British rapper Little Simz to receive iconic Pioneer Award at the 2020 AIM Awards

Little Simz is set to be honoured with the prestigious Pioneer Award at this year’s Association of Independent Music (AIM) Awards.

The rapper is slated to perform at next month’s online ceremony, and becomes the youngest ever recipient of the award.

“Delighted to receive the Pioneer Award this year and excited to perform. Big thank you and love to AIM Awards!” Little Simz said of the news.

“Being an independent artist is incredibly important to me and winning this award is a huge honour. I’m a massive fan of those who have received this before me so it really means a lot.”

The AIM Awards will be streamed live on August 12 at 7pm, in partnership with SBTV and supported by YouTube.

A special live set in honour of Afrobeat pioneer Tony Allen has also been organised for the musician, who will receive the Outstanding Contribution To Music Award posthumously.

The legendary Nigerian drummer died suddenly at the age of 79 in May of this year.

Once described by Brian Eno as "perhaps the greatest drummer who has ever lived", Allen was a member of Damon Albarn's supergroup The Good, The Bad & The Queen in the later years of his life, after serving as the musical director of Fela Kuti's Africa '70 from 1968 to 1979.

Ezra Collective’s Femi Koleoso has curated the tribute, which will see a group of musicians performing a medley of the late drummer’s influential work.

Drill rapper Digga D and electronic-jazz drummer Moses Boyd earned three nominations for the AIM Awards each last month.

Hania Rani, Greentea Peng, Floating Points and Flying Lotus garnered two nods each, with Dublin band Fontaines D.C., Idles, AJ Tracey, King Krule, Kim Gordon, Laura Marling, Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds, Fka Twigs and Arlo Parks also nominated.