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Little Simz

LITTLE SIMZ with JUNIA-T, JUICE MONEY COLLECTIVE and DJ MENSA at Mod Club (722 College), Saturday (April 4), 8 pm. $15-$25. eventbrite.ca, playderecord.com, soundscapesmusic.com.


If anyone messes with Little Simz‘s music in the recording studio, she will know.

Although the 21-year-old English rapper’s steady stream of self-released mixtapes and EPs has attracted hip-hop A-listers like Andre 3000, Kendrick Lamar and Epic Records president Sylvia Rhone, the industry attention hasn’t persuaded her to drop out of the University of West London’s music production program – yet.

“It’s about being self-reliant,” she explains over the phone from Red Bull Studios in London, where she’s holding court with press before heading to SXSW. “I mean, everyone needs help, but I like to be more knowledgeable in that area and not just have to write lyrics or get in the booth.”

She’s due to graduate this summer, but each new day brings a press junket, photo shoot, recording session or concert, like her first headlining Toronto gig on Saturday. “I’m going to ride it out as long as I possibly can until it’s physically impossible for me to go to university and study.”

Born and raised in North London, Simz – aka Simbi Ajikawo – is a tough, motor-mouthed MC with a penchant for wandering, melancholic chords, hectic flows and introspective rhymes that often bristle with indignation at the music establishment.

Her self-reliance extends outside the studio into her business instincts. Jay Z’s Life+Times website premiered her home-recorded 2013 mixtape, Blank Canvas, but she has so far refused to sign with a label, preferring instead to put out music on her own imprint via Bandcamp.

When it comes to beatmakers – producers Tiffany Gouché, Jakwob and IAMNOBODI are among the contributors to her recent EP, Age 101: Drop 3 – the weirder the better.

“That’s usually the stuff other artists refuse. I don’t want to stick to the same thing because I’m a rapper,” she explains. “I like to fuck with the structure and the chords and try and make it not so easy for the listeners. It opens up the mind and forces them to pay attention a lot more.”

The main focus of her debut album, due this summer, is the distancing effect of fame – how it can change your social dynamics. It’s something she experiences when she encounters old schoolmates or fans who only see Little Simz the Rapper.

“A lot of business people try to mould you into what they want to you to be as opposed to who you want to be,” says Simz. “Learning to say no is important, and being comfortable in my own skin and not worrying about what makes people become famous or get to the top. It’s about focusing on what really matters, which is the music and what you’re saying to people.”

Listen to more Little Simz here.

music@nowtoronto.com | @kevinritchie

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