Next month, UK rap favorite Little Simz was set to play a handful of US shows over the course of the month. Now, though, fans on this side of the pond will have to wait longer to see her live, as Simz revealed today she is rescheduling her US tour. No new dates have been announced yet.
Simz shared the news on social media, noting the reason for the postponement is the “mental stress” that being left “in a huge deficit” after making the trip to North America would cause her. She wrote:
“Hey guys, due to unforeseen circumstances l’ve been left with no option but to reschedule my US tour. I take my live shows seriously and would only want to give you guys nothing but the best of me. Being an independent artist, I pay for everything encompassing my live performances out of my own pocket and touring the US for a month would leave me in a huge deficit.
As much as this pains me to not see you at this time, I’m just not able to put myself through that mental stress. It’s important for me to speak my truth about this and be honest. I appreciate the love and excitement you guys have for seeing me live. Rest assured I will be there soon, back bigger and better. For now I’m creating and working on art that I’m so excited about. Music of course but other things too; all levelling to greater heights. A message to all artists and creatives, know your worth and stick to your guns. Love you all. Simz.
xx.”
In a recent feature, Uproxx’s Aaron Williams noted Simz may be at the start of earning herself a more substantial amount of American fans, writing, “Her broad-ranging and nigh universal critical acclaim could be the first step toward her gaining and maintaining a toehold on the public’s attention stateside. Such a feat would put her in rare company; while there have been several British rappers to develop cult followings in the US, few of them ever did so while maintaining such a stark, British outlook on the art form.”
Last night’s BRIT Awards ceremony gave a whole new meaning to the term “playing with fire” as rap music won big and dominated the onstage performances with dynamic sets from Black artists like Dave and Little Simz (who, incidentally, are also alums of “the British version of The Wire,” Top Boy).
Dave, who won the Best Hip Hop/Rap/Grime Act award, also performed his song “In The Fire” from his 2021 second studio album We’re All Alone in This Together with fellow Grime standouts Giggs, Ghetts, Meekz, and Fredo. After completing his passionate verse, Dave revealed a surprising talent, donning an electric guitar to play a dazzling solo as flames shot out the end, a la Mad Max: Fury Road. Watch the performance above.
Another big winner was Little Simz, whose 2021 album Sometimes I Might Be Introvert was widely considered one of the year’s best. Nominated for Artist of the Year, Best New Artist, and Best Hip Hop/Grime/Rap Act, Simz won Best New Artist, bringing her mum onstage for an inspirational acceptance speech encouraging fans to chase their dreams and holding herself up as an example of the fruits of perseverance. She also played album standouts “Introvert” and “Woman” alongside actress Emma Corrin from The Crown. You can check her performance out below.
From the epic opening strains of “Introvert,” the introductory track on Little Simz’s sweeping, eclectic new album Sometimes I Might Be Introvert, you know you’re in for something special. The album is equal parts fantasy storybook and intimate journal marked all the way through by the London native’s wit and vulnerability. It’s no wonder that it has been so highly regarded, perching neatly near the top of so many publications’ 2021 year-end lists. Her broad-ranging and nigh universal critical acclaim could be the first step toward her gaining and maintaining a toehold on the public’s attention stateside.
Such a feat would put her in rare company; while there have been several British rappers to develop cult followings in the US, few of them ever did so while maintaining such a stark, British outlook on the art form. Going back to the 1980s, rappers like Monie Love and Slick Rick switched up their accents to fit in — you’d hardly know they weren’t from New York’s concrete jungle hearing them rap alongside contemporaries like Queen Latifah and Doug E. Fresh. In the ’90s and 2000s, MF DOOM earned a stranglehold on the city’s underground scene, but again, there were many who were unaware of his origins until his visa issues in 2010.
Hell, even 21 Savage was unaware of his own British citizenship until recently, and his struggles to remain in the country in which he grew up have highlighted this nation’s archaic and byzantine approach to immigration policy. For all intents and purposes, he’s an Atlantan at heart and sounds like it. And while there was a minor grime explosion here in the US, it was largely spearheaded by another immigrant, Drake, who made a point of collaborating with artists like Skepta and Headie One. However, their popularity on their own feels limited to their joint works with artists who already hold a certain degree of social capital.
