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Yahoo
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
The Best Albums of 2025, So Far
From Central Cee and Little Simz to Miley Cyrus and Xzibit, we parse through the best music of 2025. We are halfway through 2025, and what a year it's been so far. If anything, it's been a year of firsts: PSG finally took home the coveted Champions League crown — all without Messi, Neymar, or Mbappé — Tottenham won a trophy (OK maybe not a first, but a first in a long while), and Naomi Girma became the first million-dollar women's footballer when she joined Chelsea. Oh, and the revamped and expanded Club World Cup is underway. Advertisement It's been a bit less 'first' centric in the music world, however. Kendrick Lamar is dominating the summer with his Grand National tour, but, after 'Not Like Us' was inescapable last year, we don't exactly have a song of the summer for 2025. A year out from beef with Drake, is it safe to say the closest thing we have to a summer anthem is 'Nokia?' C'mon, it is seriously infectious. Besides those two superstars, other artists from across the world have put their mark on 2025. Little Simz and Central Cee are holding it down for the United Kingdom while we await albums from Dave and Skepta. Stateside, we got a surprise announcement that Clipse is releasing a new project, which will certainly feed the streets, and we are patiently waiting for projects from a range of artists, including AmirSaysNothing and A$AP Rocky. Advertisement Even though anticipation is high for what the rest of the year has to offer, there has been a variety of music, from Memphis rap to pop-rock, that has impressed us through June. Here's Urban Pitch's best albums of 2025 so far… Little Simz — Lotus Little Simz reasserted herself as one of the preeminent artists in today's music landscape with her new album, Lotus. She has always experimented with sound and her latest offering is a blend of alternative rock, fierce bars, and soulful piano all with the theme of blooming from the mud. She made this statement without her good friend and right-hand producer, Inflo. Together, they crafted incredibly artful projects, including her Mercury Prize-winning album, Sometimes I Might Be Introvert, and its follow up, No Thank You. Earlier this year, Little Simz sued Inflo over a $2.2 million loan he didn't repay. Simz' pain at the broken friendship is evident throughout Lotus. It's clear 'Thief' is dedicated to the betrayal and the musical conversation. 'Blood' with fellow British MC Wretch 32 is about a falling out with a brother figure. The line 'You're not for the culture, you're just for the cult' on 'Hollow' is especially scathing. Advertisement There's also no Cleo Sol, another frequent collaborator and Inflo's wife, on Lotus either. The singer and Little Simz created bright moments like 'Woman' and 'Selfish,' but the features on the new album were still plenty strong. Nigerian singer Obongjayar, who also assisted her with the critically-acclaimed 'Point and Kill,' appears on two tracks, including the riveting 'Flood.' 'Blue' with the one and only Sampha touches the heart. The love song 'Only' with Lydia Kitto is lighthearted and, combined with the playful 'Young,' they bring balance to the heaviness of the album. The single 'Free' remains the firm beacon of hope. That's what makes Little Simz so magical is that even though she has been through so much, including racism, sexism and the betrayal of a friend, she maintains the brightest of smiles while assuring fans that if she can come out on top, they can too. Xzibit — Kingmaker The King is back! Xzibit released his first album in more than a decade in the form of Kingmaker. The project is thoughtful and fierce as the West Coast veteran reflects on the importance of keeping real ones in your circle and dominating your space while staying grounded by family and faith. Advertisement The production is signature West Coast (DJ Battlecat's beat for 'Shut Yo Mouth' is iconic) sprinkled with cinematic soundscapes, reflective reverbs and a bit of jazz. There's a variety of guests, including Dr. Dre, Busta Rhymes, Ice Cube, Compton Av, JasonMartin, Lorine Chia, and X's fellow Serial Killers member B-Real. Jenn Em's smooth vocals bring 'Been a Long Time Pt. 2' to a lighter place as Xzibit confronts those who called his career over. Tre Capital, Xzibit's son, is featured on 'End of the Day' for his first official placement on one of his dad's albums and he brings his own vulnerability to elevate the project. The title track and album closer showcases Xzibit rapping with a fierce hunger to share his message. It's clear that this music isn't for himself, but for others who need to hear encouragement to live in their own sense of purpose and peace. It's quite a beautiful thing. Aminé — 13 Months of Sunshine Aminé released his first solo album since 2021's TWOPOINTFIVE, and the Portland, Oregon artist delivered. Showcasing how he's grown creatively from his breakout hit, 2017's 'Caroline,' Aminé presents 13 Months of Sunshine as 16 tracks of groovy goodness and a tribute to his Ethiopian heritage. Advertisement The African country utilizes the slogan to let the world know summer doesn't stop there. There are clips of Aminé's father offering life lessons throughout the project that make it extra heartfelt. The singles 'Vacay,' 'Arc De Triomphe' and 'Familiar' are all here. But 'Feels So Good' lives up to its name and 'Be Easier On Yourself' is a reminder to self — and to others — to do just that. 