Music
Watch Little Simz’s exclusive Stripped Session
Ahead of the world premiere of her new music video, the acclaimed rapper goes back-to-basics for us.
Little Simz performs exclusively for RedBull.com
© Greg Barnes/RedBull.com
On December 1, RedBull.com/Music will present the world video premiere of Little Simz's new single, Gratitude. Until then, let’s revisit the time the UK rapper treated us to a very special Stripped Session.
Little Simz politely breaks off our interview twice – once when she has to go nick her sister’s phone charger, and once when her mum comes in. She may be one of the UK’s most hotly-tipped rappers, with Andre 3000, Timbaland and Kendrick Lamar praising her spiky flow, Jay-Z promoting her on his digital Life+Times platform and Dizzee Rascal inviting her to share studio time. But it’s fair to say that the North London rapper known to her family as Simbi Ajikawo is categorically keeping it real. The 20-year-old's most recent EP, Drop 3, was released in December.
You seem to go through a transformation on stage… I don’t know what it is, but as soon as I step on stage my mind is not Simbi. One time I was actually sick. Literally, on my last song and on my last lyric I just turned around and let it out behind the DJ booth. I don’t know where I got it in me to perform. I’ve always had this mentality: it’s bigger than me. Sometimes it’s not even about me.
See Little Simz perform Age 101 exclusively in the player below.
3 min
Little Simz - Age 101
Little Simz performs Age 101 exclusively for RedBull.com/Music.
How has your flow evolved? I used to hate my own voice. I thought it was too high-pitched. But I’ve grown to, I guess, appreciate it. Your voice is like the one thing that is actually yours. I remember I used to cry when I couldn’t get a particular type of flow. It used to get me so mad, so frustrated. I started getting compliments when I was about 14. When it comes to writing, my method is I always start with the flow.
You’re a member of the Space Age collective, a group of your creative London peers who are trying to make a change in the music industry. How? I just want to take so many stereotypes away from music. Things like ‘The UK’s best rapper’, the ‘UK’s best female rapper’. The label isn’t needed. With Space, we’re trying to break barriers and do things a bit unorthodox. So people would normally go down the traditional route: drop three singles, drop their album, cool. Me, I’m releasing projects back to back, an EP series here, I’m working on my record but I’m not in any particular rush to put that out. I’ve performed at the MOBOS, I’ve been on all these ‘ones to watch’ lists, I’ve headlined shows in New York, LA and Toronto… and I’m still in university. And I’m still killing it.
See Little Simz perform Mandarin Oranges Part 2 exclusively in the player below.
3 min
Little Simz - Mandarin Oranges Part 2
Little Simz performs Mandarin Oranges Part 2 exclusively for RedBull.com/Music.
Why do you ask producers to ‘send me your weirdest s**t’? I understand that’s the stuff people often turn down. They don’t get it, they go for what’s easy on the ears. Me, I like to challenge myself, and see what I can transform. When music is just quick and easy, it’s not interesting. Desire, the first song on the EP, was a beat so weird I couldn’t even bop my head to it. That’s when I was like, ‘Yes! This is exactly what I was looking for’. Who’s the latest star to fall under your spell? Andre 3000 came to a show I was performing at. Why things work like this I don’t know. I done my set, went outside for some air, and I was about to go back in when he walked down the fire escape. He was like, ‘You were sick! I’m definitely a fan. I’m gonna tell people all about you’. Our managers exchanged details. Kendrick invited me into his studio in LA to touch base. He said I reminded him of a young Lauryn Hill, and when I walked in he was like, ‘Whassup superstar!’ Dizzee gave me some wise words, nothing but advice and love. I say a lot of ‘wows’ and ‘thank yous'.
Little Simz is on Facebook.
Want to discover a world of new music? Like our Facebook page.