Simz is different. Her growing popularity on this side of the pond has come organically, without the help of flashy local features, which she has mostly eschewed since her signature 2017 project Stillness In Wonderland, on which the first inklings of her fantastical flourishes began to sprout. 2019’s Grey Area continued in much the same vein, showcasing the Brit’s verbal virtuosity and singular approach to left-of-center production. Unlike many of her countrymen, she seems distinctly disinterested in integrating popular local sounds — there’s no trap and nothing that could be counted as classic boom-bap either.
Nor does she employ the glitchy, sometimes off-putting digital sounds that have distinguished grime and drill, the two main British exports in rap-focused music, although she has dabbled in them from time to time. Instead, the production on SIMBI (it’s her name, see) is organic, pulsing with the living energy of the score from an epic, swords-and-sorcerers film series like Lord Of The Rings or Game Of Thrones. There is that regal-sounding intro, the Blaxploitation big band feel of the soul-baring “I Love You, I Hate You,” the militant funk of “Standing Ovation,” and the moody ballad, “How Did You Get Here.”
She also sticks close to her roots, incorporating West African rhythms into tracks like “Point And Kill” and “Fear No Man.” And despite the similarity of their titles, Simz’s approach to the praise of her gender on “Woman” is a far cry from Doja Cat’s, backed by a slinky beat and loungey instrumentation supported by Cleo Sol’s lilting chorus. Through it all, Simz’s poised flow anchors the wide-ranging production, drawing listeners in with its conspiratorial quiet. Though she rarely raises her voice, she still wields it like a dagger, whirling and flashing in dextrous patterns with the cool of concrete at twilight.
While hip-hop and rock-and-roll are cousins with unsurprisingly similar origins and parallel trajectories over the course of their respective eras of dominance in global pop culture, there’s one area in which they diverge. After rock swept the globe, the US was visited upon by the acts it had inspired, like The Beatles and The Rolling Stones, who were met with an equally fervent enthusiasm to the one that brought these acts to our shores seeking their fortunes here. While rap has been met with just as much excitement around the world, that love has rarely been reciprocated by Americans who’ve kept international hip-hop acts at arm’s length.
Ironically, as I write this, the Disney+ streaming service hosts a documentary about The Beatles, their process, and their popularity called The Beatles: Get Back which stitches together close to eight hours of footage of the Liverpool band noodling around and creating some of their beloved works. It’s hard to say whether we’ll be watching a similar show about any British hip-hop acts in 50 years — after all, times, they have a-changed — but right now, Little Simz is at the cusp of starting her own British Invasion, one that could prove to be every bit as fascinating and influential as the original.
Year after year, hip-hop continues to grow in variety and breadth of content and styles. We’ve long grown used to the melodic and trap-based offerings of the mainstream, but even those genres have kept pushing their boundaries, as has the underground, where adherents are burrowing down further and further into strange sounds and deconstructed rhythms to get their points across. Of course, with the increased variety and volume, it becomes more and more challenging to hit everything on a year-end list like this one. With that said, we believe these are the best representatives of that diversity, showing everything that hip-hop can be, should be, will be, and stubbornly remains in the face of massive cultural upheaval and growth.
Boldy James & The Alchemist — Bo Jackson
Boldy James & The Alchemist
In much the same vein as his Griselda compatriots, Boldy stacks syllables like Jenga blocks, building precariously teetering constructs of assonant vowel sounds to the point you wonder how the whole thing supports its weight. But it does, and Boldy sticks the landing as well as most — perhaps even better — delivering whirlwind tours of trap houses and Detroit city blocks in which he did dirt and learned to survive. On Bo Jackson, he pairs once again with The Alchemist, whose elaborate production offers a smooth-playing counterpoint to the grit of Boldy’s street tales. While many of both artists’ frequent collaborators (Earl Sweatshirt, Curren$y, Freddie Gibbs) pop up throughout, the focus remains fixed on Boldy’s dazzling displays of verbal acrobatics. – Aaron Williams
D Smoke — War & Wonders
D Smoke
The follow-up to D Smoke’s excellent 2020 debut, Black Habits, is far less insular and self-centered; whereas its predecessor focused on telling the story of the Inglewood native’s family and upbringing, War & Wonders is instead concerned with the impact D Smoke looks to have on the world around him. He warns of the dangers of gang life on “Crossover,” admonishes listeners to make the most of their opportunities on “Stay True,” and sets lofty goals on “Better Half.” Employing hard-hitting production and a percussive vocal delivery to make his points, each word lands like a blow on the heavy bag at the boxing gym he recently opened in his hometown. – A.W.