'Doing The Best I Can' is a standout track where Aminé's father talks about his effort to lead the family and the artist then offers his own reflection on the sentiment over a stripped down piano track. The album might feel a little literal, but sonically it's engaging and overall it's uplifting, exactly what sunshine is supposed to do. Miley Cyrus — Something Beautiful Miley Cyrus' artistry has gone through many phases from her Hannah Montana days to her pop reign and her brief foray into hip-hop all while holding onto her country roots, but she seems to have found confidence in embracing the unexpected on Something Beautiful. The album comes off 2023's Endless Summer Vacation that featured the anthem 'Flowers' and reflective 'Used To Be Young.' Advertisement The new project is pure drama and is bolstered by instrumental moments that don't just fill space, but create clear emotions as Cyrus showcases how she's embraced the fact that she doesn't fit into a box. The transitions are immaculate as the album weaves between genres. The title track is jazz-infused with horns and a gentle bass line that is interrupted by crashing guitar riffs as Cyrus declares her obsession for a love interest. There is a clear '80s pop influence with braggadocious synth-heavy tracks like 'Walk of Fame' and 'Every Girl You've Ever Loved,' which comes with a superstar appearance from Naomi Campbell. 'Easy Lover' has a tinge of blues as Cyrus wrestles with affection that is equal parts addicting and toxic. She bares her soul on the snappy 'Golden Burning Sun' where she daydreams about a lover and 'More To Lose' draws listeners in when she relatably croons 'My tears are streamin' like our favoritе show tonight, tonight / Memories fade likе denim jeans.' Something Beautiful is a thrilling sonic journey that is a raw singular journey that also invites others to be our own beautiful selves no matter what that definition might be. Bad Bunny — DeBÍ TiRAR MáS FOToS Bad Bunny made DeBÍ TiRAR MáS FOToS as a tribute to his Puerto Rican heritage. The album title translates to 'I should have taken more photos' and is about capturing moments. Benito traded in commercial pop sensibilities for a return to his roots and the musical voyage is utterly contagious. Advertisement The opener, 'NUEVAYoL,' is an immediate departure from his signature sound and jumps into a fiery salsa, but it invites the listener into who he is as an artist and bridges the gap between the concrete jungle of New York and the bright playas of Puerto Rico. It's not long before 'VOY A LLeVARTE PA PR' features reggaeton and draws listeners in with repeated lines like 'Voy cazando y muero perreando,' a reference to pioneering Puerto Rican reggaeton duo Angel & Khriz and their early 2000s song, 'Cazando Voy.' Another standout reggaeton track is 'KETU TeCRÉ' where Bad Bunny flexes his vocals as he has second thoughts about a girl he got involved with with a witty reference to Toy Story. Elsewhere, 'BAILE INoLVIDABLE' or 'Unforgettable Dance,' has an outer space feel before jumping into lively horns. 'WELTiTA' with Chuwi's gentle vocals is smooth and feel-good. The plucky strings of 'TURiSTA' are inviting as Bad Bunny ponders a woman who was just a 'tourist' in his life, reflecting the greater conversation of what it means to visit a beautiful place like Puerto Rico versus calling the place home. 'VeLDÁ' ends with a looming soundscape that would fit right into Vince Staples' divisive Big Fish Theory album. 'DtMF' is the title track with a communal feel featuring bomba drums and a crowd of voices joining Bad Bunny as he reflects on his journey. When Bad Bunny announced the tour for DeBÍ TiRAR MáS FOToS, there weren't any United States dates. Some people were confused as to why he wouldn't capitalize on such a lucrative market. But it's a further extension of the theme that Bad Bunny is doing what he wants to for himself and his people. Key Glock — Glockaveli: The Don Key Glock had his work cut out for him when he named his album Glockaveli: The Don, based on Tupac's posthumous classic The Don Killuminati: The 7 Day Theory, which was released under the pseudonym Makaveli. The Memphis rapper doesn't exactly have the same reputation as the late legend, who lives on in history as a street poet with uplifting songs like, 'Keep Your Head Up' and 'Dear Mama.' But Key Glock shows a new level of artistry with this project. Advertisement He taps into a higher power right away with the intro track, 'Hallelujah,' which is backed by a choir as he raps about getting money like his late mentor, Young Dolph, taught him to and he compares himself to Jesus Christ for how he gives back to his community. Glock showcases his signature fierce flow throughout with the backdrop of thumping 808s and smooth trap snares. There's no shortage of motivational bangers ('No Sweat,' 'Again'), but the