it fits with her only being a few years away from that consequential age when writing this album.

Amazing album! Great artist that deliveres a fantastic experience. Love it!

Not really my preferred style of rap. The flow is good though and the beats are cool Standouts Offense Boss

I liked the first song but it was all a bit one paced for me. Not bad.

Þessi fór á fóninn eftir að rappaðdáandi komst að því hvað mér fannst um Jay Z þannig að kannski er ég að gefa plötunni aðeins meiri séns en ég hefði gert í mínum eigin bergmálshelli. Mér fannst þessi samt bara allt í lagi þótt ég muni líklegast aldrei hlusta á hana aftur

This was quite enjoyable, had not come across her before. Would listen again.

Very cool. I really did enjoy this quite a lot more than I expected, even if it's quite an intense assault. But yeah, her flow is superb and it's lyrically really dense and powerful.

I like the distortion and horn elements

Thoughts before listening: British hip hop I think. I remember Little Simz being a big deal on end of year lists a few years ago, but I thought it was for a different record. Review: This is just okay to me. This is definitely in the vein of other British hip hop artists like the Streets and Dizzee Rascal...or maybe its just the accent thats making me think that. The best song on here is "Venom" which Spotify tells me is Little Simz's most listened to song. I'll add that to the playlist, but this album is 2-stars.

Not my cup of tea, but at least it’s under 40 minutes.

Really enjoyed this and could actually easily have got a 5. But my instinct seems to be going 4. Perhaps with few more listens I would wish I’d upgraded. Simpsons: No

Not my usual thing, but I actually really liked it. Have listened about 3 times already.

It's not really my genre. Didn't really get it. I like to swear as much as the next man but there was too much in this album. There is definitely no grey area here for me it's a no thank you.

I came in with kinda low expectations which is honestly the way to do this list. I was blown away. Loved the wide amount of instruments involved. I was thinking it was giving me slight Michael Kiwanuka vibes and he collabs on the last track! Venom was a highlight for me but I loved it all a lot.

Oh I loved this so much more than I expected!

yeah yeah yeah this is the stuffffff

Dit album kun je niet los zien van de uitermate productieve reeks van het mysterieuze funk/soul/R&B/dance/alles ensemble SAULT, die startte in 2019. Met Inflo als producer, en collabs met leden/affiliates van SAULT, leest 'GREY Area' als de Hip Hop uitlaatklep van de groep. Maar daar doe je Little Simz wel te kort mee, want met haar charisma en kenmerkende flow zet ze zichzelf bij dit album voor het eerst écht op de kaart als de Queen van UK rap. Door de signature song 'Venom' weten we met wat voor vrouw we dealen, en dat ze de 'male-dominated scene' op haar grondvesten tracht te schudden. Die boodschap schijnt al goed door, maar haar betere social commentary wordt gepresenteerd op het album na deze. Deze voelt nog ietwat onvolwassen, en de grooves van SAULT en haar ijskoude deliveries plus vurige persona maken dit album. Die vlam dooft wel naarmate het album vordert, maar heeft toch een blijvende brandplek op het veranderende Hip Hop landschap van deze eeuw achtergelaten. 7/10 Highlights: Offence Boss Venom

Destijds al verrast hoe tof ik deze plaat vond. Maar omdat dit niet zo in mijn straatje ligt zet ik Little Simz daarna dan toch maar weinig aan. Bij Sault lukte dat beter. Dat heb ik veel geluisterd, en de connectie tussen beiden artiesten is er natuurlijk duidelijk door het werk van Inflo. Die producer zorgt op GREY Area voor een fantastische flow van de plaat. Zeker in de eerste paar tracks. Daar brul je met gierende banden doorheen. Die plaat kakt in de tweede helft dan wel een beetje in, waardoor toch de afdronk weer is dat na deze luisterbeurt er waarschijnlijk niet super snel nog één zal volgen. Maar dan staat nu toch hier genoteerd dat Little Simz van de moderne RnB/HipHop artiesten tot de beteren behoort - wat mijn smaak betreft. 7,5/10 Highlights Boss Selfish Venom

Really good flow but just didn't grip me

Hadn’t heard of this artist before but not a bad album.

incredible album. one of, if not THE best female rapper to come out of the UK.

I lived on an island where owning first appearances was currency. It appeared my son was doing the best and loved very well

not my thing

Really fresh flow to listen to, I think the British made it sound better. But I’m really hooked on that 101 FM song.

It’s a brilliant album. So good to go back to. An amazing lyricist and the beats are so frickin British and fresh

Some really good songs, enjoyed it a lot

Not my genre at all.

Not a fan of this one. I really don't care for British hip hop in general, and I especially didn't like this, so I wasn't surprised to find out the main producer is part of Sault, whose album I rated a 1. This is album is better than the Sault album, however, but it just wasn't doing much for me. I'm curious if this will remain on the list in future editions because it's a bit forgettable, and I'm not sure it has the staying power of other recent albums on the list. Michael Kiwanuka's presence on "Flowers" was definitely a highlight, and it was far and away the best track on the album. There are much worse albums on this list, but this still wasn't great.

This album is medium. It’s cool to listen to the British style of hip hop and like the flow but it was distracting to me when she would rhyme the same words back to back to back. Boss is a great track. The main stand out for me.

Not sure what was supposed to make this album so great

I don’t know why a seemingly intelligent female UK rapper needs to use racist and misogynistic language from 1970s pornos. This album has well structured tunes and she has a good voice. Maybe she feels she needs to conform with the gun toting gangster US neanderthal rappers. I think she should grow up and do her own thing.

i enjoy british rap. was confused how i had never heard of this person until venom played

Not bad per se but sorry to say the UK is still baby brother when it comes to rap

I had never heard of her but it wasn't bad. Reminded me a little of Missy Elliott

Not bad but not really our vibe.

Hard to express how happy I am that Simz is getting recognition on a list like this. I'm tons of people will be unimpressed and not understand her inclusion but she's one of my favorite musicians so I am going to celebrate it. This particular album is simple, concise, but still has a feel all its own with just very high quality in every aspect - instrumentals, lyricism, and performance. I would say it's pretty subtle in most of these aspects; it won't hit you over the head or might not be mindblowing at any point, but just undeniably fantastic. Simz truly is a Boss in a f***ing dress. 9/10

Couldn't even make it to one minute of the first song... Absolute shit.