DDG — Die 4 Respect
Epic
DDG’s 2021 mixtape Die 4 Respect with the Grammy Award-nominated producer OG Parker of Quality Control is everything the project’s title implies. “I really feel passionate about it to the point where I’d die about this shit like you gonna respect me at the end of this,” the Pontiac, Michigan raised artist told us earlier this year in reference to his transition from being a bonafide YouTube star to a full-fledged artist. In turn, DDG saw several hits off Die 4 Respect. Among them is the platinum-selling hit “Moonwalking In Calabasas” featuring Blueface, “Impatient” featuring Coi Leray, and “Money Long” with 42 Dugg. His heartfelt opener, “Hood Melody” with Youngboy Never Broke Again, tells the story of how he lost his brother to gun violence and is a true display of his abilities as a lyrical storyteller. OG Parker and our July 2021 cover star came through with a project that was both cohesive and offered music that was clearly set out to prove the mixtape’s Die 4 Respect title. – Cherise Johnson
Don Toliver — Life Of A Don
Don Toliver
Don Toliver’s Life Of A Don deserves to be played in its entirety starting from the project’s glowing opener “Xscape” to its buoyant closer “Bogus.” Though the loving “What You Need” and “Drugs N Hella Melodies” were the album’s supporting singles, even more desirable songs await for anyone who takes a dive into the full collection of 16. If you have never been to Houston before, “Double Standards” takes you right to the center of the city and its follow-up “Swangin On Westheimer” keeps you there. It’s one of the most beautiful transitions that serenely introduces a side of the H that is palpable for anyone who has never been. “Outerspace” featuring Baby Keem is another standout track off Life Of A Don (more Don and Keem collabs please) and “You” with Travis Scott is a sleeper for sure. H-Town OG Mike Dean’s presence is all over this as well as help from Hit-Boy, Sonny Digital, Mustard and Metro Boomin — yet it all still sounds like it came from the same planet. Donny is devotedly opening a new paradigm for melodic rap and what it means to be an artist with Life Of A Don, it’s just up for the rest of the world to catch up. – C.J.
Guapdad 4000 & Illmind — 1176
Guapdad 4000
There were many, many projects that were bigger than Guapdad’s collaborative effort with Illmind this year. None of them were as personal, as vulnerable, or as real as 1176, which is all of the things hip-hop is supposed to be. As he exorcises his demons, Guapdad showcases his storytelling skills (“Uncle Ricky”), his devilish sense of humor (“She Wanna”), tender regard for his Filipino roots (“Chicken Adobo“), and a gift for personal exegesis (“Stoop Kid”), all while Illmind stretches his sonic palette in unexpected ways (the Alice Deejay flip on “How Many” is a favorite). Guapdad 4000 may be known as a scammer but in 1176, he’s as authentic as it gets. – A.W.
Huey Briss — Grace Park Legend
Huey Briss
If Vince Staples holds an arm’s length disdain/acceptance of his tormented past in Long Beach, Huey Briss‘ sophomore effort is like a reporter standing in a hurricane, describing the events happening around him. Detailing his harrowing hood narratives with an unrattled placidity, there is a sense that, unlike his fellow citizen, Briss hasn’t quite lost hope — or maybe that he’s found the same sort of sardonic fatalism with a slightly more upbeat sense of humor. Entirely produced by Nikobeats (the son of the legendary DJ Babu of Dilated Peoples fame), the Grace Park marries smooth backpack beats with Huey’s densely-packed witticisms for a project that rides from beginning to end. – A.W.