soulful samples (Rickie Boger's 'Slow Down' on the title track and Erykah Badu's 'Didn't Cha Know' on 'Badu') and ethereal background vocals ('Made a Way' and 'Don Dada') help bring the project from the trenches to a spiritual place. E.M.E — Foreigner Afrobeats is the hottest genre in the world right now and Denver-based and Nigeria-bred E.M.E is the rising star to watch. His debut album, Foreigner, is solid. The project opens with a word from his mother about how E.M.E was born sickly and now is a miracle walking into his destiny. From there, fast-paced rhythms and E.M.E's strong, smooth vocals take listeners on a journey through love, home and finding your purpose. Advertisement The single 'One Day' is a standout track that's slowed down a bit as E.M.E envisions his ascent in the industry and how he is going to be a well-known name. The fame won't be for himself, but for the Believers — his friends, family and fans — who he wants to inspire to live out their dreams. E.M.E is a student of the game and on 'Movie,' he references J Hus' hit song 'Did You See' while giving some insight into his life overcoming struggle but now enjoying a life of luxury. Later on 'Don Dada,' there's another cool reference to Gucci Mane's 'Wasted' where he spits the iconic line 'Rockstar lifestyle, might not make it.' There are more reflective moments on 'Lost Souljah' and 'Back to Sender.' 'Yey Yey' is bolstered by a booming bass that rivals YG's 'BPT' while Danae Simone's soothing voice on 'Soul Ties' balances out the project nicely. Central Cee — Can't Rush Greatness Central Cee took three years between his popular mixtape, 2022's 23, and his debut album, Can't Rush Greatness. That's an eternity in today's rap game. He has been far from silent since then, but the title of Can't Rush Greatness lets fans know that he took this moment seriously and held himself to high expectations while resting in the confidence of what he's already built. And Cench put out a valiant effort. Advertisement Can't Rush Greatness is bolstered by the Shepherd's Bush rapper's penchant for making hits while embracing his role as the bridge between the United Kingdom and United States. 'GBP' with 21 Savage and 'Band4Band' with Lil Baby have been inescapable this year, but 'Ten' with Skepta and 'CRG' with Dave are equally impressive and show that Central Cee hasn't forgotten his roots. Besides relying on his ability to create bangers, Cench showcased his vulnerability on songs like the mesmerizing 'Limitless,' which interpolates Skepta's 'Bullet From a Gun,' and the dynamic 'Walk In Wardrobe,' produced by Dave. The way Central Cee expresses range on Can't Rush Greatness while staying true to the confidence and swagger that got him here make the album one of the best so far this year. Alright! Mereba — The Breeze Grew a Fire A lot has happened in Mereba's life since the 2019 release of her debut album, The Jungle is the Only Way Out. Perhaps most significantly, she became a mother. The singer released an emotive project in her return to music via The Breeze Grew a Fire. The album was fittingly released on Valentine's Day and explores several types of love between romantic partners and family. The lead single and album opener, 'Counterfeit,' is bouncy and upbeat with a witty message about the importance of authenticity in relationships. From there, the project is simply smooth as it slinks between the funky 'White Doves,' the ethereal 'Out of the Blue' and the mesmerizing 'Hawk' where she spits a few bars. Mereba proves herself as a true artist who draws her audience into her heart and soul. Ovrkast. — While the Iron is Hot East Oakland rapper and producer Ovrkast. released quite an exciting half-hour of music in the form of his sophomore album, While the Iron is Hot. While he's established himself as a master of the lo-fi sound, this album jumps into the action right away with the dizzying jazzy 'HOT!' Then 'truth?' gives a glimpse into the purpose of the album as Ovrkast. spits about finding his place in the world. Advertisement The beat drop on 'Small Talk' is impeccable and the thumps of the bass and gritty sample of Biggie Smalls' 'Gimme The Loot' are balanced perfectly by soft horns and Samara Cyn's ethereal voice. The rest of the project has a fairly chill vibe with lots of piano and a prayer of protection at the end of 'SPIKE LEE.' But there's moments of hype like the energetic 'MAVKAST!' with North Carolina MC Mavi and the slap-tastic 'Strange Ways' with the illustrious Vince Staples. There's so many sonic layers on While the Iron is Hot and only one song is more than three minutes long. Ovrkast. is on track to be in the conversation of this generation's genre-bending artists like Little Simz, Tyler, The Creator, and Pharrell. Wretch 32 — HOME? While Wretch 32 might not get the commercial acclaim as some of his peers or the new rap stars, his place in UK rap history is cemented. After nearly two decades in the game, he doesn't have much to prove and it's evident on HOME? that he feels a sense of belonging and freedom at this point in his career. But the question mark in the title shows the conversation is ongoing as he considers his role as a father, artist, and son of immigrants. Advertisement The album isn't even really a rap album. It opens with the cinematic 'Transitional Chapter' featuring fierce drums and soulful horns. There's lots of feel good vibes paying homage to Wretch 32's Jamaican heritage. Skip Marley gives a major co-sign with his appearance on 'Nesta Marley' complete with a reference to Dido's 'Thank You' as a reminder that 'It's not so bad.' The rap moments are fierce and worthy of conversation. 