Little Simz and Obongjayar

Biography

Little Simz (Simbiatu 'Simbi' Abisola Abiola Ajikawo) is a British rapper, singer, and actress born on February 23, 1994, in Islington, North London. She developed a passion for hip-hop at age seven after being inspired by Missy Elliott, later drawing influence from Lauryn Hill, Tupac, Nas, and Jay-Z. Beginning her career with the release of her first mixtape 'Stratosphere' in 2010 at age 16, which she recorded in her childhood bedroom and self-funded by purchasing her first microphone with money from a Saturday job at a gallery, Little Simz established herself as an independent artist through four mixtapes and multiple EPs released between 2010 and 2015.

Little Simz achieved critical acclaim with her debut studio album 'A Curious Tale of Trials + Persons' (2015), which earned a cosign from Kendrick Lamar and showcased her lyrical prowess and autobiographical songwriting approach. Her third album 'Grey Area' (2019) became her biggest success to date, earning a Mercury Prize nomination and winning Best Album at both the Ivor Novello Awards and NME Awards. Her fourth album 'Sometimes I Might Be Introvert' (2021) debuted at number 4 on the UK Albums Chart and received widespread critical acclaim, with several publications naming it the best album of 2021. The album demonstrated her versatility across jazz, afrobeat, and experimental sounds, and earned her the 2022 BRIT Award for Best New Artist and the Libera Award for Best Hip-Hop/Rap Record.

Regarding Obongjayar: The search results indicate that Obongjayar is a London-based, Nigeria-born artist who collaborated with Little Simz on the track 'Point and Kill' from her 'Sometimes I Might Be Introvert' album (2021). This was an afrobeat-infused collaboration that showcased both artists' self-assured approach to hip-hop. However, the provided search results do not contain sufficient biographical information about Obongjayar as a standalone artist to provide comprehensive coverage. 'Little Simz and Obongjayar' does not appear to be a formal duo or group, but rather represents a notable collaboration between two individual artists.

Fun Facts

• Little Simz taught herself to play guitar by watching YouTube videos and recorded her first mixtape 'Stratosphere' at age 16 in her childhood bedroom lined with posters of Lil Wayne, Bow Wow, and Ciara.
• Jay-Z released her 2013 mixtape 'Blank Canvas' on his Life+Times website, providing early industry validation for the independent artist.
• At the 2022 BRIT Awards, Little Simz won Best New Artist and invited her mother onto the stage with her, where her mum proudly held the award high and showed it to the crowd—described as an iconic moment of the night.
• Little Simz performed at Glastonbury in 2024 on the iconic Pyramid Stage and has also performed at major festivals including Austin City Limits, Reading Festival, Parklife, and Outlook Festival.

Musical Connections

Mentors/Influences

• Missy Elliott - Early childhood inspiration who sparked Little Simz's passion for hip-hop (Missy Elliott's music videos and performances) [Age 7 onwards (early 2000s)]
• Lauryn Hill - Stylistic influence that deepened Little Simz's engagement with hip-hop (Lauryn Hill's discography) [Early 2000s onwards]
• Kendrick Lamar - Industry cosign that provided greater exposure and widened international audience following debut album release (Cosign for 'A Curious Tale of Trials + Persons') [2015]

Key Collaborators

• Obongjayar - London-based, Nigeria-born artist who collaborated on afrobeat-infused track ('Point and Kill' (2021), 'I Love You, I Hate You' (2021)) [2021]
• Cleo Sol - Guest appearance on 'Sometimes I Might Be Introvert' album ('Sometimes I Might Be Introvert' (2021)) [2021]
• Emma Corinn - Actor who appeared as guest on 'Sometimes I Might Be Introvert' album ('Sometimes I Might Be Introvert' (2021)) [2021]
• Inflo - Producer who helped craft the signature sound of 'Grey Area' ('Grey Area' (2019)) [2019]

External Links

• Spotify
• Wikipedia