Little Simz at Kanda Square Hall, September 21st 2022

 

“(Some) always talk shit until I hit them with the realness”. I’d say that his quote from the hard hitting Offence is quite an accurate description of its author, Little Simz. I myself was guilty for a minute. I got to admit that I underrated her when I first heard her latest album. 

About a year ago, around the same time the concert took place, Sometimes I Might Be Introvert was released to huge fanfare. Me -the contrarian- disregarded the album as hype after one listen. At the time lines like “I’m a black woman and I’m a proud one” seemed a bit too on the nose. I didn’t like that she rhymed Kendrick Lamar with marihuana either. The way Twitter was hyping the album as the second coming kind of rubbed me the wrong way.

Fast forward to six months later, I went back to her previous one Grey Area, which I loved from the get go, and decided to give Introvert a second chance. That listening session was revelatory. Finally the convergence of maximalist orchestra arrangements with intimate stories about family and humble beginnings clicked. I now see the record as it’s described in its lyrics, as a journey. I might have listened to it over ten times.

When her headlining show was announced and based on the huge amount of word-of-mouth from a year ago, I thought it was going to sold out in minutes. I applied for a ticket at the lottery stage thinking that I was not going to get it and was surprised when I got a mail telling me that I got the ticket. In the end it wasn’t even sold out. The venue was probably at 90% capacity. Those who were there, though, were in for a treat.

The venue was just another anonymous box like multiple ones in the Tokyo area. Comfortable and with good sound but lacking personality. When I walked in and saw the turntables and no band setup I was a bit disappointed. I guess that’s the sacrifice involving concerts in Japan, getting the downsized version of shows from overseas. This one was not the case, but more on that later. Simz’ DJ went onstage thirty minutes before start time and played some good eighties R&B letting the mood set in.

Little Simz got onstage with a 15 minutes delay as soon as the epic introduction to Introvert blasted through the speakers. I know it sounds cliche, but from there on the level of energy didn’t diminish a bit, if anything it went on crescendo until the end eighty minutes later. At one point she kind of admonished the crowd for being too quiet, but that’s Japan audiences. I’ve seen that artist feedback at plenty of shows. I think that as soon as Offence hit her demands were answered and the crowd got a lot more into it.

She’s a performer that truly commands the stage. Her presence is uncanny, that’s what I meant about my worries of the lack of band being unfounded. Her breathing technique must be among the best. She never ever ran out of breath and kept a level smoothness just like in her records. Sometimes you see rappers on stage shouting every single line, lacking dynamics. That was definitely not Little Simz in this show. 

On top of that I got to hear basically all my favorite tunes of her catalog. From the Afrobeat inspired Point and Kill/Fear No Man to the lyrical prowess of How Did you Get Here. I even got to shake her hand when she came down from the stage and walked through the crowd during 101 FM. The show ended on a big note with the trappish Venom, leaving everyone wanting more.

It was my first hip hop show in about three and a half years, when I saw Denzel Curry at Liquidroom and I don’t think it could’ve been a better one. That night we witnessed an exceptional talent. Excellence at the mic. The realness.

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