'Seven Seater' with Mercston and Ghetts is fire. The single 'Black and British' with Little Simz and Benjamin A.D analyzes the complexity of identity and is another standout track. 'Home Sweet Home' is a fitting semi-title track where Wretch 32 and Grime vet Kano trade thoughtful verses about not feeling at home in England. Kano utilizes soccer to ponder nationalism and race, saying he would rather rep Jamaica's Reggae Boyz than England's Three Lions. He also reflects on how Bukayo Saka and Marcus Rashford must feel as Black players, especially after receiving plenty of racial abuse following their performances at the 2020 EURO finals. The line 'go black home, you'll be all white in the morning' shows why Kano is one of the best to ever do it. One of Wretch 32's lines on 'Me & Mine' might summarize the whole project. 'Although I had the choice of choosing Ps, I chose peace of mind.' Wretch 32 has probably had his fair share of opportunities to sell out in his career, but here he stands with confidence and clarity that money can't buy.
ABC News
15-06-2025
- Entertainment
- ABC News
Little Simz — Lotus
The resilient lotus flower, which seeks light and blossoms out of muddy waters, carries heavy religious symbolism. The allegory to Lotus , Little Simz' stellar sixth album, is obvious. The artisanal British rapper has gone through a tumultuous period yet emerged with music that transforms trauma into triumph. Lotus comes roaring out the gate with 'Thief', a scathing diss track aimed at childhood friend and long-term producer Inflo, accusing him of "financial [and] emotional exploitation." In March, Simz sued Inflo (real name Dean Cover) over an alleged £1.7million (AU$3.5m) in unpaid loans. Over a murky arrangement of stalking bass, horror movie strings and spaghetti western guitars, Simz snarls: " I'm lucky that I got out now / It's a shame, I really feel sorry for your wife … This person I've known my whole life, coming like a devil in disguise .' Penultimate track 'Lonely' offers a more pensive take on the relationship breakdown. Simz confesses ' I was lonely making an album, attempted it four times' , leading to a crisis of confidence where she nearly called quits on her music career. ' Tryna make an album means baring your whole truth/unpacking the f**kery I'm trying to heal through,' she laments over smoky piano and backing that's as spare as 'Thief' is fiery. The demise of such a crucial creative partnership would tank most artists. But Simbiatu Ajikawo is absolutely not most artists. Across the record's 13 tracks she sounds as commanding as ever, tapping her full toolkit — devilishly smart bars and devastatingly honest lyricism; a thoughtful approach to mixing sounds and genres — to re-assert her artistry. Helping exercise her demons is new producer Miles Cinton James, who wrangles everything from swooning orchestras to funky ensembles for instrumentals that span rock ('Flood'), jazzy neo-soul ('Free'), acoustics ('Peace'), Afrobeat, bossa nova and beyond. Also on hand is an impressive cast of guests, including Little Dragon's Yukimi Nagano, the tender-voiced Sampha, and Obongjayar — the Nigerian-born, London-based polymath enhancing the thudding 'Flood' and swaggering stand-out 'Lion'. 'We don't care for what they say, that's my superpower' he boasts casually on Simz' behalf on the latter against a smooth, West African-inflected groove that's diabolically catchy. The brilliant Michael Kiwanuka is a soulful ballast to Simz' bite on the title track, a sprawling epic that allows breathing room for acclaimed jazz drummer Yussef Dayes to strut his stuff. Another raw highlight is 'Blood', a back-and-forth with British rapper Wretch 32 that plays out as an arresting, authentic conversation between frustrated siblings. It proves Simz is a master of the storytelling craft as much as revered MCs like Kendrick Lamar and Dave It isn't all so serious, though. The slinky 'Only' and toy-piano-and-bass-charged 'Enough' engage with playful braggadocio. Meanwhile, the tongue-in-cheek 'Young' sounds like it escaped from The Streets' discography, Simz adopting a rich-kid persona to skewer class disparity. Each track on Lotus stands tall in isolation, but taken together it results in a rewarding listening experience that's balanced between 2021's dense, Mercury Prize winning Sometimes I Might Be Introvert and the tough urgency of its surprise follow-up, 2022's No Thank You . Though Lotus was born from grief, anger, self-doubt, and burnout, Simz sounds like an elite athlete recovering from an injury that's only briefly affected her game. It marks a major turning point in her career but is less a rebirth and more an evolution, a re-affirmation of Little Simz's legacy as one of hip hop's all-time greats.
