This is my AOTY so far, but you absolutely have to set time aside tomorrow to listen to the new Injury Reserve. It's unlike anything I've ever heard (not really even hip hop) and may unseat SIMBI. Parker Corey is a genius. Getting Kanye, Little Simz, Injury Reserve, and Blu next week is an incredible month for hip hop.

I interpreted the interludes with Emma Corin as being more of excerpts from Simz's inner monologue. They have that "wonderland" vibe which Emma fits neatly and Simz has used a "wonderland" as a metaphor for her mind before (Like on the cover of "Stillness in Wonderland" which is also worth checking out if you haven't heard it) About "I See You", I don't think of it as a love song to a partner, but rather as a love song to love itself. An ode to loving, if you will

If you loved Speed but hated the interludes on this, try out grey area. that album is all bangers no filler which might be more your style. loved the video btw!

i love this album so so so much. i'll agree that the interludes are too on the nose for their own good, but i also think they're pretty important for the album overall. one, they just carry the flow of the record, which would otherwise get pretty jumpy, and two, they connect a lot of the stuff she is saying on the actual songs. there's a ton of topics and themes on this thing, and the interludes do a good job of sorta making it into one. also, i think it's clever that this character that guides simz also guides the listener through the record, which again is named after and a portrait of herself. just shows how much this thing comes together and becomes more than the sum of its parts.

In Little Q Simz is rapping from the perspective of her cousin who got stabbed.

This album really blew me away. I already loved Grey Area but wasn't sure if she could top it. This is my AOTY at the moment. And one of the best hip hop albums I've heard in a while. You should check out Grey Area for sure. Another great album.

love this record! u were talking about how u were unsure of ever hearing anything else that sounds like this album, and honestly i find the best point of comparison sonically to be 'late registration' by ye

I'm so in love with this album, thanks for your review. Also please review another masterpiece of an album, Spellling's The Turning Wheel

SIMBI took me completely by surprise after being a bit lukewarm on the singles. After the first listen I ordered the album on CD and now it's a contender for my AOTY. Gorgeous, almost perfect album. *Edit now that I've watched the video: coathanger better

Wow, what a great and insightful review! I love how you went in-depth with this album. SIMBI is such a beautiful, important piece of music. I see it up there with TPAB, MBDTF, Miseducation of Lauryn Hill, and Illmatic as one of the greatest hip-hop albums of all time :)

Anybody else see a musical resemblance to Janelle Monae in Little Simz on this album? She's musically eclectic, women focused, very positive and has a vivid imagination.

If you like speed then you will like her 2019 Grey Area LP. In ' i see you' she is actually talking to herself ( or in a different angle to you) when she says i want to be alone not lonely.

This album's absolutely fantastic, and is in the running for my AOTY. So great hearing you talk about it!

Based off of what you said I think you would enjoy her album "GREY area".

Hey Professor, I think that when Simz expresses that she can't communicate, she means that some of her expression is about inner states. I think that the interludes are the most personal parts of this album, and that they refer not to what she thinks only, but also to how she feels. Why do I think this? Because I feel it too.

Wonderful analysis!

yes, positivity is there but it's how she unearths her darkness that makes this album beautiful for me. The skits might be overwhelming but they are also based on Children's books, to an Introvert it's the inner child that needs to come out and play. There are other layers to it that come together on more listens.

The window. One of the things I thought of when listening to this album was Mavin Gaye's, What's Going On. It has that cinematic sweep. She also mentions Donna Summer's music and I can feel a bit of that in her work. Rap is not my favorite genre, but she seems to transcend that and reach something broader. Time to embrace the dream. Nice insights in this review. Oh ,and "Point and Kill"and "Fear No Man" are 2 of my favorite songs on the album.

Thank you for this channel. I really enjoy hearing your thoughts on these albums. Some of your reviews made me discover great records and also encouraged me to revisit some of the music I already know with your thoughts in mind. Yours is always an interesting new angle to discover, whether I agree with it or not. That aside, I can only repeat what some of the others here mentioned: If you enjoyed "Speed" then "GREY Area" is probably right down your alley. It's a bit rougher around the edges but in the best way possible if that makes sense.

Too bad the release of this album got overshadowed by the release of two other albums that were terrible and way over hyped.

I prefer the window instead of the coat hanger

And also i appreciate your honesty

If Speed is more your style definitely listen to Offence, Boss, and Venom off Grey Area, very similar tracks.

Very insightful review! Would like to see you commenting on the new Injury Reserve :)

Inflo is also Sault and recently produced the new Jungle album.

Wonderful review Skye! Keep an eye out for the new Injury Reserve album that just dropped. They’re one of the most refreshing voices in the hip-hop underground today. I think you’d love them.

I'd love to hear your thoughts on the new Injury Reserve album. I'm not 100% sure you'd love it but you'd definitely have some interesting things to say about it

I would love to hear what your thoughts are on the latest album by Injury Reserve “By the Time I Get To Phoenix”

the window!

What don't you like about the Introvert chorus? I thought it was great

Another great review prof! Since you're a french specialist I urge you, you should give a listen to the new Hubert Lenoir album that came out today "PICTURA DE IPSE : Musique directe'', it might be the best album out of Québec in years it's just amazing. Oh, and the coat hanger angle was better

Grey Area is still one of my favorite albums ever. This one was great too but I agree with the sentiment that is was too on the nose which detracts from the abstract nature of art I like.

Please do an analysis on Eminems - 'Relapse' and the use of "accents" in rap.

UK stand up!!!🇬🇧

I love this album

youre great Professor. this album reminds me a lot of American Gangster by Jay-Z.

I listen to Boldy James, Westside Gunn, and Rome Streetz & Ransom albums, I think I have earned the right to enjoy a wholly 100% positive album, not to mention the lyricism is quality, one of my favorite albums of this year.

the smokey robinson sample is acc the only sample on the album, everything else that sounds like a sample is studio engendered

Mais nan vous avez un panneau Skyrock derrière lol j'adore

I think you should remember that this album fundamentally is British-centric. And the lady Diana voice you dismissed, is as common here as a voice like whoopi goldberg is in America. Americans organically picked up on the album and wasn't sold to you. Ive heard many interlude voices on American albums and know what context its written in. Im suprised you didnt pick up on this. She is not straight out of Compton she's more than that.

I felt like she did a bit too much on this album. I liked her grimier sound in Grey Area much more. I still appreciate the ambition and many great songs on this though.

am i the only one who sees Wall-E in the album cover? edit: THE FIRST SONG IS INSANEE edit 2: THIS IS AOTY. I JUST LISTENED TO IT STRAIGHT THROUGH, ITS AOTY.

Yeah definitely agree about the fairy godmother figure, would rather have just heard instrumentals.

11:00 - 11:05 You're dreaming of Community episodes?

window

coat hanger angle is better

I'm a cynical Bostonian too, that's why I needed this lol

little q pt. 2 is written from the cousin’s perspective not her own

cloth hanger

I'm sorry, but I have to disagree. The album was not overwhelmingly positive. It takes on the theme of a fairy tale, almost like brothers grimm. And where it seems light on the outside it's actually is delivering a darker message in a lot of songs. I also think that having stories that end with a happy ending doesn't mean we should disregard all the bad things that have happened to get there.