Rap star Little Simz axed her manager before winning Mercury Prize

2022-10-23

Dumped, the loyal manager who steered Mercury Prize winning British rap star Little Simz to glory

Little Simz won this year’s Mercury Prize at London’s Hammersmith Apollo
The British rap star dumped her long-serving manager just weeks earlier
She had worked with ex-manager Rob Swerdlow for seven years in total
But she failed to credit him in her acceptance speech earlier this week

The British rap star who won one of the music industry’s most prestigious awards dumped her long-serving manager just weeks earlier.

Little Simz was announced as this year’s Mercury Prize winner at the star-studded event at London’s Hammersmith Apollo last Tuesday.

She told the audience she was ‘overwhelmed’ to collect the prize in recognition of her 2021 album, Sometimes I Might Be Introvert.

The London-born artist, whose real name is Simbiatu Ajikawo, stunned industry executives by failing to credit the role played in her success by long-time manager Rob Swerdlow.

Rob Swerdlow (left) managed Little Simz for seven years. The British rap star dumped the manager just weeks before she won this year’s Mercury Prize

The Mail on Sunday understands that Little Simz, 28, dropped Mr Swerdlow – who had managed her since 2015 – only weeks earlier in a decision that friends say left him ‘absolutely gutted.’ One said: ‘Rob was in the trenches with her when things were tough.

‘He was responsible for guiding her out of hard times to where she is now. A lot of people are hoping he gets the credit he deserves. Rob adored her and loved being her manager, so this is understandably quite hard for him.’

Another manager who attended the awards added: ‘After Simz was announced as the winner, Rob’s name was the talk of the night.’

Little Simz giving her speech at the Hammersmith Apollo after winning this year’s Mercury Prize

Mr Swerdlow was at the star’s side when she signed a publishing deal with top label Universal. Despite landing a Brit award this year as Best New Artist, Simz had struggled to find success for years.

In an interview just last month she described Mr Swerdlow as being ‘so knowledgeable’ and ‘open to new things’.

In the same interview, with Music Week, Mr Swerdlow, who manages indie band The Kooks, was complimentary about the rapper, saying: ‘Very rarely do you get an artist who can work in a global, smart and culturally relevant musical space and stand up 100 per cent for independence… Simz never compromises.’

However, she no longer appears on the website of his company Starwood Management.

Mr Swerdlow declined to comment. Representitives for Simz have been approached for comment.

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