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Music

Little Simz Just Became the First Independent UK Rapper to Appear in Forbes 30 Under 30

Massive news for one of the most exciting artists in UK rap.

We live in an unjust world. One where coffee outlets still charge 20p extra for soy milk, where that Frank Ocean album is still nowhere to be seen, and where Tyler the Creator is banned from the UK for pretty much the same reasons that Donald Trump was absolved of. Given these conditions, any sliver of good news arrives like an enema on Boxing Day, so forgive us while we rejoice that one of our favourite rappers Little Simz has just been named one of Forbes' 30 Under 30.

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With the American honour roll now in its fifth year, Forbes released their inaugural 30 Under 30 Europe today. According to their site, 30 Under 30 Europe "builds on our efforts to spotlight the young elite" and "spans ten diverse categories". The list features Star Wars actor John Boyega for the science fiction sector, nuclear engineer Rory O’Sullivan for real science, and Little Simz is featured in entertainment - making her the first independent UK rapper to be featured in Forbes' 30 Under 30 list. Other musicians featured include FKA Twigs, Adele, Hozier, Ed Sheeran, Foals' Yannis Philippakis, and Florence Welch.

Little Simz is one of the most exciting UK rap prospects in years, and the fact she's only 21 makes you feel proud and sick all at once. If you didn't believe us before, then do now: Kendrick Lamar recently described Simz as the "illest doing it right now" and Forbes just tipped her as "one of the world’s finest young rappers."

She released her video for "Gratitude" last month, which you can watch below. Bow down.