Never Tried Suicide

Little Simz “Venom”

“Venom” opens with a discordant string part that sounds like it’s pulled from a horror film score – trilling, agitated, menacing. Little Simz begins her rapid-fire rap within 8 seconds, but the music has already spiked your anxiety levels. Simz’ verses start at a high level of tension and she only amps that up as she goes along, spitting out syllables with dazzling speed and startling precision. Imagine a ninja hurling a handful of throwing stars and each one hitting a specific target at exactly the right spot. Simz’ rage in this song is perfectly calibrated, with each point landing with a deliberate balance of clear-eyed authority and poisonous spite. The most brilliant moment comes about 40 seconds in as her first verse winds up to the key line – “Never giving credit where it’s due ‘cause you don’t like pussy in power…VENOM” – and the strings drop out on the last word, replaced by heavy, crushing percussion.

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