Sims (rapper)
Sims | |
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![]() Sims performing at the University of Minnesota Morris in 2009 | |
Background information | |
Birth name | Andrew Sims |
Born | Minneapolis, Minnesota, U.S. | October 19, 1982
Genres | Hip hop |
Occupation | Rapper |
Years active | 2001–present |
Labels | Doomtree Records |
Website | sims |
Andrew Sims (born October 19, 1982), better known mononymously as Sims, is an American rapper from Minneapolis. He has been a member of Doomtree[1] and Shredders.[2]
Early life
Sims was born Andrew Sims on October 19, 1982 in Minnesota.[3] He grew up in Hopkins, a suburb of Minneapolis. His parents were former musicians.[4] He first began creating music at an early age when his father bought him a Casio SK-1 keyboard.[5] At a young age, he began writing lyrics, not necessarily rap.[6] By the time he was 14, Sims was freestyle rapping and was also in various non hip hop bands as well.[7] He attended Hopkins High School in Minnetonka, Minnesota, where he met P.O.S and Cecil Otter, (and later other Doomtree members) who would sell beats to Sims.[8] Following graduation, he studied at the University of Minnesota, before dropping out with seventeen credits remaining.[9] Although he was younger than his cohorts, after a while he was invited to become an official member of Doomtree, being the last one to join.[4]
Career
Sims released the False Hopes Number Four EP, the fourth in a series of Doomtree's False Hopes releases, in 2003.[10] In 2005, he released his first solo album, Lights Out Paris.[11][12] The album was released without the help of a record label or distribution, instead using money earned from Doomtree's shows, who would release the album independently.[13] In 2009, he released False Hopes XIV.[14][15]
His second solo album, Bad Time Zoo, was released in 2011.[16][17] It is entirely produced by Lazerbeak.[18] The album was released with music videos for the tracks "One Dimensional Man",[19] "LMG",[20] and "Burn It Down."[21] The album features a guest appearance from P.O.S.[22] Drew Beringer of AbsolutePunk described the album as "one of the most bombastic hip-hop albums of 2011."[23] City Pages included it on the "Minnesota's Best Albums of 2011" list.[24] Sims released the Wildlife EP later that year.[25][26]
In 2014, he released the Field Notes EP.[27] It features production from Cecil Otter and Icetep, as well as a guest appearance from Astronautalis.[28] In 2016, he released his solo album, More Than Ever.[29] In 2018, he released a collaborative album with Air Credits and Icetep, titled Artería Verité.[30]
Personal life
In 2010, Sims' wife Sarah (then girlfriend) needed an emergency pancreas transplant. During the Doomtree's Blowout Three concert, she was in a coma. Sims' experience is documented in a hidden song on "Hey You" on Bad Time Zoo's CD and vinyl release. In 2011, they married.[31]
Discography
Studio albums
- Lights Out Paris (2005)
- Bad Time Zoo (2011)
- More Than Ever (2016)
- Artería Verité (2018) (with Air Credits and Icetep)
EPs
- False Hopes Number Four (2003)
- False Hopes XIV (2009)
- Wildlife (2011)
- Field Notes (2014)
Singles
- "Burn It Down" (2011)
- "This Is the Place" (2013) (with Astronautalis)
- "Triple 6's" (2016)
- "One Hundred (Air Credits Remix)" (2017)
- "No Getaway" (2017)
- "Time Don't Fear Me Back" (2017)
- "Cannon" (2018) (with Air Credits and Icetep)
Guest appearances
- P.O.S - "Lifetime...Kid Dynamite" from Ipecac Neat (2004)
- Dessa - "Press On" from False Hopes (2005)
- Mel Gibson and the Pants - "Landmarked" from W/ Guitar (2005)
- Mel Gibson and the Pants - "Dead Baby Joke" from Sea vs. Shining Sea (2007)
- P.O.S - "Low Light Low Life" from Never Better (2009)
- Astronautalis - "Thomas Jefferson" from This Is Our Science (2011)
- Culture Cry Wolf - "Second Wind" from Dia de los Muertos (2011)
- The Hood Internet - "One for the Record Books" from FEAT (2012)
- P.O.S - "They Can't Come" from We Don't Even Live Here (2012)
- Big Quarters - "Grown Up" from Somos No Joke (2012)
- Transit - "Monster See Monster Do" from Occupy Tall Trees (2015)
- Air Credits - "Gear Shiftn" and "No Limits" from Broadcasted (2016)
- Four Fists - "Annihilation" from 6666 (2018)
- Ultra Suede - "Caldera" and "Diamonds" from Ultra Suede (2018)
References
- ^ Brown, Harley (October 17, 2011). "Live Review: Sims and Lazerbeak at Minneapolis' Fine Line Music Cafe (10/15)". Consequence of Sound.