The Guardian
07-06-2025
- Entertainment
- The Guardian
Little Simz on breakthroughs, betrayal and becoming one of the UK's best-ever rappers: ‘I don't want to shy away from how I feel'
It's an unseasonably warm spring afternoon and sunlight is beaming through the floor-to-ceiling windows of a north London photo studio. When I arrive, Little Simz is out on the balcony. Wearing chunky sunglasses, a skirt and comfy cardigan, she sits on a chair with her back to the sun, eyes on the horizon, and pulls her legs up, wrapping her arms around her knees in a defensive position that's verging on foetal. The Guardian's journalism is independent. We will earn a commission if you buy something through an affiliate link. Learn more. It's curious body language for an artist at the top of her game. At 31, Simz is looking out at a city she can justifiably claim to have conquered since emerging as a teenage rapper more than a decade ago. But that's not where she's at right now. 'I genuinely felt like I could disappoint everyone,' Simz says when I ask about the making of her sixth album, Lotus. She gives an impression of what she said to her team at the start of the process. 'Sorry, everyone, this could be a big waste of your time, and if it is, I'm truly sorry, but I'm just not confident right now.' The crisis felt terminal, Simz tells me. It sprang from creative fatigue: six albums in a decade and relentless touring tends to do that to solo artists. That spark she naturally had in the studio just wasn't there this time, perhaps exacerbated by a very public schism with her friend, collaborator and producer Inflo. They are now embroiled in a messy legal battle over an alleged £1.7m in unpaid loans. She's explained the album title as a reference to 'one of the only flowers that thrive in muddy waters', but the seas she's been swimming in appear shark infested rather than just murky. She was close to calling it quits. At one point Simz sat down with Lotus producer Miles Clinton James to lay her cards on the table. 'I was just real with him. I said, 'Look, whatever you think this Little Simz shit is … I can't guarantee that's possible because I'm not even feeling it myself.' 'I just was a bit lost, to be honest,' Simz says. The first time I saw Simz perform was 11 years ago in a dark basement club in east London. She was still a teenager, making her live debut as a support act for the Atlanta rapper Future – tall, skinny and absolutely not fazed by a crowd made up of industry types as well as hardcore rap fans. Contemporary hip-hop can sometimes seem like a game of style over substance – more about the number of followers, the degree of posturing and the right connections than actual ability on the mic. Simz is an antidote to those excesses. Watching her at Glastonbury last year, she appeared with a backing band and little else, dropping into a cappella moments where her voice and lyrical ability were the only tools she needed. But even then, in that little basement back in 2014, she looked born to do it. Since that debut she has risen to become arguably the most exciting British musician of the last decade. There have been awards: a Mercury prize, an Ivor Novello, a Brit and a handful of Mobos. All of her albums have been critically praised, but the last three have cemented her as a mainstream success and darling of the critics. This year she's curating Meltdown, following in the footsteps of Grace Jones, David Bowie and Chaka Khan, and bringing herself, plus The Streets and Tiwa Savage, to London's Southbank Centre. She's also shooting two films, both still under wraps. And there have been viral online moments, too: a Chicken Shop date with Amelia Dimoldenberg where she talked about her love of Bell Hooks and Muay Thai kickboxing; and a few weeks back she freestyled with Usher after one of his sold-out O2 shows. What does she think young Simz would make of the artist she's become today? 'I think she'd just be proud,' she says, looking out over the London skyline. 'Like, wow, you actually did it. You actually did what you set out to do.' Did she have an established list of goals? 'Definitely playing the O2,' she says after a moment's thought. 'Even though that's not happened yet, it's happening.' Simz is set to play the venue in October, as part of a UK arena tour in support of Lotus. 'Even that is a crazy thing to wrap my head around,' she says. 'Or even just, like, going to the States and performing in New York, or curating Meltdown. I don't even think I knew what Meltdown was back then.' Born Simbiatu Ajikawo in 1994, Little Simz was raised in north London by her Nigerian mother Tola and three older siblings. Her father broke up with her mum and left the family home, which soon buzzed with activity thanks to a steady stream of foster children. 'I met so many different kids from all different walks of life who just became part of my family and who my mum nurtured and took care of,' Simz says. 'It was really beautiful. I gained newfound respect and appreciation for my family, knowing that it's not given that everyone has loving support … I never went a day without love.' When Simz won a Brit for best new artist in 2022, she brought her mum out on stage. 'It just really felt like she won best album that night and I just went up there to support her,' says Simz, who seems genuinely in awe of her mother. 