This was not enjoyable.

Yelling does not equal rap. Neither does spoken word. Poorly executed even through it seems Little Simz has a nice voice. The entire album is a mess, no cohesion.

Just listened to this album, and it made no impression on me whatsoever. Kind of disappointing, honestly.

Old school vibes with modern production, and rhymes that vary from angry to instrospective. One of the most exciting artists I've heard in a while.

Not my thing

This is the kind of album that will have you saying, "Oh sh*t!" at the beginning of the first handful of tracks. The first couple of songs really start building off of each other, in greatness. This album also just feels really emotionally raw, like Little Simz is really truly pouring out herself and her feelings into the music. The music is also really interesting. Sampling is used much more sparingly, compared to contemporaries, and I think it works out really well. The samples that are used end up having a much bigger impact. I think this album peaks a little early (not that the end of the album is bad, but it's definitely not on the same level as the beginning). It also feels like this isn't the best that Little Simz can do. Like there's better things to come from Little Simz. Favorite Song(s): Selfish

6/10

My initial response is not favourable. Anyone whose name is Little or Lil. British rap is a genre that I consistently hate. Time to start listening. The music is a lot better than most in this genre. Real instruments! But she sprays THAT word around and it's still just sometime talking. I don't want to listen to spoken word, I want music.

Solid 3 if not 3.5

This feels like a crazy inclusion on this list, especially because it’s such a young album. I appreciate it in that there’s nothing else like it on the list… but it feels like it was only included because there’s nothing else like it on the list.

Better than expected, brings the attitude harrd

2.5

oouf

Two if i say so.

2/5

Not doing it for me

Haven't listened to much british rap, was interesting.

Great listen. 101FM is a favourite but the whole album is good. (9 known/14 new)

Really good.

7.5/10. This album intrigued me quite a bit. Its first two tracks are epic. While the rest of the album didn't hold up with the first two tracks of the album, this album is still a nice listen. Little Simz has a great flow, and her lyrics are great!!! :)

Hell. Yes. Stellar production, amazing vocals with witty, personal, and tactful lyrics about society. A hit all around

All time great

Blown away by this album, I do already like her Introvert album but this album really shows how diluted rap has become, relying too much on sampling and voice changers. This brings it back to its core.

Odd pick, Sometimes I Might Be Introvert is better

It's OK.

What a lovely discovery. This is what I am doing the generator. Love the vibe and the beats behind the words are catchy. It would edge towards a 5 but the second half doesn’t quite hold up for me

5/5 Simz's straight, passionate, killer flows permeate the fantastic varied instrumentals brilliantly. There are catchy hooks and elements of lush production foreshadowing SIMBI, but GREY Area has its own energy. From the dark Venom to the bass-driven Boss to the east Asian-video game infused 101 FM, it's simply a tight, consistent album of well-written bangers. Inflo and Simz deserve their place as one of the best rapper-producer duos of the modern era. Offence 4.5/5 Boss 5/5 (FAV) Selfish 5/5 Wounds 5/5 Venom 4.5/5 101 FM 4/5 (LEAST FAV) Pressure 4.5/5 Therapy 5/5 Sherbet Sunset 5/5 Flowers 4.5/5

Enjoyed this more than expected. Favourite tracks: Offence & Boss. 3/5

3.3 I'm torn on this. At first I almost laughed, I do find English rap pretty cringy on the whole (despite living in South London). On second listen I can see the merits. I can't say I like a lot of the lyrics, but then I've bopped along to plenty of gangsta rap in the past so it would be hypocritical to suddenly take a moral stand against it. The rhymes and flows are decent, some of the backing tracks actually really good. That radio one reminded me of an Aphex Twin offcut, in a good way. I just find the accent difficult still. Hard to take serious. Not my cup of tea but can understand why it's held in high esteem, and definitely think it should in the top 1,001 to hear, so fair play.

Is this really one of the greatest albums ever? I mean, I didn't mind it, it had some interesting elements to it but what is so great about it? It came out 5 years ago and I never heard of it. Has it even had time to be influential?

Simz, hva kan jeg si

This was very decent! But mot sure i’d listen to again.

It was hard to make it through this one for me.

Went into this one blind- had never heard of Little Simz or this album. I won't say I was blown away, but I thought the production on this was well done, and the beats on a couple tracks were quite catchy.

Kinda bangs?

Just so good. Love the groove, the vibes, etc

Absolutely no way I was gonna like this

Tyvärr har jag lite att säga om detta album. Jag relaterar inte till något här och det känns inte heller förklarande i sin natur. Det var bra musikaliskt tycker jag nog starkt inspirerat av Kanye Wests ”Yeezus” dock jag gillar inte låttexterna, lite för mycket ”nigga” på många låtar men man hör talang ändå

7/10 Usually I'm not that into HipHop, however this album does slap. Starts out strong with the track Offense. The backing tracks remind me of the Beastie Boys with their funky beats. Unfortunately for me, the energy of the album gets weaker in the second half of it. The album goes towards a more soulfull direction. To me this does not fit her more direct and aggressive flow and vocals. Favourite tracks: Boss Selfish Least favorite tracks: 101FM Flowers

Ну норм. 101 FM и песня с "Looove is my destiny" необычно слушались. Такое ребячество на 101FM и пафос на второй песне. А в остальном ээээ ок.

Skilled rapping, aggressive but reflective lyrics. Good beats. Shorter run time (35 min) means no fluff. Standouts are the middle 3 track run of "Venmo", "101 FM" and "Pressure".