IDK — USee4Yourself
IDK
For IDK, following up his excellent debut album, the existentially inquisitive Is He Real?, presented something of a challenge. After all, once you’ve set the bar that high, it’s hard to clear it — and even if you do, there will be plenty of naysayers who will almost certainly dispute the results. However, in not succumbing to the pressure to cater to those naysayers by sticking to emotionally and sonically safe material, IDK manages to not only clear the bar he set but raise it as well. Eclectic and wide-ranging both conceptually and musically, IDK bares his flaws, insecurities, and epiphanies with rare panache. – A.W.
Isaiah Rashad — The House Is Burning
Isaiah Rashad
If you’re going to take a damn-near five-year hiatus between albums to get your life right, your return project has to justify that wait for ravenous (and fickle) fans, or you may as well have retired. Fortunately for the TDE hotshot, his comeback feels every bit as electric as his debut. It’s more weathered and in some places, he sounds weary (“Darkseid,” “THIB“), but he also sounds revitalized and recentered (“From The Garden,” “Wat U Sed“), issuing hard-won observations and heavy-hearted moments of clarity. – A.W.
J. Cole — The Off-Season
J. Cole
J. Cole has received a lot of flak over the years for a lot of reasons, but one thing no one can take away from him: The boy can rap his all-American ass off. By restricting the aims of his latest album to simply proving that, he accomplished the unlikely goal of turning all the “J. Cole is boring” doubters into believers. That makes The Off-Season a triumph, a testament to the benefits of hard work, practice, and stubborn dedication. – A.W.
Lakeyah & DJ Drama — My Time: Gangsta Grillz Special Edition
Lakeyah
The second Gangsta Grillz tape produced by DJ Drama in the span of a year (the first being Tyler The Creator’s also-excellent album, Call Me If You Get Lost, which you’ll find further down this list), this one has the special distinction of being one of the very few granted to a female rapper. Given hip-hop’s regrettable relationship to the female gender and Drama’s well-earned reputation, you can rest assured of at least one fact: Lakeyah is a rapper’s rapper. The Milwaukee native followed up her impressive showing in the rollout of XXL’s 2021 Freshman Class with this tape, which is a strategy that must certainly pay dividends with her rap credibility as she works her way up the Quality Control priority list. – A.W.
Lil Baby & Lil Durk — Voice Of The Heroes
Lil Baby Durk
Each year, some corner of the music world grants us collaborative projects between artists who were able to fine-tune their chemistry for a full-length project. In 2021, that came about through Lil Baby and Lil Durk’sVoice Of The Heroes. The project came through the rappers’, and their respective fan bases, realization that their vision and artistry fell in line enough for a full body of work. Propelled by highlights like “2040” and “That’s Facts,” Durk and Baby delivered on expectations for the project that flaunts what two of today’s best hip-hop acts have to offer. – Wongo Okon
Lil Nas X — Montero
Lil Nas X
The quintessential pop star for 2021, Lil Nas X’s Montero is the ultimate wink and a smile to anyone who doubted him as an industry one-hit-wonder. On “Dead Right Now,” he sings: “Left school, then my dad and I had a face-to-face in Atlanta / He said, ‘It’s one in a million chance, son,’ I told him, ‘Daddy, I am that one.’” It’s pensive moments like this tucked within an album of tongue-in-cheek mega-hits like “Industry Baby” and “Montero (Call Me By Your Name)” that flash true dynamic artistry across pop and hip-hop. When the dust settles, this will go down as the year of Lil Nas X, after all, who else can claim that they gave Satan a lap-dance, had a track with Elton John on their album (“One Of Me”), and was named The Trevor Project’s Suicide Prevention Advocate of the Year? – Adrian Spinelli
Little Simz — Sometimes I Might Be Introvert
Age 101 Music/AWAL Recordings
Talk about a breakthrough album. London’s Little Simz emerged as one of the best newly established voices in hip-hop on the Inflo-produced Sometimes I Am Introvert. She tackles the album in complete fashion, showing that no subject is too difficult for her to master as a songwriter. She extols the mind and presence of Black women on “Woman,” flaunts her panache with fellow British-Nigerian Obongjayar on “Point And Kill,” and unapologetically opens up about the toll her relationship with her estranged father has taken on her in “I Love You, I Hate You.” In the latter, she rises above the pain, emerging triumphantly as a person and an artist, flawlessly sliding in between every note of the beat and leaving a lasting mark in the process. – A.S.
