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Dec 15, 2022The brilliance of No Thank You is how Simz uses her brazenly unapologetic narrative to spin out larger points about institutional and generational racism, the danger of business practices indifferent to their human impact, and links all of that to contemporary mental health crises.
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Oct 18, 2023In true Simz fashion, conscious reflections unfold over the producer’s sprawling arrangements. NO THANK YOU makes certain that every gap is filled tastefully: bellowed vocal ad-libs and melodies (“X”); tasteful guitar tinkles (“Who Even Cares”); or sampled vocal interjections (“Heart On Fire” or “Sideways”).
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UncutJan 13, 2023Her sixth is as deeply personal as it is un-self-pitying, the lyrical punches falling with even more righteous force. [Mar 2023, p.29]
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Dec 19, 2022No Thank You could be forgiven for resembling a victory lap, but it is a triumph in its own right, cementing Little Simz’s position as one of rap’s essential voices.
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Dec 13, 2022It's a worthy follow-up to Sometimes I Might Be Introvert, trading that album's shimmering polish and clear curation for a looser, more raw aesthetic.
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Jan 3, 2023A subtle shift toward curated production and raw lyrical revelation. Which isn’t to say that her earlier records didn’t have those things, but they feel far more present and deliberate here. Running once more in complete sync with inflo, these songs are some of Simz’s most personal and most vitriolic, masked in measured rhythms and encased in the wrath of someone who’s too tired to give a fuck.
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Jan 3, 2023That Little Simz was able to deliver such a crafty set so soon after the career-making Introvert is impressive enough, but No Thank You stands out for its own merits.
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Jan 3, 2023The result is one of the most punchy, lyrically explorative UK rap albums of the year.
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Dec 16, 2022Blending a history of gospel, soul and rap, NO THANK YOU cuts and shifts, showing her irrepressible force and talent.
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Dec 16, 2022Blending a history of gospel, soul and rap, NO THANK YOU cuts and shifts, showing her irrepressible force and talent.
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Dec 13, 2022On No Thank You, the follow-up to her excellent 2021 breakthrough Sometimes I Might Be Introvert, Simz gives us 10 choice cuts (showcasing her brilliance and breadth) that convey the whole emoji board of riveting emotions.
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Dec 12, 2022Simz’s storytelling is deft and full of range, gliding between generational trauma (‘Broken’) and faith and the grind (‘Who Even Cares’) with ease. The album’s sonic palette, meanwhile, takes on a mellower and less grandiose tone, with Inflo – the producer behind her last two records and the mysterious musical project Sault – and collaborator Cleo Sol bringing a warm, homely base for Simz to nestle in.
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Dec 12, 2022She’s addressed the subject of mental health before in her work, but never quite as bluntly as on Broken, which shifts from a neat summation of depression’s ability to quietly get its claws into you. ... Meanwhile, the music business gets an extended kicking, particularly when it comes to its dealings with artists of colour. ... All of this is punchily, powerfully and, occasionally, wittily done.
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Dec 19, 2022There’s a lightness to Simz’ tender explorations of Black fatherhood, the failure of her community to help those struggling with mental crises, and the slippery loss of solidarity across economic divides on “Broken.” Sometimes the production’s soft edges can belie the bite of the words, but overall it’s a pairing that brims with possibility.
Awards & Rankings
User score distribution:
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Positive: 35 out of 37
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Mixed: 1 out of 37
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Negative: 1 out of 37
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Dec 13, 2022
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Dec 13, 2022
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Dec 12, 2022