A Lot on My Crate

It was around 2018 I saw a YouTube music video of “Proud of Me” by England’s Mahalia. It was an alternative R&B soul and hip-hop single that was uplifting about someone being filled with gratitude. The verses by Mahalia herself and the chorus was already hitting, but then came Little Simz’s turn and I was completely blown away. Not only does she flow so well over the beat with such speedy ease, but is also able to implement her poetry like comfort food for the soul. I followed her works and listened to her third album Grey Area and was astounded that she is able to tell her stories and her blights in so many different ways. Grey Area was so memorable and hard to beat. Even the critically acclaimed and ambitious Sometimes I Might Be Introvert album was not able to match it in my opinion, despite me loving this grandiose album too. Little Simz or Simbiatu Abisola Abiola Ajikawo has grown up in London most of her life and knew she wanted to perform at a young age shown that she performed in TV series or taking dance classes. But her real passion is music. It’s in her blood. She makes mixtapes and uploads on Soundcloud with those creative juices flowing in her mind and her bars. If you listen to her lyricism and her sound back then, it is a night and day difference now. Understandable, since she’s been working her craft for over a decade now. Her rapping style is not only smooth to listen to, but her words can cut like sharp teeth against her offenders. Or you can hear the most self reflective music and be transported into the new world with words of wisdom that some people never get to see even with their third eye. If Chris Rock asks me my top five, then Little Simz would be in that list. She’s that spectacular. I couldn’t get into No Thank You, but there were still a handful of tracks that were amazing. The swagger, the wisdom, and the emotional roller coaster ride Lotus provides are great perks to this jazz rap album. When she talked to the The Guardian, she said she wasn’t confident about this release. It was made in a fit of rage and hardship when the conflict with producer Inflo (of Sault) has made her life hell with being owed in the millions. A shame, since they both worked on the masterpiece that is Grey Area, but her need to make this album is a calling. It sounds like a call for justice. She’s at her low and the meaning of Lotus is that it’s the flower that grows in harsh conditions. This flower has thorns, beauty, and memorability. This album has is a warrior with a bandolier of these superb memorable tracks. This texture and instrumental palette makes me revisit this jazz rap album again and again. But not only that. Simz’s words and teeth are the boost I need.

“Thief” gives off scary energy to the point that they have these wolf howls. The thief, Simz refers to is Inflo who has stolen what she is owed. The background vocals of the chorus feels like ghosts laughing and mocking at a tormented soul. This diss is so catchy. She even makes it really personal and push Inflo’s buttons by saying she feels sorry for his wife (Cleo Sol). The diss continues with “Flood” with these angry battle ready kicks and a feature from our man, Obongjayar. It’s no coincidence he has collaborated with talents such as Simz and Annahstasia, but Obongjayar deserves his flowers too. But Simz continues the fight and means business by fighting business men. “Flood” is criticism of record labels being described as snakes, hyenas, and clones. These first two tracks have got me pumped up. But we then pump the brakes on “Young” with these bass licks, but Simz shows she’s got independence to survive. She’s being cheeky here, because she knows nothing scares her, since she’s already clawed out of the abyss. No looking back. “Only” sounds like a cool samba with this very glam chorus by Lydia Kitto. She delivers great quotes like “It’s funny how they always wanna hate to love.” She’s on top of the world with the haters just festering on the bottom away from her ocean view. “Free” is nice disco throwback with the background vocals and these ornate strings that makes the whole song so smooth. The song just exudes positive energy. If one needs wisdom to achieve peace there are a lot of great helpful tips here. There are tips like don’t succumb to fear, love yourself, accept real love that is sincere, etc. Little Simz becomes a self help book without the marketing or moral posturing, because she says you must love yourself in the mirror unconditionally. Speaking of peace, we go into this absolutely breathtaking guitar loop and distant singer saying ‘she’s got to find some of peace of mind’. “Peace” is probably the most beautiful song here to the point that it gets me emotionally teary-eyed. Peace is not achieved by avoiding all that is negative and never failing, but learning to live with it and embracing those bad things. Easier said and done yes. It sounds close to being spiritual with references of religion. It says love is the currency and minimalism doesn’t mean you spend less. And of course, Moses Sumney and Miraa May guides us to a safe exit out. “Hollow” sounds like someone contemplating on the stage and reminiscing their past. She goes through some spoken word and she goes into a monologue as if she’s on the stage alone with her thoughts and memories about those who wronged her. It’s a very cinematic moment here. “Lion” is a cool cut with Obongjayar up for round two as a stellar feature. She boasts some more and rubs it in their face! “Enough” sounds so sinister with these xylophones and bass guitar that it gave me a frozen stank face. A catchy hook on “don’t make me pull the plug” along with these unhinged artistic liberties and vocals that signals for you to get out of her way. She’s still hungry for success as she is not sated. We go into this profound dialogue between Simz and Wretch 32 that plays her brother in this story. Even though, Wretch 32 is not her brother, the love, the frustration, the worry, and the longing for bonding, made me convinced they are true siblings. It feels like this song was very personal for Simz and maybe for Wretch as these words seem to be from the heart. All she wants is a phone call from him now and then. It’s a back and forth that can constitute as cinema on film. Things seem desolate on the titular track, “Lotus”. Little Simz goes aggressive on this one as it feels like she has so much trauma and endless baggage under her belt. It makes you curious on how one is able to survive through all this hardship and a rough environment. But now she equips her hardship for words to the next one feeling down to get up and try the fuck again. “In my pain is a glory.”, says Michael Kiwanuka in “Lotus”. The penultimate track, “Lonely” is ornate by Simz feeling really down herself after saying all these motivational words, she regresses. We all feel that. You find yourself high on your medicine when you stop thinking about that toxic friend and then a wave of sadness hits you when you feel the cold betrayal again, even when they’re not there anymore. The negativity comes and goes. They always do, as it is very natural and human to feel these cycles of sadness. The curtain closes on “Blue”, as it sounds epic, grand, but somber by utilizing these minimal instruments and this cowboy whistling. In this closer, she doesn’t touch on her struggles anymore, but extends her hands to those in dire need and the world is against them. It almost sounds like she’s in tears in a few spots here. Sampha lets us sit in our thoughts as this song sounds like a sad ending and a battle lost However, she hopes people will get out of their ruts, whatever they may be.

“Hollow” and “Lonely” has great song writing, however only sound wise I couldn’t get into them. They are still recommended listens. The caveats this album has are damn specks.

Lotus has strong instruments, hooks, melodies, and even strong features. It’s also very accessible as hip-hop fans and jazz heads would dig this. It’s so tough to pick a favorite between this album and Grey Area. This album has so many constant hits. They don’t need to be hard hitting trunk thumpin’ bangers, but the art resonates with you emotionally. What makes Simz such a profound rapper, is that she is able to tell a myriad of ways to uplift people. She builds a positive mindset and narrative to uplift you, hug you, and when backed to a corner, defend you. She states this album was made for her to heal her wounds, but yet, is impactful enough to indirectly be able to dress and cure our wounds as well. Maybe we needed this album too? Her last three lines were hauntingly profound:

“Would you still do it with no guarantee?”

“You’re either a savin’ grace or you’re a disturbance.”

“What do you do when given your purpose?”

She asks will you blossom or die? She gives you words that can save the soul. Now it’s time for the souls to save the world.

FAVORITE TRACKS: THIEF, FLOOD, YOUNG, ONLY, FREE, PEACE, LION, ENOUGH, BLOOD, LOTUS, BLUE

LEAST FAVORITE: HOLLOW

This album and her discography are also available for streaming.