Pretty good, but not great. Simz has good vocals and the instrumentation is well done, but it never hits that spot that would make it a great album. Still, pretty...pretty...pretty...pretty good. 4/5

banger

Little Simz - Grey Area Actually good, considering that nowadays mostly female rappers do everything but to actually rap. Little Simz raps like a storyteller, someone who has experience and wise enough to talk about issues that she had to go through. It's a personal, but sweet album to listen. Some of these songs really do depict that dark but technical sound that the album cover looks. Overall, for a rap album, this is great! 1.- Offence = 10/10 2.- Boss = 7/10 3.- Selfish = 9/10 4.- Wounds = 8/10 5.- Venom = 10/10 6.- 101 FM = 8/10 7.- Pressure = 9/10 8.- Therapy = 10/10 9.- Sherbet Sunset = 10/10 10.- Flowers = 8/10 FINAL SCORE: 8.9/10

I'm a boss in a fucking dress yassssss

Well colour me converted. I've been on a run of pleasant surprises recently and this was no different. There's a lot of hype following Little Simz, but this record goes some way to justifying a lot of it. A lot of modern hip-hop suffers from an over-indulgence in style over substance - abstract samples or soundscapes that are as disposable as the cookie-cutter lyrical sentiments they compliment. But there are a number of strengths to this album that elevate it above the rabble. The first is its length: in a genre that is bogged down with ghastly run times that make finishing a game of Monopoly feel like listening to a track off Pink Flag, Little Simz streamlines the whole process, leaving barely any filler. I (a total layman of this genre) also got the impression that she has a real affinity for a number of periods of hip-hop: the lo-fi feel of the album's opening tracks give strong Run DMC or Eric B & Rakim vibes, while the later tracks channel her clear love of Lauryn Hill. It makes for a much more interesting listen than her contemporaries who just seem to regurgitate the same formulas of the day. All of this would be redundant if the album couldn't produce any actual tunes - but it does by the boat load. 'Boss' was my highlight, again showing Little Simz's retro sensibilities by producing actual singles to accompany an album as recent as 2019?!? Even if she occasionally lurches into the well-trodden paths of rap sophistry, she still does it in inventive ways. A real grassroots, working class star, I'll need to give her Mercury prize-winning 'Sometimes I might be introvert' another go.

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

Crap

Liked this one a lot.

awesome

Favorite Track: 101 FM

Jeg var MEGET positivt imponeret over dette. I løbet af de første to numre var jeg klar til at give 1, men der er bare noget virkelig smooth i hendes flow og lyrics er meget real. Jeg er næsten ked af ikke at kunne give højere men jeg vil nok bare ikke lytte til det her igen for alvor, men mand hun er en god rapper. Problemet for mig er den meget tunge moderne stil med underspillede samples og meget få hooks

Great surprise

I'm pretty sure it's not really a 4 estrellas level, but man does it feel good to finally listen to something modern that isn't modern-retro. It's like people saying there are still good games being released, you ask them to name a 100, they do, and it's all remasters

It was decently all right. Kinda thought the lyrics were cringe but at least one of them birther that one audio

Very enjoyable...cool hip hop sounds but with added instrumentalism. She has a clear point of view in her music. I was a little sad when the album was done as I wanted to hear more. This is the case of a perfectly timed album...35 minute run time. You want people to want more, not be so frustrated with your album that never ends. Extra points for that!

cliseitä cliseitä... ei kiinnosta kun ei heikkouksia arvoida vaan albumia arvoidaan ei heikkouksia...

From the top, I'm inclined to like Little Simz. Oh, and not because SOMETIMES I MIGHT BE INTROVERT was such a highly acclaimed album, bo; I haven't even heard it. No, it's actually 'coz she already has the "Gorillaz feature" seal of approval. I figure, hey, if I like her there, I'm probably bound to dig her on her own shit. Which, I mean, that isn't a **100%** rule (Martina Topley-Bird was on a Gorillaz song and I didn't like MAXINQUAYE at all, even if it hasn't **her** album), but I get the feeling following it will land more hits than misses. And, hey — I'd consider this another hit. Like, as someone who's melody first, this thing has some damn good beats. "Offence", for real? Dang. "101FM", too. I just hadda groove to it in my seat. On that front alone, it gets good marks from me. Then there's Little Simz as a rapper — a British rapper, specifically. Now, sure, there's a lot of points over the album where I thought to myself, "Is this the only tone of voice she's gonna have the whole album? Everything, in this one tone of voice? Goodness." On a lesser album, that sort of thing would've dropped the whole project down a few points — "Try a bit more variety," y'know? "Try being **interesting**." But, I'unno, matched with these beats and the topics I was able to catch... I'unno, it kept me engaged. It all just worked. You back her up with a few stellar features (including, hey, someone else with the Gorillaz seal, Little Dragon), and... Ahh, goodness. It's all so good. (The entire thing's not even 40 minutes, too, so, dang, this thing goes down pretty easy, I think.) So, this album did the best thing it really could have: make me actually wanna go and check out SOMETIMES I MIGHT BE INTROVERT. "If Little Simz is this good here, imagine if **that** lives up the hype!" On the fact of that alone I could give this a 4. But judging it on its own merits — heck, I'll bump it to a 5. Honestly, I really did enjoy it that much. No "grey area" for me. (I mean, is it cheesy to shove in the album title like that as a closing line? I'unno. But I'm tellin' yah: the Gorillaz seal of approval works.)

As someone who only knew Simz from her collab with Gorillaz, this really impressed me with how much I dug it, especially considering the other British rap/hiphop artists we've gotten on our journey so far. 4.5 bumped up to 5.

I’m at a 5. This album has a very unique balancing act to follow, and it rides that tightrope incredibly well. This is an album that deconstructs toxic confidence, yet still portrays a healthy confidence while lifting up female empowerment. It shows the honest struggle of a devil-may-care attitude, yet still shows the honesty of wanting to make an impact, both at a local and global level. It’s an album that attempts to find beauty in tragedy, and yet, no matter how hard she tries, she never quite succeeds at finding it. That last one’s not a diss at her; it’s a testament to her songwriting that she refuses to sugarcoat this stuff, but still manages to present it in such a captivating way. It’s a very push-and-pull driven album, a lot of which feels based on her own personal experiences, and that honesty is what truly sells this album. I can’t think of many current rappers that could pull an album like this off – so much of modern mainstream rap culture, save for a handful of artists, places value within the material things, so to get an album like this, one that tries to lift up the soul itself as the core of all earthly possessions is such a welcome message & a breath of fresh air. It’s also a breath of fresh air to get an artist I’m familiar with – Little Simz is fantastic, and while I hadn’t listened to this album before today, I have heard her 2021 album “Sometimes I Might Be Introvert”, which genuinely deserves a spot on the 1,001 albums list as much as this one does. This was great – really strong production throughout, the occasional showcase of some crazy flows, great storytelling & lyricism across the board, and it’s just a really tight 35 minutes that leaves no stone unturned. I do think “Sometimes I Might Be Introvert” is an even better album, but this one easily sets the framework in motion for that album to exist and thrive like it has. I really liked this; easy 5 for my tastes.