'I thought, wow, you came to this country not knowing anyone, not knowing a word of English, and now your last born has just won a Brit … it's kind of crazy.' Growing up in north London, Simz experimented with various artistic disciplines. She danced (the hyperactive early 00s style known as krumping was a favourite); acted (starring in CBBC shows Youngers and Spirit Warriors); and rapped, appearing on stage at the O2 Academy aged 11, reciting her own work as part of a youth club also attended by Leona Lewis and Alexandra Burke. The competing creative avenues were all maintained until she hit her mid-teens and a clear winner emerged. 'When I was maybe, like, 14 is when music became my world. I was just so immersed in it. This is me. This is what I want to be when I get older,' Simz says. The artists she most looked up to were Missy Elliott and Ms Dynamite. 'Watching early Missy videos … the beats were hard, so I always wanted to dance to them and make routines for them.' But what really impressed Simz was her artistry and uncompromising approach. Told by executives she wasn't thin enough, Elliott shot videos with Hype Williams in billowing black costumes that made a feature of her body type rather than diminishing it. Simz has spoken before about industry figures encouraging her to wear sexualised outfits – something anathema to an artist whose lyrical ability is their superpower. 'I don't want to compromise on that, because at that point I'd stop being myself,' she says. 'But maybe something that I wasn't open to wearing when I was 18, I would now as a grown woman … It just has to feel right.' Like her other hero, Ms Dynamite, Simz addressed the absence of her father in her lyrics. While Dynamite didn't pull her punches ('I spent 23 years trying to be the fucking man you should be / Taking care of your responsibility / Putting clothes on our back and shoes on our feet, no help' is how she addressed it on her song Father), Simz is more reflective, generous even, in her assessment of her dad, who she still has no contact with. She's written about him before on I Love You, I Hate You, a standout moment from her Mercury prize-winning album from 2022, Sometimes I Might Be Introvert. Did his absence complicate her happy memories of childhood? 'It doesn't affect the memories I have growing up. It just wasn't meant to be between them … but I think there's still a lot of love there, and I'm sure my dad respects my mum having raised his children, you know? Now that I'm older, I definitely just understand that parents are flawed as well, and I get it. I've tried to not hold on to the anger, maybe that I once felt, or like this deep resentment … I'm just trying to let it go.' Was that hard to do? 'Definitely, 100%,' Simz says. 'Especially when you just internalise a lot of it. Like, did you not love me? Like, did you not …' There's a pause. 'I don't think it's any of that. I just think it is what it is, to be honest. But I've forgiven him.' That grace isn't something Simz extends to everyone. One issue that definitely isn't resolved is her relationship with Inflo, real name Dean Josiah Cover, the producer she's known since childhood and to whom she paid gushing tribute from the Mercury stage. ('I wanna say a thank you to my brother and close collaborator Inflo – Flo [has] known me since I was so young, he's stuck by me, we created this album together. There were times in the studio I didn't know if I was gonna finish this record, I was going through all the emotions … he stuck by me.') The pair met at Mary's Youth Club in north London and forged one of the most successful and close producer-artist relationships the UK has seen in the last decade. They didn't just work on Little Simz records, they were also part of Sault – the mysterious collective that also includes Inflo's wife Cleo Sol and Michael Kiwanuka. They didn't play live. Albums were dropped without warning or promotion. They oscillated between R&B, neo-soul and funk, all underpinned by Inflo's production, earning the group a Mercury nomination in 2021. But it's fair to say that a lot has changed in the last three years. Lotus feels like a breakup record of a sort, not romantic but still deeply personal, as the Simz/Inflo partnership is pulled apart and dissected. In late 2023, Sault put on a gig at the Drumsheds. It's a huge venue in north-east London that used to be an old Ikea store, which they filled with string sections, choristers and teams of dancers. Tickets were priced at £99 a pop, and sold out rapidly. One punter said it was like a mix of Kendrick Lamar's performance at Glastonbury, a Punchdrunk immersive theatre production, the London 2012 opening ceremony and Talking Heads' classic concert film Stop Making Sense, 'and it was also like nothing you've ever seen'. The whole thing cost around £1m, which Simz claims she mostly bankrolled, lending the money to Inflo. Simz's legal team says she also made significant payments to her former producer to cover recording costs. Inflo's legal team disputes the details of the claims but he is yet to comment publicly; the case is ongoing. 