Little Simz – NO THANK YOU
The inimitable Little Simz returns with her limitless, abundant growth – but this time she details the intimate exploitation in the music industry for Black artists
Blending a history of gospel, soul and rap, NO THANK YOU cuts and shifts, showing her irrepressible force and talent. On Gorilla, there’s a Jurassic 5 bassline with a jarring, performative flow. It’s a mash of orchestra and choir all against the negativity hidden and explicit. Simbi's vocals hang on every word, a monotonic flow, considered, lax and assured; it catches you.
The pensive Broken spotlights how someone can survive the pressures of being in the industry as a Black artist. Both love of others and self-love emerges throughout as an ointment, where in Silhouette, the line ‘Your insecurity won’t break me down’ binds together with the comforting, soulful refrain of ‘Time will heal you’. A combination that confronts dealing with naysayers and supporting those adjacent to you.
Recognising your self-worth is the vision emerging from every track and Little Simz does. 'When you men have your daughters, you’ll see how important I am', she notes on Sideways. Little Simz is an interrogator, a motivator and above all an unstoppable force and says 'No, thank you' to feeding the corporate thieves in an industry where ‘honesty isn’t normalised’.
Listen to: Broken, Heart on Fire, No Merci