3.5 - Liked this a lot more than I thought but definitely started to grate after a while

A modern classic, maybe my favourite British rap album tbh. Fave Tracks: Offence, Boss, Selfish, 101FM, Pressure, Sherbet Sunset 4.5/5

British rappers tend to be hit or miss for me, and Little Simz definitely landed more on the hit side. I didn’t think this was good enough to be on the list, but I’m glad I was able to check this album out. Little Simz comes with a passion in her songs that I really appreciated.

It's ok - Dizzee rap

this girl! been listening to her for a while, I like her clever, game changing cadence and no apologies attitude. Her voice reminds me of Mariana Vieira/Digable Planets, perhaps an infuence? Anyway, a fun listen

I'm really into this. I love that low, slow beat and her poetry. It's got a nice range and is perfect for this rainy Saturday night. Captures the mood.

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

I had only heard a few tracks from Little Sims, but she is incredible, great dark beats and lyrics and flow to match. Really all tracks are mint this is a must listen too. Stand out tracks: - Offence - Boss - Wounds - Venom - Therapy - Flowers

No private session used for Spotify. Wasn't sure what to expect. I did like the orchestration and wide use of instruments, though it did get repetitive after a few songs.

I really don’t care for this kind of music, and to me, the fact that it’s still so new makes it falsely placed on this 1001 list. It’s uninteresting

Some of the songs are really really amazing

It's a great album. I am genuinely curious how popular it is in England though. Because this just doesn't exist in America, and it's really annoying how much this is Angelo centric. I guess as an American I'm getting a taste of my own medicine, but I wish there was a little consideration on what this list means in all the English speaking world...

I wondered where I recognized her from, and it turns out she was part of Gorillaz's Humanz tour that I went to, cool. As always, cool with something new. I'm not big on rap in general and am quite picky, and unfortunately this wasn't to my taste at all. Sounds modern, but not in a good way as it leans too much into the seeming current trend of "have to get as many words in a bar as possible". The supposed most popular song of the record, 'Venom', did nothing for me and was actually among the worst songs, which I think tells me this is just not for me. 'Sherbet Sunset' and 'Selfish' was probably my favourite ones on the record, and also happens to be the ones that differs most from the rest.

Little Simz is one of my favourite artist of the 2020s and definitely my favourite rapper. I saw her in concert a few years back and it was probably one of the best concerts I've been to. My favourite album by her is "Sometimes I Might Be Introvert" which is way more laid-back and jazzy than this. I think that album is too new for this list, being released in 2021. Anyway, on to this album. I really like the beats and vibes of this album. The beats are aggressive and Simz rhymes flows are just great. Coming out swinging from the get go with "Offence". The most famous track is "Venom" and it might be the first Simz track I heard. Her raps are not the strongest on that track but man the drum beat after the word "Venom" is really great. "101 FM" is also one of my favourite tracks on the album as well as "Selfish" and "Sherbet Sunset" which is more like the later album. All in all as always high quality from "Simz" and while it's not my favourite album by her it still deserves a 5.

Yeah, yeah, yeah - it's pretty good in parts, but worryingly for a fairly slight album it does sag in parts. British female fronted rap has come to the fore in recent years, and that's a good thing. There's been a raft of great music emerging from the scene. GREY Area is almost great, but lacks a couple of truly chewy hooks or a proper knockout blow. An album where the guest appearances truly add nothing, or even detract from the overall quality.

Rap? Nie!

A great album, that could only have been made at the place and time it was created. I love Little Simz' voice and flow, and particularly enjoyed 101FM with it's lyrical and sound references to Dizzee. The style changes a bit too much for me in places, making it feel more like a set of songs than an album. but there are some real bangers on here.

Sharp lyrics. London pisses all over the East and West Coast when it comes to urban music these days. LOVE a girl who takes no shit.

- nope -

musica do fifa, 4 estrelas

this might be updated from a 3 eventually

Best yet VENOM

*yuck, should be a negative stars. No music on this album. Only noise and rap

yeezus looking inward

Never heard this before. Really very good.

I just can’t listen to Music featuring the “N” word!

Call this a biased review, but seeing one of my favorite hip hop artists in recent memory show up on this list is a bit of an early Christmas present to me. And GREY Area is all in all her most impressive work to date. Simz' flows and writing would certainly improve on future albums, but paired with rock solid and unique instrumentation and sampling, everything comes together so well here.

Intelligent, introspective lyrics delivered through incisive flows over innovative beats create a powerful musical statement from an artist who defies conventional hip-hop boundaries.

Nice break from all the country. I enjoyed this, but not sure I'd listen to it again.

I was not a fan of this album at all. I thought the lyrics were dated and dangerous and offered nothing new that was not done and done better 20 years ago. Poor album

Un très bon album de Little Simz. Avoir uniquement écouté "Sometimes I Might Be Introvert" par le passé, j'ai vraiment préféré celui-ci. Un album de hip-hop super bien fait. 9/10

There are some really cool tracks here, but the British accent is best utilised by movie villains and politically incorrect stand up comedians.

Meh

Definitely the newest album I've gotten so far. First rap album I think, of course it's a British artist (I've never heard of). Yeah I really enjoyed this a lot! No standout track notes, her singing style is a little repetitive so they blend together. But I would listen again. Good backing beats with some interesting instrumentation, e.g. the east Asian sound on 101 FM and guitar riff on Boss. 3.3/5

I liked the backing rif in 101 FM. The flow is pretty nice on Sherbet Sunset and in general if you don’t pay too close attention to the lyrics it’s pleasant.

This is great. It's a good flow, great lyricism, solid vibe, all around a great album. I don't have much else to say about it.

