Sims (rapper)

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Sims
A man in a white T-shirt smiles and grasps a corded mic at its top
Sims performing at the University of Minnesota Morris in 2009
Background information
Birth nameAndrew Sims
Born (1982-10-19) October 19, 1982 (age 41)
Minneapolis, Minnesota, U.S.
GenresHip hop
Occupation(s)Rapper
Years active2001–present
LabelsDoomtree Records
Websitesims.bandcamp.com

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[edit]

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[edit]

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[edit]

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[edit]

Studio albums[edit]

EPs[edit]

  • False Hopes Number Four (2003)
  • False Hopes XIV (2009)
  • Wildlife (2011)
  • Field Notes (2014)

Singles[edit]

  • "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[edit]

References[edit]

  1. ^ Brown, Harley (October 17, 2011). "Live Review: Sims and Lazerbeak at Minneapolis' Fine Line Music Cafe (10/15)". Consequence of Sound.
  2. ^ Boller, Jay (July 11, 2017). "Hear first-ever songs from Doomtree spinoff group Shredders". City Pages. Retrieved March 27, 2020.
  3. ^ Collar, Matt. "Sims: Biography". AllMusic. Retrieved March 27, 2020.
  4. ^ a b "Sims". Chorus.fm. April 19, 2011. Retrieved February 5, 2017.
  5. ^ "Hey Eleanor! I'm a Rapper! An Interview with Sims of Doomtree". Hey Eleanor!. June 18, 2015. Retrieved February 5, 2017.
  6. ^ "Doomtree- Rap Won't Save You, An Interview". The Indie Spiritualist. November 29, 2011. Retrieved February 5, 2017.
  7. ^ John (September 5, 2011). "Interview: Sims (feat. Cecil Otter) (Minneapolis)". Mezzic. Retrieved February 5, 2017.
  8. ^ "Sims and Astronautalis". The Current. Minnesota Public Radio. August 23, 2014. Retrieved February 5, 2017.
  9. ^ "One nation, under DOOMTREE". Star Tribune. Retrieved February 5, 2017.
  10. ^ "False Hopes Number Four | Sims". Bandcamp. Retrieved March 27, 2020.
  11. ^ Scholtes, Peter S. (June 22, 2005). "Sims: Lights Out Paris". City Pages.
  12. ^ Wheat, Mark (February 20, 2011). "Sims performs live in The Current studios". The Current. Minnesota Public Radio. Retrieved March 27, 2020.
  13. ^ Murphy, Tom (March 3, 2015). "Doomtree: "Our Stage Show Falls Apart a Lot. It's Part of Our Charm."". Westword. Retrieved February 5, 2017.
  14. ^ Bronson, Kaleb (September 11, 2009). "CD Review – SIMS – False Hopes XIV". Rift Magazine.
  15. ^ "Sims - False Hopes XIV". Scene Point Blank. September 1, 2010.
  16. ^ McGrew, Jackson (December 23, 2010). "Doomtree's Sims announces new album, Bad Time Zoo". Consequence of Sound.
  17. ^ Swensson, Andrea (February 14, 2011). "Sims performs for City of Music". City Pages. Retrieved March 27, 2020.
  18. ^ Uddenberg, Brett (June 9, 2011). "Sims – Bad Time Zoo (Review)". URB. Archived from the original on November 21, 2011.
  19. ^ Mehan, Brendan (March 10, 2011). "Sims Releases New Video for "One Dimensional Man"". CMJ.
  20. ^ Marvilli, Joe (September 13, 2011). "Sims – "LMG"". Consequence of Sound.
  21. ^ Swensson, Andrea (January 4, 2011). "Sims drops 'Burn it Down' video". City Pages. Retrieved March 27, 2020.
  22. ^ Gordon, Scott (February 21, 2011). "Beats & Rhymes: Sims' Bad Time Zoo". Alarm.
  23. ^ Beringer, Drew (February 16, 2011). "Sims - Bad Time Zoo". AbsoluePunk.
  24. ^ "Minnesota's Best Albums of 2011". City Pages. December 14, 2011. Retrieved March 27, 2020.
  25. ^ Royal, Jacob (March 13, 2012). "Sims - Wildlife". Sputnikmusic.
  26. ^ Kangas, Chaz (January 30, 2015). "Five Underrated Doomtree Rarities You Might Have Missed". City Pages. Retrieved March 27, 2020.
  27. ^ 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.
  28. ^ "Sims' Field Notes: Album Walkthrough". Breaks x Lakes. September 2, 2014. Retrieved February 5, 2017.
  29. ^ Boller, Jay (November 4, 2016). "Sims' 'More Than Ever' leads this week's pack of new Minnesota music". City Pages. Retrieved March 27, 2020.
  30. ^ 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.
  31. ^ Lazerbeak (June 7, 2011). "Tuesdays With Lazerbeak". Doomtree. Retrieved February 5, 2017.

External links[edit]