Little Simz Artistfacts

February 23, 1994
Little Simz was born Simbiatu Abisola Abiola Ajikawo, though friends and family have always called her Simbi. She was raised in Islington, north London, by her Nigerian mother, Tola, alongside three older siblings. The family home was a lively hub, with a steady stream of foster children coming through the door.

"I met so many different kids from all different walks of life who just became part of my family and who my mum nurtured and took care of," Simz told The Guardian. "It was really beautiful. I gained newfound respect and appreciation for my family, knowing that it's not given that everyone has loving support... I never went a day without love."
She spent much of her childhood at St. Mary's Youth Club, a community space with a strong musical pedigree that also helped nurture Leona Lewis and Alexandra Burke. It was there that Simz began finding her voice as a performer.
Simz bought her first microphone with money from a Saturday job in an art gallery, and she taught herself guitar using YouTube tutorials, long before formal studios entered the picture.
As a kid, Simz idolized Missy Elliott, initially dreaming not of rapping but of being one of the dancers in Missy's videos. That gateway led her straight into hip-hop culture.

"I got into Lauryn Hill, and I got more in-depth with it: Tupac, Nas, Jay-Z," she told Red Bull Music. "Then I started making my own music."
At around 16, she founded her own imprint, Age 101 Music, because she was determined to remain independent and maintain control over her work well before major labels came calling.
Her 2010 debut mixtape, Stratosphere, was recorded in her bedroom and still managed to land national radio play in the UK, a rare feat for a self-released teenage artist.
Many listeners first encountered her through Gorillaz. She appeared on their 2017 track "Garage Palace" and later toured with the band during the Humanz tour, performing both her own material and Gorillaz staples like "Clint Eastwood."
Her breakthrough arrived in 2021 with Sometimes I Might Be Introvert, which was widely hailed as one of the best albums of the year. It went on to win the 2022 Mercury Prize, followed by the Brit Award for Best New Artist and a Libera Award for Best Hip-Hop/Rap Record.
After years of collaboration, Simz' creative partnership and friendship with producer and Sault band member Inflo collapsed following a major financial dispute. She filed a lawsuit alleging unpaid loans totaling roughly £1.7 million, including money advanced for recording costs and for a 2023 Sault show at London's Drumsheds. The fallout led her to scrap unreleased material, cut ties, and create her fifth album, Lotus, with a new primary producer. The emotional rupture is addressed directly on the album's lead single, "Flood."
Before most audiences knew her as a rapper, Simz was acting. She appeared in CBBC's fantasy series Spirit Warriors, later joining the cast of Top Boy on Channel 4 and Netflix. She also had a small role in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, appearing in Black Panther.
Away from music, Simz is a keen home cook, known among friends for her jollof rice, and an avid photographer. "Photography is something I've loved for many, many years," Simz told The Guardian. "I like just going out and shooting stuff... landscape stuff, or people, whatever. If I'm out in the middle of nowhere, I'll just shoot some sheep."

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