Seriously some of the coolest beat production I've heard on an album since Dre. There so much musicality in them and you don't get the feeling that you're just listening to a back track only there to give the rapper something to flow off of, but it's an integral part of the song. And the grime scene lyrics are so good. I can really appreciate a break from the whole 'bitches ain't shit but hoes and tricks' shit. There's a lot of variety on this one too. There's not just one style of beat, there isn't just one flow. Everything you want to see in a rap album.

Honestly, I didn't get it large portions of this. I mean it was ok at best, but this was a hard sell; and I say this as someone who likes alot of hip hop. Also given that it's British almost immediately you know the quality is not going to be good. 4/10.

Great lyricism for most songs

I haven't been this blown away by a 'recent' record in some time. From the first note it draws you in. Every song gives more. Beautiful words. Jaw-dropping style and delivery. Production on point. A perfect album Stone cold *5

Maybe its the Britishness of it but this was more appealing than most of the rap albums we've had.

Extremely cool beats. I wish the vocals/lyrics were as interesting. Her general flow is good though.

тоже видимо куски слышала. у неё приятный флоу, но мне надо долго вслушиваться чтобы что-то осознать, дольше чем один день

Very good this, probably the best new rap album I’ve listened to since RTJ. The music behind it is ace, especially track 1 which I’m sure I’ve heard a lot of before but I’m not sure where. There is a little bit of filler occasionally, but overall a good 4.5

Don't think I've heard little Simz before, her rapping and flow were great. Picked up a few great lines on the first listen but I'm sure I missed loads. The tracks where the beats were also on point were the best, boss and 101 FM stood out. The ones where the beats were less memorable passed me by a bit more. Will listen again but it's a 4 for now.

Offence and Wounds were great. Thundering through. I liked her style, and use of lyrics and use of space between the bars. Felt aggressive without being oppressive or overwhelming. Good stuff, but wouldn't actively come back.

Little simz has bars! Thought this was very good. Listened twice. Never heard her before. Nice to have some UK rap on the list. Really good flow and writing I thought, and of substance too. Highlights: Venom 101 FM Pressure I'll be back. 4

I thought this was a really cool little album! A nice surprise for sure.

not for me

This is way more interesting than I expected it to be. Her flow is pretty good and the music is also dope. Usually I really despise Rap at all. This is good music.

lyrical mastery

Very strong, 4

I didn't mind this, but it's 5 years old and not spectacular enough to break into the 1001 category to me.

Loved that it was something different! I did laugh once i realized this was the album where the song Venom came from, but ill def be listening to this again

Blah

Not a bad album.

Nice flows with great jazzy instrumentation

pretty cool and interesting if not groundbreaking

Really solid album. Incredibly varied but with a distinct tone and character shining through. I hadn’t heard of Little Sims before this and I’m really glad this project made me aware of her.

Truly lush and breezy UK hip hop. I loved it.

A revelation. Best female rapper on this list and best British rapper as well. Neither of those compliments give her justice though. Great album that never lags

Couldn't find anything to like in this.

# 329 : Kind of cool, It was better then i was expecting. I'm not into British hip hop, modern hip hop, Rap, or even people with little in their names, but this wasn't bad. I'm not sure I'd listen to it again but i didn't hate it.

This was a lot better than I anticipated!

Cool

Parfois, dans ce projet un peu fou des "1001 albums", on a l'impression d'être un fonctionnaire de la musique. On pointe, on écoute, on coche la case, on passe au suivant. C'est la routine, le train-train, une sorte de masochisme audiophile qui nous pousse à ingurgiter des trucs dont on se serait bien passé. On découvre des pépites, certes, mais on se farcit aussi pas mal de croûtes. Et puis, de temps en temps, sans crier gare, un disque sorti de nulle part vient te mettre une mandale si violente que tu te demandes ce qui vient de t'arriver. Un album qui te sort de ta torpeur, qui te secoue les puces et te rappelle pourquoi, putain, tu aimes tant la musique. "GREY Area" de Little Simz, c'est exactement ça. Une putain de déflagration. Pour être totalement transparent, le rap et moi, surtout le rap moderne, c'est une histoire compliquée. Je suis un vieux con né en 1970. J'ai grandi avec le post-punk, le rock indé cradingue, les guitares qui saignent et les atmosphères de fin du monde. Mes héros s'appellent Robert Smith, Nick Cave ou Thurston Moore. Alors quand on me parle de hip-hop, je pense instinctivement aux Beastie Boys, à Cypress Hill, à la clique du Wu-Tang. Le rap actuel, avec ses autotunes à la con, ses prods lisses comme un cul de bébé et ses rappeurs qui marmonnent des histoires de bagnoles et de chaînes en or, ça a tendance à me faire poliment bailler, voire à me hérisser le poil. Je suis donc arrivé sur cet album de 2019 avec des pieds de plomb et une bonne dose de cynisme. Little Simz ? Jamais entendu parler. Une rappeuse anglaise... Mouais, on allait bien voir. Et bordel, j'ai vu et j'ai pris une leçon. Une correction, un uppercut en pleine poire qui m'a laissé KO, le sourire aux lèvres. Dès les premières secondes, tu comprends que tu n'es pas en terrain connu. La production d'Inflo est une merveille de précision et de saleté. C'est organique, ça respire, ça grince. C'est à la fois terriblement moderne et pourtant pétri d'influences old school. On sent l'amour du sample bien senti, du breakbeat qui claque, de la basse qui te retourne les entrailles. Mais là où l'album devient proprement génial, c'est dans sa capacité à exploser les cadres. On n'est pas dans le rap, on est bien au-delà. Ça pioche dans le R'n'B, dans la soul la plus classieuse, dans des ambiances lounge à la sensualité vénéneuse. Et puis, d'un coup, sans prévenir, ça te balance des riffs à la limite du punk, une énergie brute, une tension nerveuse qui te prend à la gorge. Il y a des moments où l'on se croirait dans la bande-son d'un film d'horreur, avec des nappes de synthés angoissantes et des arrangements cinématographiques. Ailleurs, on décèle des touches presque asiatiques dans les mélodies. C'est un chaudron bouillonnant d'idées, un maelström sonore d'une richesse et d'une audace folles. Et au milieu de ce chaos maîtrisé, il y a elle. Simbiatu Ajikawo, alias Little Simz. Quelle présence, quelle personnalité avec son débit élastique, son flow nerveux, et sa voix qui peut être aussi bien un direct du droit qu'une caresse. Elle ne rappe pas, elle vit ses textes. Elle ne pose pas sur l'instru, elle la dévore, la tord, joue avec elle. On sent une maîtrise technique insolente, mais jamais démonstrative. Tout est au service du propos. Et quel propos ! Loin des clichés, Little Simz fait son auto-thérapie. Elle déballe ses névroses, ses doutes, sa place de femme dans un milieu d'hommes, ses ambitions. Elle assume un égo surdimensionné, mais elle le fait avec une telle lucidité qu'on ne peut que s'incliner. Quand elle balance qu'elle mérite son succès parce qu'elle a bossé comme une acharnée, tu la crois sur parole. Elle ne se la pète pas, elle constate. Elle ferme des bouches, avec classe mais sans prendre de gants. C'est cru, c'est puissant, c'est intelligent, et ça fait un bien fou. Ce qui est remarquable avec "GREY Area", c'est que c'est un disque qui s'adresse à tout le monde. Au fan de rap qui y trouvera une proposition artistique exigeante et novatrice. Mais aussi au vieux rockeur comme moi, qui y reconnaîtra une intégrité, une rage et une liberté qui sont l'essence même de la musique qu'il a toujours chérie. C'est un disque qui refuse les étiquettes, qui te surprend à chaque virage et qui te laisse sur le cul, essoufflé mais heureux. Ce n'est pas juste un bon album de rap. C'est un immense album, tout court. Une de ces oeuvres qui te marquent durablement et qui te forcent à revoir tes certitudes. Pour une découverte, c'est une sacrée découverte. Je suis allé, curieux, écouter ses autres disques, et le voyage s'annonce passionnant. Comme quoi, même après des décennies à user ses tympans, on peut encore se faire surprendre. Et c'est sans doute ça, la plus belle des récompenses. Note finale : Un solide et indiscutable 4 sur 5. Un quasi sans-faute qui file direct dans le top des claques de ce projet.