- ^ Boller, Jay (July 11, 2017). "Hear first-ever songs from Doomtree spinoff group Shredders". City Pages. Retrieved March 27, 2020.
- ^ Collar, Matt. "Sims: Biography". AllMusic. Retrieved March 27, 2020.
- ^ a b "Sims". Chorus.fm. April 19, 2011. Retrieved February 5, 2017.
- ^ "Hey Eleanor! I'm a Rapper! An Interview with Sims of Doomtree". Hey Eleanor!. June 18, 2015. Retrieved February 5, 2017.
- ^ "Doomtree- Rap Won't Save You, An Interview". The Indie Spiritualist. November 29, 2011. Retrieved February 5, 2017.
- ^ John (September 5, 2011). "Interview: Sims (feat. Cecil Otter) (Minneapolis)". Mezzic. Retrieved February 5, 2017.
- ^ "Sims and Astronautalis". The Current. Minnesota Public Radio. August 23, 2014. Retrieved February 5, 2017.
- ^ "One nation, under DOOMTREE". Star Tribune. Retrieved February 5, 2017.
- ^ "False Hopes Number Four | Sims". Bandcamp. Retrieved March 27, 2020.
- ^ Scholtes, Peter S. (June 22, 2005). "Sims: Lights Out Paris". City Pages.
- ^ Wheat, Mark (February 20, 2011). "Sims performs live in The Current studios". The Current. Minnesota Public Radio. Retrieved March 27, 2020.
- ^ Murphy, Tom (March 3, 2015). "Doomtree: "Our Stage Show Falls Apart a Lot. It's Part of Our Charm."". Westword. Retrieved February 5, 2017.
- ^ Bronson, Kaleb (September 11, 2009). "CD Review – SIMS – False Hopes XIV". Rift Magazine.
- ^ "Sims - False Hopes XIV". Scene Point Blank. September 1, 2010.
- ^ McGrew, Jackson (December 23, 2010). "Doomtree's Sims announces new album, Bad Time Zoo". Consequence of Sound.
- ^ Swensson, Andrea (February 14, 2011). "Sims performs for City of Music". City Pages. Retrieved March 27, 2020.
- ^ Uddenberg, Brett (June 9, 2011). "Sims – Bad Time Zoo (Review)". URB. Archived from the original on November 21, 2011.
- ^ Mehan, Brendan (March 10, 2011). "Sims Releases New Video for "One Dimensional Man"". CMJ.
- ^ Marvilli, Joe (September 13, 2011). "Sims – "LMG"". Consequence of Sound.
- ^ Swensson, Andrea (January 4, 2011). "Sims drops 'Burn it Down' video". City Pages. Retrieved March 27, 2020.
- ^ Gordon, Scott (February 21, 2011). "Beats & Rhymes: Sims' Bad Time Zoo". Alarm.
- ^ Beringer, Drew (February 16, 2011). "Sims - Bad Time Zoo". AbsoluePunk.
- ^ "Minnesota's Best Albums of 2011". City Pages. December 14, 2011. Retrieved March 27, 2020.
- ^ Royal, Jacob (March 13, 2012). "Sims - Wildlife". Sputnikmusic.
- ^ Kangas, Chaz (January 30, 2015). "Five Underrated Doomtree Rarities You Might Have Missed". City Pages. Retrieved March 27, 2020.
- ^ Bolton, Aaron; Gabler, Jay (September 2, 2014). "Sims, Jenny Dalton, Vision the Kid & Tru: This week's Minnesota record releases". The Current. Minnesota Public Radio. Retrieved March 27, 2020.
- ^ "Sims' Field Notes: Album Walkthrough". Breaks x Lakes. September 2, 2014. Retrieved February 5, 2017.
- ^ Boller, Jay (November 4, 2016). "Sims' 'More Than Ever' leads this week's pack of new Minnesota music". City Pages. Retrieved March 27, 2020.
- ^ Johnson, Cecilia (July 20, 2018). "Friday Five: TU Dance & Bon Iver, Sims x Air Credits x Icetep, and more new Minnesota music videos". The Current. Minnesota Public Radio. Retrieved March 27, 2020.
- ^ Lazerbeak (June 7, 2011). "Tuesdays With Lazerbeak". Doomtree. Retrieved February 5, 2017.
External links
- Official website
- Sims at Doomtree
- Sims discography at Discogs