Lute — Gold Mouf
Lute
For those artists who are fortunate enough to be signed to more established artists’ labels, as Lute is on J. Cole’s Dreamville imprint, life can be something of a struggle to stand out enough to earn fans’ approval separate from their benefactors. Fortunately for Lute, he does enough well on Gold Mouf to prove he deserves to be seen every bit as much as his label peers (JID, Earthgang, Bas). Executive produced and sequenced by Rapper Big Pooh and Phonte Coleman of Little Brother, respectively, the album is an emotive experience that recounts Lute’s relatable insecurities, anxieties, and victories. – A.W.
Mach-Hommy — Pray For Haiti
Mach-Hommy
Rapping like a waterfall over deconstructed samples and muted drums, Mach-Hommy has found a niche over the past few years — the same niche occupied by contemporaries such as Griselda Records rappers Westside Gunn and Benny The Butcher, as well as longtime New York underground stalwarts like Roc Marciano. Incidentally, it was in linking up with the Griselda gang that Mach-Hommy’s profile shot up, and Westside Gunn executive produces here, once again demonstrating his gift for pairing bar-heavy rappers with just the right production and collaborators to best offset their crowded writing with the contrast that only a drum-less jazz sample can provide. – A.W.
Moneybagg Yo — A Gangsta’s Pain
Moneybagg Yo
Moneybagg Yo’s hustle over the decade paid off in the highest form in 2021. The Memphis rapper’s fourth album A Gangsta’s Pain grew to be his most successful project to date as it spent multiple weeks atop the album charts. The success behind this project can be credited to a well-orchestrated blend. A hit single (“Wokesha”), highlight guest appearances from Future, Jhene Aiko, Lil Durk and more, as well as a story to tell proved to be the perfect concoction for Moneybagg’s latest project. Best of all, he was able to avoid sounding repetitive on A Gangsta’s Pain, an underrated quality that helped boost the album’s overall experience. – W.O.
Playboi Carti — Whole Lotta Red
Interscope Records
For many Playboi Carti fans, the wait for Whole Lotta Red was a grueling one. However, to their delight, the project arrived beside their holiday presents on Christmas in 2020. Carti’s entire brand is unharnessed energy, and while Whole Lotta Red attempts to reel in that that energy, unintentional room for that to thrive appears in various pockets of the album. Through 24 songs and contributions from Ye, Future, and Kid Cudi, Whole Lotta Red adds another chapter to Carti’s thrilling story as one of hip-hop’s biggest rockstars. – W.O.
Polo G — Hall Of Fame
Polo G
With every project that Chicago rapper Polo G releases, his stock in the rap game increases. His debut Die A Legend made him a young name in hip-hop worth paying attention to. His sophomore effort The GOAT solidified his presence in music for years to come. Now, his third album Hall Of Fame presents a rapper who can stick to his roots and present himself as a top-selling rap product. Through 20 songs, Polo G not only shows that his pen has improved but also his awareness towards records that will pop and bring a bigger spotlight to him. – W.O.
Rico Nasty — Nightmare Vacation
Rico Nasty
When Rico Nasty first roared onto the SoundCloud rap scene in 2016, her rawness was part of the appeal. Now, five years, seven mixtapes, and a debut studio album later, she’s one of mainstream hip-hop’s most interesting figures, as much — more — of an innovator than any of her punk-rock-influenced peers. On Nightmare Vacation, she justifies every ounce of hype while utilizing every tool on her belt. There are her signature yell-rap anthems (“STFU,” “Smack A Bitch Remix”), hyperpop experiments (“iPhone”), and dreamy trap bangers (“Don’t Like Me”), all utterly saturated in her uniquely rebellious spirit. – A.W.
Skyzoo — All The Brilliant Things
Skyzoo
Being independent in the rap game is both a supreme gift and a withering curse. Take, for instance, Skyzoo’s latest album. Untethered to the limits of the major-label system, Sky was able to craft one of the most inspiring and intricately-constructed rap albums of the year. However, without those major-label resources, it went largely overlooked — which is a shame, because there were few projects this year as consistently… well, brilliant as this one, on which tracks like “I Was Supposed To Be A Trap Rapper” turn staid hip-hop tropes on their ears and “Bodega Flowers” implores us all to salute our greats before they’re pushing up daisies. Well, salute, Skyzoo, one of the best out today. – A.W.
