Little Simz – NO THANK YOU Tour at Alexandra Palace, London
On the first of two nights in front of a packed-out Alexandra Palace, Little Simz strutted about in a black suit and tie with an ease that reflects her polished and sleek style of rapping. It was a true testament to the performer’s popularity and ability on the mic that most of the crowd joined her in attending the show in formal attire. There was clearly a wave of expectation throughout said crowd, with this being the artist’s first return to perform in London since the release of her fantastic project NO THANK YOU in December 2022. Should the occasion have created any pressure at all, Simz showed no sign of feeling it, having developed into a very impressive, increasingly seasoned performer.
The most remarkable aspect of Simz’s performance for me was the striking resemblance to the Kendrick Lamar show I attended last year at the O2 Arena. Lamar famously co-signed the British rapper early in her career, and there have been many musical comparisons drawn between their rapping styles and lyricism. Additionally, however, Simz has clearly taken inspiration from Lamar’s on-stage mannerisms too. For the avoidance of doubt, this observation is meant as the HIGHEST of compliments – having a resemblance to my personal choice for the best artist on the planet is by no means a negative. If anything, it reflects the time and care that goes into every aspect of the ‘Little Simz’ package, as she continues to strive for the high bar set by trailblazers like Lamar – and, in my opinion, she came closer than ever before to matching the musical achievements of masterpieces like To Pimp A Butterfly and good kid, m.A.Ad city with her latest effort, NO THANK YOU.
Portraying a new level of poise and class, Simz had a special aura throughout. The setlist, bookended by her latest project’s ‘Angel’ and ‘Gorilla‘, treated the crowd to a journey through the artist’s three most recent albums; this included such personal highlights as ‘No Merci’, ‘I Love You, I Hate You’ and ‘Selfish’. The rapper even brought out common collaborator Cleo Sol for a lively rendition of ‘Woman’, the singer gracing the stage with her gorgeous vocals. Simz’s fashionable and elegant aesthetic was best represented by the moment she came down from the stage in order to take several Polaroid photographs, which she then handed out amongst the crowd.
NO THANK YOU is one of my favourite albums of recent years, and Little Simz’s homecoming show reflected all the best aspects that made it such a unique project. Her level of skill on the microphone and on the stage is so astronomical that I believe she now represents the most talented artist currently contributing to the UK music scene. Following a massively successful album, such as 2021’s flawless Sometimes I Might Be Introvert, with a project of the same standard has proved to be an insurmountable task for countless artists, yet Little Simz produced yet another brilliant album just one year later. As she continues to blossom and (somehow) improve in her quality, there really does not appear to be anything stopping her from becoming one of hip-hop’s brightest stars.
