Buddy

Simmie Sims III, known by his stage name, Buddy, is a rapper, singer, dancer, and actor from Compton, California. Buddy is also a member of the hip-hop supergroup Zoink Gang, along with J.I.D, Smino, Guapdad 4000, and EarthGang.

Introduced to gospel and soul by his father, a preacher and choir director, he began his performance career at age seven by starring in plays and musicals including "The Wiz," "Oliver With a Twist," and "Dreamgirls" at Amazing Grace Conservatory. When the school became too expensive for his family he withdrew, later attending a high school performing arts program in Long Beach, California.

As a teenager, he began recording his own material. In 2009, he got a break when TV music supervisor Scott Vener showed Pharrell Williams an early effort by the 15-year-old Buddy. Impressed, Pharrell began to work with the teenager and signed him to his I Am Other creative collective and record label. When Buddy was 18, his song "Awesome Awesome" was produced by The Neptunes and Pharrell made an appearance in the accompanying music video.

In 2014, continuing to work with Pharrell, he released his debut mixtape, Idle Time, which featured Kendrick Lamar, Miley Cyrus, Robin Thicke, and others.

After releasing two EPs, Ocean & Montana and Magnolia, in 2018, he released his debut full-length album, Harlan & Alondra, on July 20, 2018. It includes the singles "Black" featuring A$AP Ferg, "Trouble on Central," "Hey Up There" featuring Ty Dolla $ign, and "Trippin'" featuring Khalid. His aim, he has said, was "to paint a well-rounded portrait of my home city," Los Angeles.