Topaz Jones — Don’t Go Tellin’ Your Momma
Topaz Jones
It’s not every day that one of the best albums of the year also picks up a short film jury award for non-fiction at Sundance Film Festival but that’s what Topaz’s latest managed at the top of the year. A stunningly executed concept album in its own right, Don’t Go Tellin’ is an incredible rap genealogy project, following the Montclair, New Jersey native as he explores his family’s history, then shares it with the world. Awash in the influences of funk mainstays such as Sly And The Family Stone, peppered with jazz intonations and marked by Jones’ deft recollections, Don’t Go Tellin’ shows what a refined version of the artform can look like when crafted with care. – A.W.
Tyler The Creator — Call Me If You Get Lost
Columbia
Pound for pound, one of the most impressive studio releases of the year, Call Me If You Get Lost finds rebellious Tyler taking a nostalgic step back to redeem the blog era credit from which he was either barred or that he himself spurned (depending on which version of him you ask). Tapping mixtape maestro DJ Drama and emblazoning his latest with the Gangsta Grillz label is deceptive, though; as much as he revels in the sheer art of rhyme (“Lumberjack,” “Juggernaut“), he also finally gets more vulnerable and expansive than he’s ever been (“Massa,” “Manifesto”), pushing the series beyond mere mixtapes into something richer and much more vital. – A.W.
Vince Staples — Vince Staples
Blacksmith/Motown
Call me biased (Long Beach, stand up), but I don’t think a single rap project this year came close to touching Vince Staples’ eponymous fourth studio album. Clocking in at just ten tracks — as many of the great albums do — Vince’s new approach strips away bells, whistles, and several layers of anything resembling varnish to expose the gritty truths he bares throughout its harrowing narratives. Trading in his frantic yelps for a laconic, resigned incantation, Vince invites listeners to not just watch the movie but inhabit his point of view. If you don’t get it, that’s on you. – A.W.
Wale — Folarin 2
Wale
For years, Wale has not only believed his own hype but also been its main proponent. While he’s never exactly labored in obscurity, he’s unfortunately been regarded as something less than what he actually is by hip-hop fans at large, which is one of the best bar-for-bar rappers the game has ever seen. He came by that assessment honestly too, via a deep, abiding, and near-obsessive love for the art form. Here, he displays that love, culling samples from across the breadth of the genre (Q-Tip on “Poke It Out“). As a result, it looks like that love is finally being reciprocated as fans learn to appreciate just what he brings to the game. – A.W.
Young Thug — Punk
Atlantic
Young Thug’s career is filled with individual eras. There are the rapper’s red-haired and blonde eras as well as that for Slime Season and Jeffery. Thug’s second album Punk issues another chapter for the rapper’s extremely unique career. Falling on the opposite side of the spectrum from his debut So Much Fun, Punk finds Thug going against the grain of his own career and the expectations of his fans. Vulnerability, honesty, and a story to tell all stand at the forefront of Punk. However, just like Thug’s previous projects, it serves as another example of the rapper doing what he wants. – W.O.
Some artists covered here are Warner Music artists. Uproxx is an independent subsidiary of Warner Music Group.
As a song, “I Love You, I Hate You” is the fulcrum of Little Simz’s devastating and beautiful album, Sometimes I Am Introvert. It’s incredibly vulnerable and visceral songwriting from the British rapper, as she dissects the relationship (or lack thereof) with her absent father. When you dive into lyrics like, “You know what was destroyed, but you don’t know what was left,” it’s clear that there was deep soul-searching required to arrive at the stunning final track, produced by Inflo.
Now, Little Simz has just released a short film commissioned by WeTransfer’s “WePresent” platform and it adds depth and context to Simz as a songwriter. With a story conceived by the rapper, it marks her film debut in the 22-minute piece written by Caroline Adeyemi and directed by Sam Pilling (who has been behind a number of The Weeknd clips and also directed the epic Run The Jewels and DJ Shadow “Nobody Speak” visual).
In the film, Simz’s lead character is a writer on a deadline, spending time in the British countryside with her partner and close friend. It’s beautifully shot and spares no emotions as the imagery and collateral damage of creating lasting work is depicted in numerous ways.