'Clarity' and 'directness' are the two words Simz uses to sum up her mindset going into the recording process for Lotus. From the opening track Thief, it's clear what she's focusing on. There are barbs ('You talk about god when you have a god complex, when I think you're the one who needs saving … '), score settling ('We went for 100 down to nought, and yes it is all your fault … your name wasn't popping until I worked with you') and accusations ('This person I've known my whole life, coming like the devil in disguise. My jaw was on the floor, my eyes have never been so wide … '). It's all delivered with a snarl and a driving bassline that wouldn't sound out of place on a Nick Cave murder ballad. Her track Lonely features the lines, 'Team falling apart and I'm caught in the crossfire / You selling me lies and saying I must buy'; while on Hollow she raps, 'You want the best for me allegedly / But all you got is evil eye and jealousy … You was moving like one leech.' Sign up to Inside Saturday The only way to get a look behind the scenes of the Saturday magazine. Sign up to get the inside story from our top writers as well as all the must-read articles and columns, delivered to your inbox every weekend. after newsletter promotion Simz describes the schism as 'a bit of a violent ending' and she doesn't leave anything to the imagination on the record: there's not an olive branch in sight. Although Inflo isn't mentioned by name, it doesn't take a forensic investigator to figure out who the chorus 'Selling lies, selling dreams … Thief!' might be aimed at, while 'I feel sorry for your wife' appears to be a reference to Inflo's partner, Cleo Sol. These are Fleetwood Mac levels of animosity. Surely there must be huge anxiety before airing all these things in public? 'I really just put my life out there and my diary essentially,' she says, sounding like rap's answer to Rachel Cusk. 'I just wanted to be true to the emotion, what I was feeling, and document it, and not shy away from how I feel about stuff, because I don't want things to eat me up and fester.' She emphasises that the desire for openness is about her mental health. 'Because I do think they eat you from the inside out. So for me to not let that happen, I needed to talk about it in so many different ways … from a place of pure hurt and anger and frustration, to a place of sadness.' Simz has spoken before about her experiences with therapy, in order to cope with seeing friends go to prison, and after the 2018 murder of the model Harry Uzoka – another childhood friend, who was stabbed in west London. Simz stayed off social media in the hours after the news broke, instead choosing to go into the studio and write Wounds, an anti-knife crime track on her album Grey Area. Now it seems the place she's working out her feelings is the recording studio. And she's under no illusions that there's a road back to working with Inflo or as part of Sault, who are still releasing new music (though the collective's Michael Kiwanuka features on the title track, Lotus). 'I'm really proud of myself that I was able to do that,' she says. 'There's a legacy built; amazing music was made and I will always love those songs. I'm super proud of that work, but it's just a new time and a new chapter in my life.' Can she still listen to the music she made with Inflo as a solo artist and in Sault? 'If you have a kid with someone and it doesn't work out, you don't just stop loving the kid,' she says after a few moments. 'You can appreciate you've made something beautiful with someone and now grow in your separate ways.' Three things kept Simz grounded during the tumult of the last 18 months: family, God (she's credited the big man with helping her get the album finished) and her partner, the model Chuck Junior Achike. You rarely hear Simz speak about her relationship: is that intentional? 'I don't think I get asked that much,' she laughs. 'I do quite enjoy having that bit of privacy, but my partner's not a secret.' Then there's her favouite way to relax: Lego. 'I haven't done it in a while, but at one point I was banging them out in a day … just ordering bare Lego, getting a bit crazy with it.' How crazy? Did you recreate Middle-earth in your living room? 'I had one similar to this landscape,' she says looking out toward the Shard and the city skyline. 'I think it was, like, the London Eye, and I set up some nice bonsai trees, flowers and a jazz band.' What's the appeal? 'It just makes me feel like a kid,' Simz says. 'I'm not really thinking when I do it … it just feels really peaceful. I just feel really calm.' Cooking for loved ones (she makes a mean plate of jollof rice) and entertaining is another key part of the Simz downtime calendar, as well as taking photographs. 'Photography is something I've loved for many, many years,' Simz says, beaming. 'I like just going out and shooting stuff.' Like what? 'Landscape stuff, or people, whatever. If I'm out in the middle of nowhere, I'll just shoot some sheep.' 'Sheep?' 'Yeah,' she says. 'They need to be represented, too!' We've swapped seats; she's now looking out over the capital, sunglasses on to protect against the glare. Amid the jokes there's a hard-won steeliness to Simz. Was it always there? Coming into the industry as a teenager, Simz says, she was 'super trusting, very open, very vulnerable' and genuinely believed that people worked in the industry because they just love music. 'That was my attitude towards things,' she says, laughing. 'People are just trying to make good art, because music's really gonna heal the world. Then obviously you get rude awakenings.' Lanre Bakare is the author of We Were There: How Black culture, resistance and community shaped modern Britain, published by Vintage Little Simz's new album, Lotus, is out now and she is curating Meltdown, 12-22 June, at Southbank Centre, London.
