Review Summary: The throne is hers for the taking.
In 2015 hip-hop as a whole genre stands in the shadow of one album. Kendrick Lamar’s “To Pimp A Butterfly” has been such a towering success both critically and commercially, that it would be very easy to prematurely proclaim that it’s the best hip-hop album of the year and just be done with it. I beg to differ.
UK based rapper Little Simz (Simbi Ajikawo) has been generating some buzz over the last year with a series of EPs that didn't really garner a huge amount of attention but have definitely been noticed by folks who pay close attention to the scene. Even the current king of the genre, Kendrick Lamar, acknowledged that Little Simz “might be the illest doin right now”. She finally released her first full length LP a few weeks ago and it will certainly establish her as one of the brightest prospects in the whole genre.
“A Curious Tale Of Trials + Persons” starts out confidently with the opening track “Persons” which features an infectious groove and an MC that is coming out of the gate swinging. It only takes a minute for her to declare herself to be the King (not the Queen mind you) and the listener won't object. Once you’re reeled in, the album slows down a bit with the second song “Wings” featuring a more laid back production and some nice organic instrumentation that feels like a nod to Flying Lotus. Little Simz herself trades in the ferocious posturing for a more thoughtful and introspective approach, but manages to transfer the speedy and sharp flow of the more aggressive “Persons” into the more somber “Wings”. The production is remarkably well done and varied, not only on “Wings” but the entirety of the album, some tracks (“God Bless Mary”) feature crisp boom-bap beats and the slightly jazzy instrumentation that is so en vogue right now. Other tracks (“Dead Body”) are more grimey and disjointed but work just as well.
Lyrically the album is on point the entire running time, Little Simz is not only a superb rapper from a technical standpoint, but also has a way with words and knows how to slyly craft a narrative. Thematically the songs focus on her way to the top (which really has just begun) and the trials and tribulations that come with it. The album is mostly altering between stories of her past and struggling with the challenges that her new found success brings with it. While this is certainly not a new concept, she stands head and shoulders above most artists in the execution of this idea. On album highlight “Tainted” for example, she cleverly raps from the perspective of an artist who has sold-out and it’s clearly some kind of alter ego, a Little Simz that’s been tainted by success and fame. The framing of the entire song shows a level of self-awareness and an ability to tell a story that is rare.
The album is not without its flaws, on certain tracks most notably on “The Lights”, Little Simz seems to be rapping against the beat, rather than hopping onto it. Both the rapping as well as the instrumentals are fine, but they just don’t mesh. Instead Little Simz is wrestling with the instrumental for dominance, which is a shame because on some other tracks she intertwines her rapping so effortlessly with the beat. One could also criticize that the concept of the album is really narrow and focused on one theme. But while seeing her tackling different issues might have been interesting, it’s hard to fault her when every song is put together with so much intelligence and care.
In the end the album certainly has a few spots where it’s rough around the edges, but that is not necessarily a bad thing. It really feels like this is just the beginning for her and it is hard not be enthusiastic, because she’s certainly off to an impressive start. Just watch out for that throne of yours Kendrick.
