Little Simz is suing her former producer Inflo – AKA Dean Cover of music collective Sault – for allegedly failing to repay a loan of £1.7m, including £1m to cover Sault’s only live show to date, an opulent extravaganza at London venue Drumsheds in December 2023 at which she performed. The London-born rapper and actor said that the debt left her unable to pay her full tax liability in January 2024.
Inflo had worked with Simz, born Simbiatu Ajikawo, since her third album, 2019’s Grey Area, as well as producing for Adele, Michael Kiwanuka, Tyler, the Creator, and Inflo’s wife, soul singer Cleo Sol.
The rapper filed her claim in January, alleging that Inflo held on to loans for more than a year and that his company provided improper accounting to her for funds that Sony supplied to cover recording, Law360 reports.
Inflo has not yet filed a defence to the claim. Representatives for Simz offered no comment. The Guardian has contacted representatives for Inflo.
In April 2022, Simz left her previous manager to work with an employee of Inflo’s company, Forever Living Originals. When her publishing contract with Universal Music Publishing ended, Inflo advised her to self-publish her music, the claim states.
Simz then worked with Artists Without a Label (AWAL), a label services company for independent artists, owned by Sony. In November 2022, she entered a three-album deal with a total advance of £2m, as well as £625,000 to cover the costs of recording the third album.
Prior to receiving the costs payment, Simz made two separate payments of £350,000 and £275,000 to Inflo to cover the costs of that record with AWAL. In October 2024, a letter sent by Inflo’s solicitors stated that the total costs only came to £524,436. Her claim states that she was under the impression any remaining funds would be returned to her on completion of the album.
Simz lent Inflo the money on 1 December 2023 to cover the Drumsheds show on the condition that he repay her by 4 December. The claim states that he failed to do so, saying he was “still getting [his] deal over the line” and would send the money “back as soon as it lands”. Tickets for the event cost £99 each.
Simz lent Inflo further sums of £500,000 and £200,000 in December 2023, but she claims he failed to repay them in 2024 despite repeated requests. Her inability to pay her full tax liability left her subject to interest and charges, she claims.
Her claim states that Inflo’s lawyers acknowledged the debt in October 2024, but incorrectly framed it as a debt owed by Forever Living Originals, not Inflo himself.
Simz is set to release her sixth album, Lotus, on 9 May. The album was produced by Miles Clinton James, who has previously produced for London jazz outfit Kokoroko. She shared the lead single, Flood, in February. In June, she will curate the Meltdown festival at London’s Southbank Centre. The lineup is yet to be announced.