In a statement, Simz shared some thoughts on the project:
“I Love You, I Hate You is the story of abandonment. How trauma can affect us in our adult lives if never confronted. I wanted to make this film because I feel it’s a universal story that many people can relate to. It’s been incredible to work with a partner like WePresent (the digital arts platform of WeTransfer) who are so invested in telling stories like this. They understood and trusted my vision from the jump and had my back to create the film I set out to make.”
Up next in the WePresent series will be a performance film by Moses Sumney entitled Blackalachia, out on December 8th. In it, Sumney and his band come to the Blue Ridge Mountains of Western North Carolina, to play songs off his albums Grae and Aromanticism. “The film is a wild imagining of what can happen when we seek not just to reclaim nature, but to reintegrate with it,” Sumney said.
Little Simz’s I Love You, I Hate You the film is out now and you can watch it above. Check out the trailer for Moses Sumney’s Blackalachia here.
We’ve all been told not to judge a book by its cover, and while the same thought can be applied to album covers, the rule becomes a bit harder to follow in this scenario. An album’s artwork is the first thing that grabs our attention — negatively or positively — before we can press play on it. Oftentimes, the cover art is used to promote a body of work before its official release which then opens the flood gates for fans to judge its appearance and rate how good the album may or may not be.
For better or for worse, there have been a number of memorable album covers in 2021. There’s Drake’s pregnant woman-emoji-laden cover for Certified Lover Boy that was considered a troll until he went out his way to confirm it. Ye kept things simple with a black square for Donda while Lil Nas X’s artwork for Montero finds him nude and suspended in the air. Yung Bleu appears as an astronaut in his Moon Boy cover and Lorde’s own for Solar Power was a bit… cheeky, wouldn’t you say?
With that being said, 2021 also gave us album covers with artists showing off their best looks. It’s always great to receive a quality collection of music that’s wrapped in a well-captured portrait of the artist. Without further ado, here are the ten most stylish album covers of 2021.
Ayra Starr — 19 & Dangerous
Mavin Global Holdings
Afropop singer Ayra Starr dropped off 19 & Dangerous, her sophomore project and second release of the year. The project delivers a tale of growth that arrives as the singer prepares to exit the teenager status for adulthood. For its cover, Starr sits on a blue bag dressed in what appears to be red stain pants and golden elbow-length gloves. She’s also surrounded by deep green walls to complete the truly colorful cover.
CKay — Boyfriend
Warner Music South Africa
Keeping things in the afrobeats world, Ckay delivered another sharp cover art with his Boyfriend EP. He released the project at the top of the year and it’s masked with a purple hue that is complemented by the car Ckay leans on, the night sky and flowers behind him, the scarf and fingernails on the arm of a woman that’s wrapped around him. Altogether, it makes for a sharp cover that captures the Ckay’s sensitive side along with the seven songs that appear on the EP.
Doja Cat — Planet Her
Kemosabe/RCA
There has yet to be a moment too big for Doja Cat to handle. So even when the pressure for her to surpass expectations with her third album Planet Her continued to rise, Doja stepped up to bat and hit a home run. The artwork for the album helped listeners envision the weirdo spectacle that she presented on the project. She lays on what appears to be a glittery body of land which neon shades of glitter covering her body from head to toe. Might I mention that the album is also one of the best releases in 2021? Long story short, Doja came through from top to bottom.
Kirby — Sis. He Wasn’t The One
Kirby
At the beginning of 2020, Memphis singer Kirby arrived with her debut project Sis. Nearly two years later, she returned with its sequel Sis. He Wasn’t The One in what also sports a very underrated cover. Kirby lays beside a man with her light brown hair tied up while wearing a red top that compliments the flowery blanket she lays on and the room she’s in. If you’re looking for a body of work that vents one’s struggles with love while expounding on a man’s failure to be a solid partner, Sis. He Wasn’t The One delivers that with an aesthetically pleasing cover to look at.
