Without a doubt, Little Simz is the ultimate face of contemporary female rap: her new work, Lotus, although in my opinion not on the same level as albums such as Grey Area and Sometimes I Might Be Introvert, is nonetheless extremely solid and confirms the artist’s great versatility. She moves with ease between primal beats (Flood), neo-soul ballads (Free), and opulent arrangements (Lotus).

Among the most intense and lyrically significant moments of the album stands out Blood, a track structured as a dialogue filled with emotional tension, in which Little Simz duets with Wretch 32, simulating a phone conversation between two siblings who are both physically and emotionally distant.
Through direct and painful verses, the two artists confront themes such as family distance, the weight of expectations, generational trauma, and the repressed need for human connection.

The beginning of the conversation is tense and full of resentment: both feel misunderstood and blame each other for silences, absences, and family responsibilities. However, as the track progresses, the dialogue opens up to a more vulnerable and sincere space. The brother admits his emotional and personal struggles — the difficulty of handling the pressure of success, past mistakes, and nostalgia for his roots. On the other hand, the sister confesses the pain of feeling excluded, even while carrying the family’s emotional burden every day. Both recognize that they carry within themselves wounds that are different yet complementary, and the confrontation culminates in a request for genuine closeness (“I only phoned you ’cause I need a friend”).

The structure of Blood recalls that of We Cry Together by Kendrick Lamar, another track that employs the format of a sharp, back-and-forth dialogue, this time to explore the dynamics of a couple trapped in a toxic relationship.

In both cases, we are faced with a direct conversation that unfolds like a theatrical scene rather than a traditional song. However, while We Cry Together depicts the explosive and toxic confrontation between two partners trapped in a cycle of accusations, dependency, and repressed anger, Blood deals with family pain in a more measured tone, while still maintaining extremely high emotional intensity.

Where Kendrick and Taylour Paige hurl fierce insults in a largely static conflict that leads to a very ambiguous physical reconciliation, Simz and Wretch 32 confront deep frustrations that are, however, aimed toward reconciliation and a desire to heal.

In conclusion, Blood reminds us that the hardest confrontations, when approached with sincerity, can evolve and turn into opportunities for reconciliation. The dynamism of a genuine emotional exchange does not lie in raising one’s voice, but rather in the ability to listen and embrace even the deepest wounds.

"If you want greener grass, you have to water where you are."

May the Music be with you!

Luca