Real British, innit?

Don't like her rapping much at all. At least it was pretty brief compared to a lot of albums in the genre that are so very bloated.

the guy who compiled this list appears to love him some bri ish rap artists. the guy who is writing this review… not so much. although i will admit this one is better than the other offerings from bri ish rappers on this list so far. having said that, i’m still giving it two stars in that rapping in a bri ish accent will never not sound weird to me.

Gross.

#351. I guess I never really thought about what British rap might sound like, but somehow this is exactly like what I probably would have guessed. 😂 Thanks guys, I really enjoyed this laugh on this early Monday morning. 🤣 Cheers, bruv, or whatever it is you say. 2/5: goofy ass shit 😂🤣😂 Song added to playlist: Selfish I've created a playlist on Spotify that consists of the best and/or my favorite song from each of the albums in this book. This list can be found here if you are interested: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/7MAXDGLWlwLkFLb8veGfkA?si=FqkQQPgZTFWG0jAUJXLFZA&utm_source=copy-link

This went better then expected! Nice vibe

Not a genre I'm interested in, but I've heard worse.

This album has no business being in this list. British rappers tend to be annoying

No a great album overall but there’s a couple of songs I’ve actually heard before. Don’t like women rappers and they’re worse with a British accent

very fresh and interesting background instrumentals

As one of the latest additions to 1001 Albums to Hear Before You Die, it’s easy to be sceptical of Grey Area. Don’t be. In just 36 minutes, Little Simz delivers a masterclass in lyrical precision over a simultaneously modern and timeless production that fuses jazz flourishes with the grit of hip-hop and grime. The inclusion of live instrumentation adds a fresh dynamic. Tackling relationships, the struggles of adulthood, and mental health, Simz remains assertive throughout, dropping truth bombs with confidence—even when confronting the darkest moments. Did/Do I own this release? No Does this release belong on the list? No Would this release make my personal list? Strong candidate Will I be listening to it again? For sure

Really cool jazz hip hop. 5/5

Figured I would hate this, but it wasn't bad at all. Nothing ground-breaking, but I liked the jazzy feel and the diversity in music. Some tracks stood out more than others.

I was familiar with her music before and a bit surprised to see this as a recent addition. TBH it has faired better than the other recent additions to this. Also it solves one MAJOR complaint I've had about rap albums: being too long! This is a brisk 35 minutes and I find helps so much.

I didn’t think I would like this one…and yet, there was something likable about this album. It had a message and it was pretty darned good. I’d listen to Little Simz again.

I really enjoyed some of it and was annoyed with other parts of it. I enjoyed some of the music but some of the production was a bit over the top for me. I would listen to her again but maybe a different album.

Absolutely incredible, very powerful

Music, beats, her voice, production all 10 out of 10, but the lyrics were not interesting, with a lot of tired and well and truly tried themes

Some songs sound like straight up rants. What an annoying rapper. I didn't care for most of the samples/instrumentation. There is some decent singing, but not enough to make a difference. Flowers was definitely the best song. Must be because Michael Kiwanuka is on it.

no notes, made me cum

more british rap, yawn

This album is a lyrical masterpiece that blends grit with grace. The British rapper's flow is smooth as butter and her lyrics hit harder than a heavyweight boxer. She tackles everything from societal issues to personal struggles with a raw honesty that's both refreshing and empowering. It's a must-listen for anyone who appreciates intelligent, thought-provoking hip-hop.

Fakker med det ass, 4.5

The flow on these songs is quite repetitive, especially at the beginning. Music is good a diverse though. Good messages, lyrics. Selfish is a shining star. The non-rapping parts of Wounds is good too

Okay, I get the hype for this. One of the songs did go viral on tiktok so that tells you that this album really resonated with a specific age group or at least was catchy.

fimma simz cookaði

What is rap these days

Ok, I've seen her pass by a lot in my surroundings. It's not bad but not something I will put on much more

Little Simz released an album in 2021 that was making waves so I was interested in this one. I didn’t realize she was British though. Idk I can’t take British rapping seriously, it reminded me of the Streets album. I was pleasantly surprised by the Michael Kiwanuka feature. High 2.

