Sims

“Doomtree's Sims is the best evidence yet that talent nurtured at the bottom can surface with sudden force.” –Star Tribune.

Dues are paid. Stripes are earned. And now Doomtree’s Sims is poised to position himself as one of the break-out artists in independent hip hop.

As a performer, Sims has proven himself many times over on tours that criss-cross the country, with back-to-back shows, overnight drives, and a few new faces on every pass.

As a lyricist, Sims has shown himself to be a diligent student of craft, an intelligent writer, and a rare source of balanced, thoughtful commentary ranging from American culture and commerce to love and family. His stable of songs includes distopian vignettes, earnest appeals to our better nature, and unapologetic club bangers that he delivers from the floor, surrounded by fans that rap along with every word.

As a man, Sims is the same on and off stage. The themes in his music are the themes in his life: hard work, self-reliance, community and connection. He’s not the construct of a label, or his own understanding of what a rapper ought to be. He’s a man who’s making a life of his art, who embodies the DIY ethic that’s been reduced to a buzzword in other circles. And critics have taken notice. So have fans. Fearless sincerity isn’t always easy to come by in the music industry. But Sims’ words honestly convey his daily living: “I’m gonna get there you know/Even if I have to put the feathers on myself.”

doomtree, cecil otter