Little Simz — Sometimes I Might Be Introverted
Age 101 Music/ AWAL Recordings
Little Simz’sSometimes I Might Be Introverted is truly a beautiful body of work. It’s one of those rare projects where everything from the lyrics, the production, the sequencing, and more fall into the place so exquisitely. Its artwork is another notable point The London rapper sits nervously in a wooden chair while rocking a yellow and black checkered suit as his hair is tied up to a high altitude. The mustard yellow backdrop also pairs well with Little Simz’s look in what comes together as an eye-pleasing cover.
Masego — Studying Abroad: Extended Stay
EQT Recordings/Capitol Records
Masego ended 2020 with Studying Abroad, his first project since his pristine 2018 debut album Lady Lady. Studying Abroad received the deluxe treatment back in May as five more songs were added to the project to accompany highlights like “Mystery Lady” and “Silver Tongue Devil. The deluxe reissue also granted us a new cover that presented the already-stylish Masego in a salmon suit as he posed longing into the camera which captures nature’s beauty behind him.
Serpentwithfeet — Deacon
Secretly Canadian
Serpentwithfeet began the spring season this year with his Deacon project. It’s a release that was filled with music he described as “a lot softer, a lot more gentle than my previous work,” “something that felt very sensuous,” and “something that felt calm and restrained.” This tender approach comes alive on the project’s cover art as it presents Serpentwithfeet in a white button-up top and gold accessories on his fingers, neck, ears, and hair. He also holds another man in his arms who sports a similar white top as they both stand amid a hazy desert.
Symphani Soto — Under The Sun
Bizness Boi Music Group
South Florida’s Symphani Soto earned herself a nice career boost with her June project Under The Sun. Its 11 tracks make for a body of work ideal for an afternoon drive or warm evening at the beach. Soto appears relaxed and free throughout the project and if you need a visual for that, it’s available on the project’s cover art. The singer stands tall and free in a detailed and intricate bright orange dress as the slightly cloudy sky behind her helps to enhance her features and make her stand out.
Umi — Introspection Reimagined
Umi/Keep Cool/RCA
Umi breathed new life into her 2020 album Introspection and re-released it with a new dose of vibrancy and lucidity through eight songs. It also comes with a beautiful cover that sees Umi in an elaborate white gown. Captured from an aerial view, Umi stares closely into a mirror with her arms almost stretched fully apart over a rich red backdrop.
VanJess — Homegrown
Keep Cool/RCA
Nearly three years after their career-solidifying debut album Silk Canvas, VanJess returned with their Homegrown EP. Music aside, the project was presented with a flawless cover that captured the beauty of Ivana and Jess. Seated at a gold table and on golden chairs, VanJess stuns with clothing that ranges from cheetah print, bright red, shimmery gold, and lavish accessories. Oh, and the music on the project and its eventual deluxe edition are great too!
Some artists covered here are Warner Music artists. Uproxx is an independent subsidiary of Warner Music Group.
During the run-up to the release of her new album Sometimes I Might Be Introvert, Little Simz released the poignant single, “I Love You, Hate You,” addressing her conflicted feelings about her father. Now, she’s released an equally poignant video for the song, depicting visually the narrative of the growing distance between herself and her dad.
Simz’s album rollout also included videos for “Introvert,” “Woman,” and “Point And Kill” with Obongjayar, and recently announced her 2022 North American tour. You can see the dates for that below.
Aside from releasing the above-mentioned videos, Simz also raised her profile in a few other interesting ways. In August, she made her US television debut on The Tonight Show with a performance of “Woman” and gave a cozy Tiny Desk Concert performance. Most recently, she remixed her 2019 song “Venom” for the Sony/Marvel film of the same name.
05/01/2022 — Portland, OR @ Hawthorne Theatre
05/02/2022 — Seattle, WA @ The Crocodile
05/05/2022 — San Francisco, CA @ The Independent
05/11/2022 — Los Angeles, CA @ El Rey Theater
05/15/2022 — Chicago, IL @ Reggie’s
05/17/2022 — Toronto, ON @ The Axis Club
05/19/2022 — Boston, MA @ The Sinclair
05/21/2022 — Philadelphia, PA @ Foundry
05/23/2022 — Washington, DC @ Union Stage
05/25/2022 — New York, NY @ Webster Hall
Watch Little Simz’s “I Love You, I Hate You” video above.
Sometimes I Might Be Introvert is out now via Age 101. Listen to it here.