5/10 - At first I was like another british rap album yay. Then it was alright and I liked a few songs. I was too busy to rate it yet so I did not. I just relistened to the songs I thought I liked and they were fine but not as good as I remember.

Pretty good

STANDOUTS: Selfish OVERALL: 2.5/5; I love the album art though. Fun to see a NEW album on the list.

4.49/5

No soy fan del rap y aún así me pareció buen disco. Supongo que a quienes les gusta el género este álbum es un trancazo.

Since this came out in 2019 and I’d never heard of the artist, I was intrigued to listen to this. I liked 3-4 of these tracks for the music, but the similar vocal flow across most of the songs got old real quick. Not my jam.

I have this album saved as one of my favorites from 2019, but I haven’t returned to it, so I’m excited to do so. Update: still liked it!

i love Simz but i still think she didn't really come into her zone until the next album...it's good shit tho! 6/10

Кажется это первый альбом в списке, который я слушал в прямом эфире в моменте его выхода. Неожиданно немного видеть её здесь, но альбом действительно супер. Тем удивительнее, что это даже не лучшая ее работа, по-моему. Лучшая песня - Selfish.

I like her vibe, she’s a bit peeved and bloody well gonna let someone ‘ear it innit. I think flowers was my fave track tho

I listened to sometimes i may be introvert before this one, but it's cool to see how Little Simz tone and clear understanding of her strengths and weaknesses sounds just as good over a glitchier electronic style album as it does over R&B and soul samples.

Smooth asf delivery with powerful thought out lyrics not just latching onto shock and awe. This is the type of artist that forces you to sit down and take notice!

August 16, 2024 HL: "Selfish", "Wounds", "Venom", "101 FM", "Pressure", "Flowers" My curiosity about this album soared after getting the 2021 edition of the book. The front cover: Nevermind by Nirvana, very famous album cover, makes sense. Back cover: a black-and-white picture of, well, somebody I had never seen before. Oh, it's English rapper Little Simz! Side-by-side with Nirvana? Alright. I didn't actually listen to the whole thing before today, but I put on 2021's S.I.M.B.I. after the Simz hype finally reached me... this year. Actually that's not accurate, since I bought both this CD & Kiwanuka in a mall, after recognizing both artists from the book, *over a year ago*. Didn't think it would take this long to get either of them on the generator, but I can finally say the purchase was worth it. After acclimating to certain tracks like "Venom", "I Love You, I Hate You" (SIMBI), and "Gorilla" (2022's No Thank You), throughout the past year, I'm not exactly surprised that I like this whole album. The rawness of "Sherbet Sunset" & "Boss", next to the beauty in "Selfish" & "Flowers", delineates how fine-tuned the elements of Grey Area are; never overpowering each other, and often existing simultaneously (e.g. "101 FM") I haven't been the most enthusiastic about hip-hop recently (let alone British hip-hop) but to me, this is up there with the greats.

This was my first real introduction to British rap, and I really liked it!

Not a fan of the genre; can't say I enjoyed it. 2/10

I really like Simz but haven't been back to this one too often. This is still great stuff though.

An interesting album and not my usual style. I liked the song Venom.

Better than most UK Rap. But there is just a few things about it that really threw me off and took me out of it. Just doesn't feel like it should be on the list, most of the new entries aren't deserving. There have been a few that have caught my attention in a good way, but most of them just feel like an excuse to throw in some random artist he's into at the time.

Love Little Simz! But this is probably her worst.

Little Simz is certainly clever, I love the way she sets the scene with Offence and the album just flows nices. Other fave 101FM.

This slaps - her flows are awesome and the production is sick, and as others have noted, it's short and sweet - no skit bloat on this album! As an aside, I was listening to Herbie Hancock's "Head Hunters" immediately before this, and the backing track on "Offence" could absolutely have been a "Head Hunters" bonus track - confused me for a second there! 😆 Fave tracks - as well as "Offence", "Venom" is absolutely BADASS - gave me spine tingles!

I was wondering when I would get my first rap album. Expected Tupac, Dr. Dre, Snoop, Eminem, Jay-Z, Biggie, or A Tribe Called Quest or any other of the pioneers of rap. Instead I got a modern British rapper that I’ve never heard of. Trying not to let that affect my rating, listening to this with an open mind, it still was just OK. UK rap is not my thing. 2.5⭐️

oh yeah this is the shit

Totally not my thing.

Good bars, beats, n’ lyricism. A nice refresher.

This is just an album by someone I have not heard of. It did not do anything to sway me to listen to more from her. She has nice flow. The beats are decent. She swears. I don’t hear a single. I want to hear a single to justify why an album is on this list. Choice cut: Selfish

i am always a little bit on the hesitant side when an album shows up on one of these lists that was made in the last 5-10 years because i feel like it's not fair to the new albums as they have not had as many years of esteem as the other ones. a lot of them seem like they are "hot takes." i didn't know what to expect from this one, but i was pleasantly surprised. a really fun modern rap album, but the star for me here was the production. feels modern but is definitely heavily influenced by old soul music. i think it's a great pairing between old school and new school. lil simz' verses are pretty great and there are some highlights here for sure - 'offence' and 'flowers' being my favorites of the bunch, but it's all really solid and sounds great.

It was good. I could go for another listen. Liked the lyrics and the flow.

The first album by Little Simz I heard was Sometimes I Might Be An Introvert and I was very impressed but I never went back and listened to this album and now I wish I had. GREY Area is incredible. The production is so meticulously crafted by Inflo utilizing some insane instrumentation, samples and drums. If you’re a fan of this album you should check out Inflo’s other project Sault which I’m also a fan of. Little Simz has some amazing flows and lyrics that kept me locked in for the whole ride. Always good to see Little Dragon getting a feature as well as Cleo Soul and Michael Kiwanuka, all phenomenal artists. The only downside to this album is that’s it’s over so quickly but it’s very effective to have 10 bangers at 35 minutes as opposed to a more overstuffed project. I’ll be repeating this one for a couple days.