BBC News
06-06-2025
- Entertainment
- BBC News
Lotus: Little Simz says she almost quit music before new album
Award winning rapper Little Simz says she considered quitting music while working on her latest album following a split from her long-term producer."When self-doubt seeps in, when you really lose confidence in yourself, it's not a joke," she told 1Xtra's DJ Target."It'll have you questioning everything."Lotus, which dropped earlier, is the rapper's first release since she stopped working with her former producer Dean Cover, better known as Inflo, who she first met at a youth club in this year, she reportedly sued him for allegedly failing to pay her back after she lent him £1.7m. Inflo hasn't commented on the case. Simz told the BBC her new album explores the isolation she felt but is, at its core, about growth and moving on. "I've always been someone who wants to win with who I've come up with," the 31-year-old said."I love the idea of doing things as a team, you come with your people."Sometimes along the way, there's a parting, there's people going in different directions, and as I'm getting older I'm learning to be at peace with that and letting go and moving on."My music's always been a space for me to speak about those things in a way that feels authentic and that's honest. "I think that's part of my healing." Lotus is the Londoner's sixth studio album and while she doesn't mention Inflo by name, tracks like Thief and Lonely seem heavily influenced by the breakdown of their an interview with Billboard in April, Simz revealed she'd started four albums with the producer, all of which had to be scrapped. And on Lonely, which she performed live in a special show at the BBC's Maida Vale studios on Wednesday, she opens up about how shelving them made her lose her raps about "sitting in the studio with my head in my hands thinking, 'what am I to do with this music I can't write?'"Despite being a decorated artist, winning the 2022 Mercury Prize and Brit, Mobo and Ivor Novello awards for her fourth album, Sometimes I Might Be Introvert, Simz says she still worried she wasn't talented enough after the fall-out. 'Here's my diary' She told DJ Target she wasn't sure if she wanted to continue making music before recording Lotus, but the thought it could be her last album encouraged her to just throw everything at it. The album, she says, "feels very exposed... literally, here's my diary".Lonely, in particular, was described by NME as the "emotional epicentre" of the said it was "one of the moments on the album where I was like, I'm just going to tell it how it is and leave it on the record". Simz now said Lotus is the work she's most proud of and that it's restored her self-belief. "This album has really helped bring me back to what my purpose is," she told Radio 1's Jack Saunders."I definitely feel way more empowered to do what I'm doing, and more confident than I did when I was first making this record."It's really helped me find my belief in myself again."The album name, Lotus, is taken from the flower renowned for its ability to survive in hostile habitats. Simz has said, like herself, it "learned how to thrive in muddy waters"."It's such a brilliant example of something coming from these conditions and being something so beautiful and overcoming," she says."One of the themes [of the album] is growth but it's more so rising above it. "We all go through madnesses in life and we're all doing our best to figure out how to overcome things."It's OK to sometimes feel a bit lost."BBC Newsbeat contacted Inflo's representatives for comment but did not get a response. Little Simz: Live at the BBC is available to stream on BBC iPlayer now. Listen to Newsbeat live at 12:45 and 17:45 weekdays - or listen back here.
Spectator
04-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Spectator
Compelling: Little Simz's Lotus reviewed
It is not uncommon for (predominantly male) music critics to invert the 'great man/great woman' dictum in order to suggest that behind the success of every powerful female artist there simply must be a moustache-twirling Svengali pulling the strings. It's less common for the artist themselves to pose the question. On 'Lonely', the penultimate track on her compelling sixth album, London rapper and actor Simbiatu Ajikawo, who performs as Little Simz, interrogates the doubts and insecurities she felt while writing and recording this record. In doing so, she asks: 'I'm used to making it with [redacted]/ Can I do it without?' The bleeped-out name is likely that of Dean Cover, aka Inflo, the influential writer, producer and multi instrumentalist whose contribution to Ajikawo's three previous albums, including the standout Sometimes I Might Be Introvert, winner of the 2022 Mercury Music Prize, is hard to overstate. It was recently revealed, however, that she is suing her former friend and collaborator over an alleged debt stretching into seven figures. Which explains why Inflo is AWOL on Lotus. Instead, Ajikawo paired up with a new (male) cowriter, musical partner and producer, Miles Clinton James. To which one might reasonably conclude that she has answered her own question: 'Can I do it without?' Apparently not. But this would be to misunderstand not only the essentially collaborative nature of the modern pop game, which is nowadays a tech-savvy team sport, closer to Formula 1 than showbiz, but also the fact that the backroom boys of the current era aren't puppeteers; rather, they serve at the behest of the headline artist. Lorde, Taylor Swift, Charli XCX et al.
