GREATEST: Buddy
The emerging Compton born and raised rapper recalls meeting Pharrell, touring around the world and his third album, Harlan & Alondra.
Born and raised in Compton, Simmie Sims (known most readily by his moniker and childhood nickname, Buddy), is one of the most exciting rappers to enter the West Coast hip-hop scene in the last decade. Since being signed in 2011, Sims has collaborated with Freddie Gibbs, Kendrick Lamar and Snoop Dogg, to name a few. This year has only meant more milestones for the 24-year old artist, namely: tours with A$AP Ferg and Joey Bada$$, and the release of his third album, Harlan & Alondra. We caught up with Sims to talk about his favorite tour snack (hint: you can smoke it), the years he spent as a performing arts student in Los Angeles and why balance reigns supreme above all else.
I want to talk about the early Buddy days. You went to school for music and art. Is there any part of school that you still think about fondly?
It wasn’t so much music school. It was a conservatory where we learned how to act, sing and dance. I feel like the thing I miss the most is just being around a bunch of young individuals who are from the inner city, the ghetto, the hood, just doing something positive together. You know what I’m saying? A positive place where you can do positive things with people around the same age from completely different schools in Los Angeles. There was a sense of community, big time. I still hang out with a few people from there, but everybody’s doing something different, you know, singers, actors, entertainers.
Is there anything that you’ve taken with you from those days that sticks with you and your work now?
All of it was amazing because you learned choreography, wore costumes, auditioned for parts. Some people would get the parts, some wouldn’t. The disappointments, disagreements, arguments, getting in trouble—everything. It’s too much for me to pinpoint one thing.
What was the best part about growing up in Compton?
The respect you automatically get just by saying you’re from Compton.
[Laughs] I feel like New York City kids get that, too.
Think back to when you were five or six years old. What did you want to be when you grew up?
I didn’t know for sure. I just kind of wanted to have fun. I never really pinpointed what I wanted to do. I kind of always just made stuff happen.
Why did you choose Buddy as your name?
My sister gave me that nickname when we were really young. She was trying to say “brother,” but it came out “Buddy.” My family calls me that, everybody at my church, all my closest friends. It’s my nickname. It chose me— I didn’t really pick a rap name.
I feel like that’s better. You didn’t have to create a persona; it’s just who you are. So you signed with i am OTHER in 2011, and you worked with Pharrell in Miami. Did that allow you to observe from behind the scenes of the industry before having a big record?
Big time. Yeah. I got to see how a lot of songs were made, how albums were made from studio sessions, how they went down, the process of ordering food, you know what I’m saying?! Runners. [Laughs]
What do you think was the biggest lesson you took from that?
I observed the difference between having fun in the studio and getting work done—and that you can find a balance. There were days in the studio where I watched people have conversations, watch movies, drink, smoke—but not really make that much music. And the studios are super expensive, you know. I’ve been to other studio sessions where I’ll go in and somebody is recording, somebody comes out, another beat is being made. It’s just super productive. You have to find that happy medium between the two because you never want it to feel like work, but you still want to be working.
For sure. If you’re paying for studio time, that’s when you’re young and you go to college and you’re fucking off and then you realize, Oh my god, I’m paying for this. So you just got off the tour with [A$AP] Ferg. Is there any tour ritual you do before every show?
Me and the homie pray before every show. Me and my DJ, Cedric, say a prayer before every show.
And when you’re on tour, do you have a favorite, go-to snack?
Kush. We like weed. [Laughs] I don’t got no go-to snacks. Whatever’s available. It’s so weird abroad in America. I explore and try something different in every city. We try to see what’s cracking in what city, like, what’s the fire food spots. So it’s always different.
Can you walk me through an average day when you’re not on tour?
No day is really average. Most of the time I’m just chilling and smoking with family and friends or at the studio or a combination of both. It varies. Today, I was about to get some food, hang out with my dad, go to the studio. My dad misses me because I’ve been on tour. He wants to hang out, but I’m trying to make rap and make songs, so I’ll probably just tell him to come to the studio.
I observed the difference between having fun in the studio and getting work done—and that you can find a balance…You have to find that happy medium between the two because you never want it to feel like work, but you still want to be working.
Buddy
So your dad would come kick it at the studio, and he’s good with it?
Yeah. My dad is tired after work anyway, so he just wanted to see me. But it makes no sense for me to drive all the way to his house to just kick it real quick—I don’t even have a car right now.
Speaking of, how did you come to the decision to give out gas with the release of your last album?
It was a suggestion from people at the label. I was like, “Yeah, that would be tight.” I’ve never really looked at my brand, all my accolades. I still live like a broke [person], so I didn’t realize that I could afford to give back. [Laughs] And they reminded me, like, “Hey, you got cheese?” Like, “Bro— do something for the city.” I was so busy running around, getting off the Joey Bada$$ tour, starting up the [A$AP] Ferg tour, releasing my album. It was a lot going on.
That’s what’s up! They’re looking out for you in that way as well. Switching gears, I know this is probably the equivalent of asking a parent who their favorite child is, but do you have a favorite song on your most recent album?
“Trouble on Central” is my favorite. It was just such a vivid moment, a critical time in my life where I was doing more than everybody else but not doing enough for myself to feel satisfied. You know what I mean? Around that time, I was signed with Pharrell, I had my little bucket, I was making my little songs and everybody thought I was way more crackin’ than I was. When your car’s broke down on the side of the road, it’s not that poppin’.
So who are your top three artists of 2018?
03 Greedo, FatManKey! and Future.
Oh, okay. I didn’t expect that. [Laughs] Were there any major goals with this latest release that you’re looking back on now, thinking, I did that; I got it?
I was just super excited to have a platform and a budget to make an album with my friends, you know. The goal was to put it out, and I did that. And people like it, you know what I’m saying? Now, we’re looking into a tour. It’s not confirmed, but we’re looking into it. Other than that, I’m going to be making more music and doing more shows.
Photography by Andy Madeleine and Interview by Rae Witte