I really like the music! This was a solid hip hop album. I was too busy to really focus on any of the lyrics, but the music was fantastic. Actually, I just let it keep playing into the previous album, Stillness in Wonderland, and that one was even better! I'm now following this artist and I listen forward to hearing the rest of her catalog.

This sounds like something conjured in one's basement, and for me it adds to the charm of it. The mix of synths, flute and orchestral samples, and sound effects make GREY Area ambitious, sophisticated, and fun. This anything-goes approach reminds me of a classy but less worldly M.I.A., who fearlessly samples all sorts of indigenous music. I assume the credit in both cases goes to the producer. As for Little Simz, she has good flow. Her staccato is tight with the beat; such a style can be easily slurred, but she keeps it crisp. Leaning into the lyrics, they are mostly a positive criticism of everyday society. Not much to say about this one, but I enjoyed it.

This exceeded my very low expectations. Yes, my expectations were low, sorry to say. Because there were dozens and dozens of "Lil" rappers for a while there, and that was not my favorite era of rap, as a rule. But yeah, my low expectations allowed me to be pleasantly surprised. I didn't mind this. As the British say, I rated it! What did I rate it, exactly? Somewhere between a 3 and a 4, I reckon. Lyrically and flow wise, it was decent. The subject matter is coming from the perspective of a young woman figuring out who she is and navigating interpersonal relationships, so it stands out from a lot of other rap in that way. The production was good and the album didn't drag. I would check out more from her.

It was cool to see a younger rapper have a more old school sound. It seems that so many 'Lils' and 'Youngs' type rappers have the autotune sound with with either a triplet note pattern delivery or the whole short choppy two note delivery. On this I heard heavy Busta Rhymes and Jay Z influence. The British accent also brought me back a little to Stereo MCs without the cockney tint to the accent. Well done Simz. I did feel though that as the album went on, the rapping became a little repetitive and monotonous tonally. Where as Busta is extremely animated and has a lot of rises and falls tonally Simz sort of kept it on a two or 3 note range.

Little Simz sounds hungry and passionate on this project. Great soulful hip-hop

I heard of Little Simz through my son who is a huge fan of this album. It took a while but it grew on me through repeated listening and since then I've grown to quite like it not love it but quite like it.

Sucks

My ears recoil when hearing rappers with a British accent. I'm not sure why exactly. I just don't like hearing it. Some of the other sounds on this are kind of good, and her fast rapping is impressive. On the other hand, all the n-words and other obscenities make me like this way less. Also, overloading the microphone on Boss is annoying as well. Her picture on the album cover looks like Jayden Smith's punchable face. All in all, it probably deserves a 1, but I give it a 2, who cares?

Damn this one is hard!! a totally great find this late in the list. I really like it!

Hip-hop isn't really my thing, but this had a nice groove. I'd listen again.

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

Is this essential? No. Is it my style of music? No. Did it entertain? Oh yes. Is it concise, skillful, expertedly done? No question. Is it a thing on its own? Def. Can I rate 5? No, but it is great for what it wants to be, if I am not mistaken.

my issue with conscious hip hop like this is that it can feel cheesy at points and i feel that consistently throughout this record. its good overall though. 101 fm in particular is very interesting. 7/10

actually terrible. please allow zero stars.

she's so freaking cool!!

Cool new discovery! I dig it.

really just very good. the first half i enjoyed more on a musical level and in the second half i found myself paying more attention to the lyrics. i already knew i liked offence, selfish, and venom but i ended up enjoying all but two enough to add to my playlist so i would say this one was a success. it always makes me happy to find a hip hop album that i like (although she’s too genre bending to define as hip hop alone). so much better than most of what I’ve been listening to recently.

Not my style

Ah, nice choice. Little Simz is probably the best rapper about today, certainly the most interesting. Great flow, great lyrics, great beats, tinged with soul and jazz, and dirty great bass lines. What else do you want? Didn't know this record but I loved Sometimes I Might Be Introvert. That's even more genre-hopping and boundary pushing than this. However this is just over half the length, real nice and concise. Best tracks, Venom, Therapy, Flowers

Most of this felt pretty formulaic, and the times where it wasn't were mostly overbearing

I have a feeling I’d have heard this if I were younger and hipper. Really enjoyed this.

Fascinating album. This is filled with surprises like a litt shop full of vocal treasure, a new thing at each turn. I liked the London character of the vocals, the lyrics instrumentation and all of it. Very unexpected!

There’s a lot I like about Little Simz’ sound. It’s gritty and grimy (without being grime or Grimes) and her accent and voice fit perfectly. I’ve got a thing though about rappers that repeatedly rhyme the n-word with itself over and over. Also, “Wounds” sounds so much like “Forgot About Dre,” but apparently it isn’t a sample or the same. So a barely adjacent knock-off? The rest is great though.

Super talented and I really like her flow, Venom is particularly powerful. Some of the tracks manage to sound fresh and throw-back at the same time (Selfish and Wounds in particular give echoes of late 90s).

I very much enjoy Little Simz’s style. The first half of this album is 🔥 🔥 🔥 🔥 🔥. I feel like the flow gets a bit disjointed in the second half.

Little Simz has the skills to be an upper mid-tier rapper, this album while generic and okay is not necessarily a 'Must Listen'. If the authors wanted a female rapper from the early 00s there's gotta be a few with better albums out there. But I guess they're not UK-based. 3/5.

Always a pleasure listening to Little Simz. Not my favorite album of hers, but it's still a great listen. A light 4 I'd say, will definitely listen again.

Flow and instrumentation are cool. Not very familiar with British hip-hop but this is one I'll come back to. The cool sound that works great in the background or to think on.

A slight shift from the usual for this genre with passages that were tolerable.

Hated it

Surprisingly lo-fi in places, sounds almost like a mo'wax record, but also British and urban and modern. Loved it all.

In general not a big fan of UK hip hop (if that's the right term) but this surprised me. Not bad!

Really good rap record. First I had heard of Little Simz but one of my favorites. Offence is good. Selfish is great. There's a great line about how reading the Alchemist some times don't amount to shit which is funny/true. She's got a cool voice and great production.